Are You on the Fence? Buying vs. Leasing Commercial Property

In the realm of business, the decision to either lease or buy commercial property is a crucial one, often carrying significant implications for the future of the enterprise. Both options come with their own set of advantages and drawbacks, making it essential for entrepreneurs and business owners to carefully evaluate their specific circumstances, needs, and goals before making a choice.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of leasing versus buying commercial property to help you make an informed decision.

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-15120-building-269077/

Leasing Commercial Property

Pros:

1. Lower Initial Costs: Leasing typically requires less upfront capital compared to purchasing property. Instead of a hefty down payment, lessees usually pay a security deposit and the first month’s rent.
2. Flexibility: Leasing offers businesses the flexibility to adapt to changing needs. If your business experiences growth or contraction, it’s easier to adjust your space requirements when leasing, either by expanding into additional units or downsizing.
3. Reduced Responsibilities: Maintenance and repair responsibilities often fall on the landlord when leasing commercial property. This can alleviate some of the burdens associated with property ownership, allowing business owners to focus on core operations.
4. Location Options: Leasing provides access to prime locations that may be financially out of reach for purchasing. This can be advantageous for businesses looking to establish a presence in high-traffic areas or “destination” areas without the commitment of ownership.

Cons:

1. Limited Control: As a Tenant, you have limited control over the property. Renovations or alterations most likely require Landlord approval, and lease terms may restrict certain activities or changes to the space.
2. No Equity Building: Unlike buying property, leasing does not offer the opportunity to build equity. Monthly lease payments contribute solely to occupancy costs without any long-term asset accumulation.
3. Rental Increases: Lease agreements typically include provisions for rent escalation over time. While this allows Landlords to keep up with market trends and increased costs due to economic fluctuations, it can lead to increased occupancy costs for tenants, affecting long-term financial planning.

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Buying Commercial Property

Pros:

1. Ownership and Equity: Purchasing commercial property allows businesses to build equity over time. Property ownership can serve as a long-term investment, potentially yielding returns through appreciation and equity buildup.
2. Control and Customization: Property ownership grants full control over the space, enabling businesses to customize and modify the property according to their needs without seeking landlord approval.
3. Stable Costs: With a fixed-rate mortgage, businesses can enjoy stable occupancy costs, unaffected by fluctuating rental rates. This predictability can facilitate better financial planning and budgeting.
4. Potential Rental Income: Owning commercial property provides the opportunity to generate additional income by leasing out unused space to other businesses or tenants, thereby diversifying revenue streams.

Cons:

1. High Initial Costs: Buying commercial property entails substantial upfront costs, including down payments, closing costs, and potential property improvements. This can be a barrier to entry for some businesses, particularly startups or small enterprises.
2. Maintenance Responsibilities: Property ownership comes with maintenance and repair responsibilities. Businesses must allocate resources for upkeep, repairs, and property management, which affects the bottom line.
3. Limited Flexibility: Unlike leasing, owning commercial property ties your business to a specific location. Relocating or expansion needs may involve selling the property, which can be time-consuming and costly.
4. Market Risk: Property values are subject to market fluctuations, and economic downturns can impact property appreciation and rental demand, potentially affecting the property’s investment value.

Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay

When it all comes down to it, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Each option presents its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the decision ultimately hinges on factors such as financial resources, business objectives, and long-term strategy.

By carefully evaluating the pros and cons outlined above and considering your unique circumstances, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your business goals and aspirations. Whether leasing or buying, the key is to approach the decision with thorough research and foresight to ensure a sound investment in the future of your business.

We’re eager to connect and dive deep into your vision for commercial property leasing or purchasing. Let’s explore your long-term goals together and leverage our expertise to analyze data, conduct research, and identify tailored options that fit your needs. As locals deeply rooted in this community, we’re not just passionate about the area—we live and breathe it. Count on us to bring our local insights and dedication to your real estate endeavors, ensuring a seamless journey toward your objectives.

Knowing the Terms BEFORE you sign on the Dotted Line

It is essential to understand all the intricacies of a commercial lease before signing because a commercial lease is a legally binding document that outlines the terms and conditions of your rental agreement with a landlord or property owner. It is a critical legal document that defines your rights and responsibilities as a tenant and the obligations of your landlord.

