If you are just starting out in business, and you're selecting your first business facility, spend some time to consider what you need from your facility. This process will require a lot of cold, hard planning, as well as some measure of dreaming. (If you didn't have at least a little bit of the dreamer in you, you probably wouldn't be an entrepreneur!)
But if you have been in business for some time (possibly working out of your home) and are now considering moving to a new facility, you may have a good idea about what you need. In this case, you may be ready to decide how to choose the right facility.
Finally, maybe you have a clear picture of your facility needs and have identified one or more potential sites for your business. The next question is often: should you rent or buy? Because important, and complex, tax and cash management issues are tied up in this rent or buy question, many small business owners rely heavily on the advice of their accountant or attorney when making this decision. You may also wish to do so. But even if you do, you should be aware that the decision on the rent or buy question will, down the road, influence other business decisions that go beyond tax and cash management issues.