There was a former dry cleaning worker who developed a brain aneurism directly attributed to exposure to perchloroethylene or PERC, a chemical used in dry cleaning. Your state or city may be trying to ban its use; however, as of this writing, the vast majority of dry cleaners use this hazardous air pollutant and potential carcinogen. Those who work in close proximity to dry cleaning establishments risk being exposed to PERC because PERC can travel through ceiling, walls and floors. They experience respiratory, skin and neurological health problems.

Gas stations supposedly have vacuum nozzles which limit the amount of fumes that get airborne, but why risk it. Also, it is not unusual for gasoline from station tanks to leak into the ground soil. The cleanup process causes more contaminants to enter the air you breathe.

Avoid areas where there are businesses emitting strong smells. Obnoxious smells can come from unexpected sources. There is a bread bakery in the town where I live. It is unpleasant to drive by because it smells of chemicals, not like a bakery at all. So look around with your nose and ears as well as your eyes.

Consider noise pollution. Noise will seem less bothersome standing around talking to a rental agent. However, in session the same noises seem amplified and irritating. Noise is difficult to mask. It seeps in every little opening and vibrates against window panes. You cannot play music loud enough to cover it without it being too obnoxious for the therapeutic setting. Look around the neighborhood to see if there are businesses that may create noise such as auto repair shops, machine shops, dog groomers and schools. Consider a location and a building that supports quiet and at the same time can be easily seen from the street so you can have some free advertising.

Watch out for businesses such as telemarketing and sales where the restless tend to loiter and litter about the premises. A similar problem can happen if there is a bar nearby. Where people are drinking, some tend to become noisy and aggressive. If there is a liquor store nearby, there might be a problem with intoxicated people loitering in the area. They are difficult to get rid of and have a tendency to return again and again after being asked to stay off the grounds.

For example, there was an attractive building with no trace of any problem when I first viewed it. Unknown to me, the grounds happened to be occupied by squatters who wanted to be based near a local liquor store. They must have been temporarily chased away by the owner, prior to the showing. The no loitering signs should have been a tip off that something was wrong.

By the first day, the squatters were obvious. Their presence created an overall seedy appearance. I just hoped it would not affect business or reflect badly on my profession. A foolish hope since it was Orange County. When it rained, there was one squatter in particular who would stand directly in front of my door, where we would have a lengthy argument about it each and every time. When it was sunny, he would sit out on the curb, dirty and sloppy drunk.

After several months this problem was shared with Norma, a friend in the industry. Norma said “Well, if you don’t do something about it soon, you’re going to be sitting out on the curb with him!” On that note, a security company was immediately called.

It was the right decision but a difficult one nevertheless. I was disrupting the lives of these people who meant no harm. Had the rules of revisiting the location been followed, the squatters would have been apparent and the unit would not have been leased.

Check the location to see what it is like during peak business hours, evenings and weekends. By revisiting a prospect, you can see if there is a problem. This is also a good time to chat with the tenants.

Some urban pockets are so congested during certain hours, they are too dreadful to bother with. Even the weekends may represent an event which can impact parking. I had an office that was next door to a convalescent hospital. On Thursdays, when the workers would get paid, all the parking spaces were filled and the driveway was a worthless mess of double parked cars. This lease could have also been avoided by asking the tenants about the parking.

Some locations are perfectly fine during the day but unsafe at night. You may want to be open when the surrounding offices are closed. Therefore, you want to find the safest location possible and still meet your other criteria. Speak to neighbors and check with the police department to see if the location you’re considering is a troubled area. If the surrounding businesses look like they went through a lot of trouble to secure their premises, it would indicate a problem.

Make sure the place is easy to find and easy to reach. Remember you will be giving directions on the phone. It would be helpful if the directions could be simple and the street name not confusing. Think creatively about directions.

Lack of parking is a business killer. Make sure you will have plenty of parking. Assigned parking spaces may help guarantee you against any new tenants whose businesses might hog up the parking.

Look at enough properties to get a feel for the rents. Try to rent under market. If the tenants have been there for a long time, it is a good indication the owner is fair. There is nothing wrong with asking a few of the tenants how they like the way the property is managed. Sometimes they try to clue you in by being distant with the manager when they see him/her.

Make sure the place you lease has an experienced property manager, landlord or landlady. It takes business experience to manage property. If the person managing the property is suddenly doing so because they inherited the task, they may not know what they are doing and it will likely affect the tenants. The tenants will end up carrying the owner’s responsibility and expense such as when I had to hire that security company.