By fully understanding the terms of the lease, you can make an informed decision and negotiate more favorable terms that suit your business needs. Additionally, a lease can have significant financial implications, such as rent payments, security deposits, and utilities, which can impact your bottom line. Understanding these terms and obligations can help you budget and plan effectively for your business.

Some of the key aspects of a commercial lease that you need to understand include the length of the lease, rent increases, maintenance responsibilities, repair obligations, alterations, subleasing, termination, and renewal options. You should also pay close attention to any fees, such as late payment penalties, utilities, insurance, or property taxes, and your rights as the lease progresses, terminates or any other unforeseen circumstances.

It is always recommended to seek the advice of an experienced Commercial Brokerage who can help you navigate the complex legal language and interpret the implications of the lease. By doing so, you can ensure that you have a solid understanding of all the terms and obligations of your lease, protect your business interests, and avoid any costly mistakes or disputes down the line.

Beiler-Campbell Commercial has 50 years of experience that we would be proud to put to work for you. Contact us today to set up an appointment to discuss your commercial real estate goals and we will be happy to provide solid advice backed by market knowledge and expertise.

Active Listening – What is it and how important is it?

Pauses are often viewed these days as “awkward silence”. We scramble to fill it with noise… the noise of any kind, beneficial or not. Our lives are scripted to background music on our Insta-stories. Quiet even makes some of us nervous, uncomfortable. We conversate, but do not “saturate”. What I mean by this is we do not truly immerse ourselves in conversation as some of the generations that have gone before us. The technology wasn’t there to distract us. Before we address Active Listening and what it is, let us address the reasons why we listen.

Why we Listen

• To glean information
• To understand, wrap our heads around the subject matter
• For pleasure and enjoyment

Bad Listening Habits – What are they?

• Looking away – not focusing on the person speaking
• Multi-tasking – fiddling on your phone, etc.
• Talking over someone as they are trying to speak
• Pre-occupation – being wrapped up in your own thought process and focusing on your next thought or response

Ok, Active Listening – What is it and what are the benefits?

Active Listening has several key components. They are:

• Sole Focus
  • Eyes fixed on the person speaking
  • Preferably minimize possible distractions prior to beginning the conversation
  • Practice accessible body language
  • Appropriate and timely facial expressions – smiles, frowns, cringes, etc.
• Acknowledgement beyond the slim bounds of “hmm”, “uh-huh” and nodding your head yes or no
• Active feedback during intentional breaks in the conversation
• Instead of interrupting or confronting, ask for clarification – ask insightful questions
• Openness and neutrality in your responses

Now, the BENEFITS:

• Clarifying information wins out over misunderstandings and undue confrontation
• It builds a basis of trust between individuals, strengthening bonds of friendship or business affiliates/connections
• It attributes value from one person to another
• It takes us away from our pre-conceived mindsets and open our minds to other perspectives
• The more we listen, the more compassion we develop for other’s needs
• Think Golden Rule principle – how we want to feel is most likely how others want to feel. We want to be heard, paid attention to, valued, to feel important.

We exhibit these needs in everything we do these days from our posts on Instagram, Facebook, our Snaps, our Tik-Toks…we seek validation and approval. Let’s give it forward in how we treat others that are communicating with us and become better communicators ourselves, better professionals….maybe simply better humans.

Is Oxford the Next High-Growth Area for Southern Chester County?

Oxford Borough

Growth moves down the corridor of US-1, maybe not at the speed or intensity of the commercial property pricing drops or increases from east to west, north to south, but nonetheless, it moves.

The pandemic has hit so many small “mom and pop” towns with lethal blows to their economy and small business bases. As a local resident, I have been discouraged by seeing businesses close up over the COVID-19 pandemic, but I have also been encouraged by the way that the Oxford/Nottingham community has pulled together to support local and helped existing businesses sustain and even thrive in spite of the challenges they face, and as a bonus, encourage new entrepreneurship within the area with new “pop-up” establishments, like the “Rudolph’s Bourbon Bar” over the Christmas Holiday Season. Our local leaders really stepped up to the challenge of the “new normal”. Cameron’s Hardware helped us by offering no-contact pickup, and other retailers offered delivery via UBER eats and DoorDash. We saw what I’d like to call “Creative Sustainability” all around us. Existing local businesses like DuBarry have created brick-and-mortar spaces fronting on “Oxford Main Street” and are doing quite well. Home to great local eateries like Sawmill Grill, The Octoraro Tavern & Grill, Wholly Grounds, La Sicilia, Andres, the Nottingham Creamery, and Little Miss Oxford Diner, this town is full of character and charm. The new parking garage is a tremendous benefit to the retailers in our area. Oxford is also home to large businesses such as Neuchatel Chocolates, Tasty Baking Company, and The Scotts Company.

We are watching local entrepreneurs emerging such as the Whisky Shack, Smokin Dragons, Pickled Pickles, and Sweet Cakes, bringing new life and excitement to our area.

The Preston & Steve Show featured our own BellyBusters as one of the top 10 cheesesteaks of 1,000 different varieties taste-tested in the area! Now that’s impressive! Oxford Mainstreet Inc. announced that First Fridays will be starting up again in April. That’s just around the corner! There’s a lot of positive things going on in Southern Chester County during this arduous pandemic.

We have a unique opportunity available within the borough limits to present to you:

• 6,895 sf
• 2 story office building
• 40 car parking
• Could be used as:
  • Office
  • Medical
  • Flex
  • Institutional
  • Finance
  • Professional Services
• 1st floor amenities:
  • 11 Cubicle Offices
  • 2 Private Offices with smoke glass privacy
  • 1 Large Conference Room with smoke glass privacy
  • 1 Small Conference Room
  • 1 reception area
  • 2 restrooms
  • Large kitchenette area/employee lunchroom
  • Heated storage area
  • Roll-up drive-in delivery door (8×8) in the rear
• 2nd floor amenities:
  • 18 cubicle offices
  • 3 private offices
  • Server room
  • Small kitchenette area
  • 1 coat closet
  • 2 restrooms

Click here to tour this amazing space virtually:

Click Here to Request an Informational Packet

Effectively Communicating and Intentional Personal Focus During a Pandemic

Admit it. Everything is just WEIRD. Our “New Normal” is ANYTHING but normal. I’ve noticed that it’s even affected the most basic of communications. Sometimes I think that because from childhood we have associated masks with pretending to be someone else and hiding our identity, wearing one has caused a lot of us to exhibit our associations subconsciously. We are the same person – pre-covid and post-covid. However, there is a strangeness, even to the point of awkwardness in personal interaction and communications these days.

As a Commercial Real Estate Brokerage, our business is hinged on communications. Yes knowledge and expertise is power, but if you are unable to convey those things to your client, they are useless.

Our intentional attempts to keep in front of our clients and prospects should be top priority. While maintaining our social distancing and protective measures, we must communicate person to real person. Fear causes people to act strangely, to react strangely. We are seeing this trend in commercial real estate. Some investors and buyers are throwing caution to the wind and making major moves, despite the pandemic. Others are closing their blinds and their minds to any thoughts of considering a covid real estate transaction. We as professionals should be flexible, understanding, and respectful of other’s reactions to this crisis. We should be the value-added asset during this time, helping them maintain profitability and achieve their goals in spite of this virus. It’s all about making good connections and then maintaining them.

Good connections are made when:

Embrace Diversity and Turn Off Your “Presets” – Not only skin color and gender, but age and geographic regions. We’re all different and it’s wonderful. Commercial Real Estate desperately needs diversity, but I know we’re not the only ones. We’ve made strides, but we have a long way to go. Be the game changer at your business and set the example of unity in diversity.

The eyes are the windows to the soul – When you are speaking, look me in the eye and focus on me. Make me feel like you want to invest your time in communicating with me. Even with a mask on, your eyes speak multitudes about how you’re feeling about what is being discussed.

Remember, you’re not speaking to a screen, you’re speaking to a person. For some reason, we don’t have conversations the same way “virtually”. If you are video chatting, stay engaged and animated during conversation just as if they were across the table. Don’t stare at your image, look at them directly. Until we can be face to face, we’ve got to make this work. It will work better if we act like it’s not a screen between us.

“It’s about the bottom line” You’ve heard it more than once in Commercial Real Estate and other industry sectors. Does this mean you don’t need a personality to sell #CRE? Think again. People like to feel respected and valued. And yes, a lot of us are on edge and more impatient during Covid-19. Have grace with each other. Smooth the rough edges with a pleasant response. Call back within a reasonable amount of time. Humans are wired for relationship. We make connections. We should strive to not only make sales, but be better humans.

Take our communications poll:

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How are your business communications these days?(required)

1 – Covid Communications – Non-existent

2 – We need improvement

3 – Average Joe – We do what we can

4 – Pretty Good – We've stepped up our game

5 – Communications Rockstars – we got this!

Comment below about what is going great for you during Covid-19 or something that has been a significant challenge:

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Business: Expectations vs. Reality

Our Next Steps as Business Owners

Businesses have been swept up in a whirlwind these last few months, some still in a holding pattern, some barely surviving and others, well….thriving.

Let’s step back for a moment. Think about when you decided to start your business. Remember the vision that seemed like it was “placed” in your brain? Whether you used vision boards or something as simple as graphing paper and #2 pencil, it flowed out of you because you saw something, you knew something, you put it together in your mind and it came out as a plan which then became framework, which became a business model, then business plan and so on and so forth and the rest is history, right?

Now, let’s step into the here and now once again. Here we are, fellow business owner, in the middle of a pandemic and newly evolving guidelines presented to you practically every morning. You are meeting with your management team via zoom or spread out in your conference room awkwardly, observing social distancing requirements. Finances, Human Resources, Safety Committees, Operations on “high alert”…so many factors, so many things to manage. Is there light at the end of the tunnel, or is this more like a cyclone?

America has experienced catastrophic situations since its inception. Through each tumultuous trial that we have faced as a nation, one thing has been a constant. Americans are resilient. American business owners are fierce. We are innovators, inventors, and imaginations run wild, even when chaos is all around us.

From what I am observing, the businesses that are “thriving” have taken a moment, poured a cup of coffee or tea, turned off the noise and had a reality check of their own. You’re sitting there in your quiet place, probably holding your head, saying to yourself, “I had a plan, I have expectations…now what?!?”

Don’t forget every expectation that you had coming into 2020, however, you are going to need a reset mentally and operationally because as with all of the aspects of life, we have to adjust our expectations to meet our current circumstances. Some businesses are still rolling along because they’ve made “adjustments”. They didn’t loose their identity nor did they throw their vision in file 13. They did re-envision their business models and came up with ways to continue to offer their services, manufacture and sell their products in innovative ways that worked in a COVID-19 environment.

So, a word of encouragement to business owners who feel like they are in the cyclone rather than a brief stint in the tunnel: You were visionary and innovative and creative and clever when you started this business of yours. You still ARE! Gather your team and have brainstorming, collaborative sessions. Make ways in the desert. Focus on the positive. In 2020, you have so many different internet/digital avenues to keep your message, your brand, even your new offerings out in front of your potential client base. Make your name known. Provide special offers to potential clients. Create community by making a concerted effort to build a “fan base” within your social media channels. Make friends with other local business owners and give them props on your channels. Feed the unity and draw the community closer together in this time “apart”, and thrive in this season of uncertainty. Your new normal, your new reality might be your next favorite vision.

Thinking About Starting a Business? Read this first

2018 – Startups Staying Power

Let’s explore why especially the technology startups have a true advantage in 2018.

• The overall cost has dropped dramatically – 999900% from 1990 until today to be exact. It’s cheap to build a startup on the internet.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been implemented over most facets of the the lives of Americans and will continue to grow in uses with time and advances in tech. Any company involved in this has a clear advantage.
• Transformative Techology

– Real-Time Example: Shotspotter, Inc.(Courtesy of Google Finance 2018)

This technology features sensors that will notify local police of gun violence incidents only seconds are the trigger is pulled. The effectiveness of the technology provides widespread results that have a ripple effect in so many directions.

A Sample of Tech Startups that hit the ground running:

 

Wearable Technologies

A Salesforce Researchers survey found that 79 percent of early adopters think wearables will play a critical role their company’s future success. Forecasters say that service industries, retail, healthcare, sales and marketing will be the avenues that wearable tech will be in high demand.

 

Smart Technologies

From smart homes and offices to smart cars, the future is bright in this arena. We speak to operating systems and tell them what we want. We are connected wherever we go. Property management automation options will play a big role in the future of office and retail especially.

 

Cybersecurity and Counter-Terrorism

Innovation is in demand to protect personal information, company records, government data and military infrastructure.

The greater the level of AI and wearable/mobile tech, the greater the need for protection and security from hackers. It’s a constant progression, with increasing need for monitoring and infiltrating tools.

 

Disruptive Technology

In one fell swoop, Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon and JPMC threw the healthcare stock market into a tailspin as they announced that they were joining forces to develop a solution to their company healthcare concerns. One press release caused investors to lose billions of dollars. Disruptive technology challenges the sustainability of old systems, causing companies to be acquired or just simply go out of business.

 

Information Technology has become a focused concern for commercial property owners and property managers. Keeping up with “the next” is a daunting task for many small to medium size companies, let alone the property owner who is faced with sustaining the viability of his multi-tenant office building. Commercial developers have become the researchers in order to stay abreast of the ever-changing landscape. Whether we like it or not, the future is now folks, so buckle up buttercups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WannaCry and Other Spring Hacks

Spring has sprung and some concerning internet hacks and seasonal scams have also surfaced. The “WannaCry” ransomware release of late has everyone scrambling, including Microsoft apparently. Microsoft released a robust update this weekend that took almost an hour for some to implement, featuring new updates to the stock “Windows Defender” malicious software/virus protection.

What some do not realize is that with the changing of the seasons, there are also a whole new set of hacks and scams tagging along for “fun”.  Consumer Action does a great job at keeping us in the know on what new hacks are out there and how best to avoid them. www.consumer-action.org

In their April 2017 Newsletter release, they highlighted some “Spring Varieties” that we need to watch out for, worse than dandelions and crabgrass at taking over and infiltrating all that is your happy cyberplace.

Here they are, along with tips and tricks to keep your cyberlife safe and secure:

Call me, maybe

Starting this month, the IRS and four collection companies it hired will be reaching out to people who have failed to pay their taxes for so long that they have been referred to the companies after the federal agency has made multiple attempts to contact them. Unfortunately, this makes it even more difficult for taxpayers to determine if a request to pay back taxes is originating from a taxman or a trickster. So the IRS is working to clarify this before the collectors come a-callin’. “Here’s a simple rule to keep in mind,” warned IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “You won’t get a call from a private collection firm unless you have unpaid tax debts going back several years and you’ve already heard from the IRS multiple times.” Well, many consumers are unsure if they owe old taxes, while others may have moved from residence-to-residence and failed to receive snail-mail warnings. Scammers know this, and they also know that, when faced with legal threats, unsure taxpayers tend to pay up. That’s why it’s important for you, the taxpayer, to know when a “debt collector” is exhibiting shady behavior. IRS-approved collectors will not: call to demand immediate payment through a prepaid card, gift card, wire transfer, etc.; threaten to immediately bring in local police or others to have you arrested; ask for bank info, credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or refuse you the right to question or appeal the amount in question. The private collection firms are, however, allowed to facilitate payment either electronically or by check but only to the IRS or U.S. Treasury. (In other words: Never make a payment to an individual or a company. Find out more about legit payment options here.) If you get a call that makes you nervous, your best bet is to sign up here to check your balance through the IRS website. Whatever you do, don’t become one of the 5,500 victims who have paid a whopping $29 million to scammers in the past few years!

Travel troubles

Spring is in the air, and so is the desire to break free from your mundane everyday life and travel to an exotic locale (or at least enjoy a stress-free staycation). Unfortunately, scammers share your enthusiasm for the good life, and are looking for ways to capitalize on your vacation plans. While we’ve warned readers to be careful when renting a vacation home or booking flights, AARP and Credit.com have written about some additional travel scams that even we’ve never heard of. For example: the hotel front desk scam. This occurs after you’ve checked in and rested your head on that perfectly fluffed pillow. Your room phone rings. It’s allegedly the front desk, telling you that your card was declined and they need you to give them the information again (you see where this is heading…). Later on, let’s say at the same hotel, you get hungry and call the number on that flyer you saw in the lobby for a pizza. They ask for your credit card info and voilà, you’re dinged twice by scammers! If you’ve made it this far without being scammed, there are many dangers that await you outside as well. Beware of strangers offering to “help” you get a stain off your clothes or work an ATM machine; they may be pickpockets. And of course, if someone offers to take you and your traveling partner’s picture with your cell phone, don’t just hand it over or you may never see it again. Finally, AARP recommends taking only credit cards (not debit cards) on your trips, because thieves could draw on your bank account if your debit card is lost or stolen.

Spring cleaning

There’s no better way to spring clean than to break free from your relationship with a mega-bank like Wells Fargo. The giant nationwide institution was busted for defrauding consumers last year, and since then has stubbornly resisted calls by pro-consumer leaders such as Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to free its customers and employees to pursue cases before a court of law, particularly regarding the millions of accounts set up without their permission through identity theft, forgery and fraud. Because of this, Consumer Action has been engaging in events and campaigns to encourage consumers like Byron Cooper to make the switch. Cooper ended up closing his accounts with Wells Fargo after he discovered the bank had opened two new ones “on his behalf” and shifted $25,000 from his checking account to his savings account—all without his authorization, and despite his insistence that he did not want the new accounts. The bank also changed his “free” checking account to one that charged $30 per month and required a minimum balance of $25,000—also without his permission! If you’ve been defrauded (or feel defeated) by your relationship with Wells Fargo (or any bank, really), check out our handy Tips for switching banks. Remember: Seasons change, and so do you.

 

Suckers for love

Gone girl. What’s worse than the melodramatic 1996 flick “Ransom” featuring an increasingly loud and obnoxious Mel Gibson? Starring in a real-world version yourself! Officials are warning that kidnapping scams are running away with people across the country, and CBS outlines one particularly cruel incident that resulted in a family paying $17,000 to scammers who claimed to have kidnapped first the daughter, then the husband! The only non-“kidnapped” member of the family (the wife/mother) explained why it’s so easy for good folks to fall for this scam: “You won’t jeopardize somebody you love over money.” You’ve got to be kid-ing! At least 12 victims have come forward to press charges against a woman who offered adoption and surrogacy services to people looking to become parents. The woman posted to message boards offering to carry a baby or adopt “her own” out to those wanting kids. She even went so far as to share fake ultrasounds with wannabe moms and dads! Fortunately, many of the victims called their local district attorneys (DAs) and put a stop to the sick scam. A cancer on society. A mother who set up a crowdsourcing page to raise money for her five-year-old son (who was legitimately battling brain cancer) found out that a scammer was using her son’s photo to solicit pity, and donations, for herself. In another cancer con, a healthy woman shaved her head and set up a GoFundMe page claiming she had 18 months to live after having been diagnosed with leukemia. Moral of the story: When it comes to donating via peer-to-peer fundraising sites, make sure you know and trust the person making the ask (although, in the latter case, the woman’s own boyfriend didn’t even know she was lying for quite some time!). ‘Like’-farming. They’re calling it “the chain letter of the 21st century,” only it’s worse. What is it? Like-farming involves persuading you to “like” or comment on a heart-wrenching Facebook post (featuring, say, a photo of a sick child or mistreated animal). Once you interact with the post, your identity can be “farmed” out to other scammers (since you’re now seen as an easy target, prone to emotional manipulation) or worse (think malware and computer viruses). So, what’s a sympathetic person to do? Use websites like Snopes or HoaxSlayer to debunk dubious claims before you interact with an over-the-top, cry-for-help post (particularly if there is a mention of money).

Tips!

A deadly oxymoron. If you’re not careful, you could become the victim of a legal but highly questionable car purchase transaction—unsafe vehicles with open safety recalls sold by dealers as “safe.” While it’s against the law to sell new vehicles with unfixed recalls, the rule doesn’t apply to used cars. Adding insult to very real injury, sellers can brand the cars as “safe” or “certified.” We were gobsmacked when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently declared it would allow the practice to continue. The FTC’s position outraged consumer groups, some of which are suing the agency for allowing what is, at best, false advertising and, at worst, a death trap. Adios, alternative facts! The Washington Post has provided a solid guide and expert advice to help you guard against the scourge of the modern-day internet: fake news. Read this very real news article and learn how to look beyond the headline, research the publication or website, fact-check, consider the source, and more. After all, the only thing more embarrassing than believing fake news is getting called out for spreading it! A fool and his money… What do the following have in common: talk of “getting rich quick,” promises of guaranteed high returns, and high-pressure “act now” messaging? These are all tactics used by scammers to make suckers out of investors. Don’t allow investment advisers (whether man or machine) to fool you. ‘Oh, bye there!’ If you’ve found yourself conversing with a robot recently, don’t feel too bad. “Natural-speech technology is advancing so quickly that it may be only a few years until we won’t be able to tell if we’re speaking with a machine,” points out the Los Angeles Times in an article warning the public of the ubiquitous “can you hear me scam?” When your dear author answered her phone recently, a bumbling but realistic young woman’s voice responded after a short silence with, “Oh, hi there! Sorry I was having trouble with my headset.” This is the point to hang up; if you begin to have a conversation with the robo-caller and answer “yes” to any questions, your recorded voice can be used against you to give consent to purchasing a product or making a transaction that you never bargained for. The calls have been targeting local businesses, which can then be “invoiced” by the scammers. Stay sharp! Kicking deportation scammers out. Those of us working in the advocacy community have been hearing more and more about scams targeting immigrants in fear of deportation. Scammers will offer to, for instance, sign the deed to the immigrant’s house in order to “safeguard” it in case they get deported (and, well, the rest is history). Be wary of anyone offering paid legal or other services to “help” you avoid (or prepare for) deportation, and learn about your rights as an immigrant (via the National Council of La Raza). Check your check. Checks, like faxes and written mail, are becoming more outdated by the minute, yet scammers continue to benefit from the amount of time it takes to process a check. Victims are told to deposit scammers’ checks into their bank accounts. In the time it takes the bank to smell a rat, the scammers have asked the victim to send them money back because they “overpaid.” Once the victim wires the money, the bank realizes the check is no good and the victim is left on the hook for the overpayment as well as any returned check fees or overdrafts caused by the bogus instrument. Death by a thousand cuts. As Newsweek points out, “More credit card companies are charging a range of fees for everything from card replacements, reward redemption, foreign currency conversion, over the limit, duplicate statement, balance transfer and account closure.” These “junk charges” add up, and while the government has put a stop to some of them via the CARD Act, the banking industry ferociously bucks additional attempts to rein in what has become a major revenue source. How can you stop the financial bleeding? Read the fine print carefully before you sign up for that shiny new card, and don’t be afraid to fight your bank over this “sanctioned fraud.” Up in smoke. While most of us think of purveyors of pot as peace-loving hippies, some in the burgeoning marijuana trade are dirtier than last week’s bong water. The SEC recently charged a California-based marijuana products company with using sham stock sales to inflate their profits and fool investors into believing they were a leader in the industry. The moral of the story: If you’re looking to grow your money in this budding arena, make sure you weed out the bad businesses first. Imitation inspectors. There are con men hiding in every crevice, a fact that Dr. Oz proved when he tasked some so-called mold inspectors to tour a mold-free home. Of course, the inspectors had a financial incentive to find mold, and find it they did! Only, what they found wasn’t mold; it was black eye shadow that Dr. Oz and crew had applied to an appliance. The imitation inspectors carried no testing equipment (to check air quality or swab the “mold” for testing), nor did they possess any certification for the task at hand. Let this be a warning to concerned homeowners everywhere: While some types of mold are very dangerous, so is paying to fix a problem that may not exist.

(Courtesy of Consumer Action, April 2017)

My Analysis of CrunchBase

What is Crunchbase?

Accurate, deep data with the ability to deliver high-potential, high-quality leads and analysis

Who uses Crunchbase?

• Investors
  • Investigation:
    • new companies
    • new people
    • companies that raised money
    • companies that recently failed
    • companies that hired new people
• Entrepreneurs
  • Investigation:
    • Locate investors that are investing in your specific industry, product, services, location, etc.
• Business Development Teams
  • Investigation:
    • Find connections
    • Find companies
    • Find competitors
    • Find licensed investors

Why Crunchbase?

• Customized Searches
• Data analysis tools to glean the information you are looking for
• Customizable email alerts to keep you in the know and finger to the pulse of the business economy
• Over 1 million users per week and fastest growing of it’s kind

Crunchbase’s Mission in a Nutshell

The definitive business intelligence platform where professional communities document the connections between investors, companies, products and people.

A Global one-stop-shop for data, trends and analysis tools.

Crunchbase’s advantage to the Commercial Real Estate & Crowdfunding

• Quantifying Startups and Founders:
• Integrating Analytics into Investment Thesis
• Quantifying Services
• New Investment Vehicles built on data
• Because the SEC allows open solicitation as of 2012, Crunchbase opens a world of potential investors to one seeking funding from qualified investors
• Evaluate traction
• Evaluate competitors

Crunchbase’s advantage to the Small to Medium Business

• No need for a data analytics team
• Find qualified investors easier
• Global data at your fingertips
• Customizable searches to get to your local level, interest, business size
• Gauge your competition and evaluate their movements, both financially and growth-wise

Crunchbase’s Competition

• Angellist
• F6s
• Owler
• Mattermark
• CB Insights
• Datafox
• Traxen
• Funderbeam
• Sourcinno