My dad keeps pressuring me to negotiate for a lower price on an office space. I already got the price down to $675 from $750/month. I'd be reopening negotiations after I pretty much agreed to $675. Worried I will push too much on lessor.
Basically my dad is getting in my head on this deal. I hear what he's saying. I'm looking at a small office space that has been just sitting there and nobody seems to be looking at office space with the pandemic, meaning I should be getting it at a steal price. So far it's already the cheapest I've looked at for the size. 

The original ask was 750, I said my highest was 700 and they said they'd do that. Then later on I countered at 675 and a lease was drawn up and I was ready to go. 

Then I had to push back the lease by 2 weeks and in that time I had to hear my parents influence and I complied and asked the LL if they'd do $600. I know it's very low, but my parents logic was getting into my head. My mom is a real estate agent too, but she doesn't do commercial. 

So they got back to me and said 675 is their bottom and sent me the lease again. Now my dad is saying to ask if they'll do $650. I'm worried how another counter at this stage would make me look as a tenet. It's been almost a month. I just don't like all the stress, this is my first time doing this. My finances are not so precarious to where I need the absolute best deal, but I don't want to push and lose the deal or something or find an excuse to just forget the idea of renting office space the longer I delay the process with negotiations. 

Any advice?
[{"id": "g65bqd2", "text": "Have you look at comparable office spaces to see what they are charging? That's really the only way to know if you're in the ballpark of what you should be paying. If you are I'd show those numbers to.your parents and tell them you're getting a good deal, sign the lease, and move on.\n\nIf the prices are drastically lower at other properties, then you have leverage. It doesn't sound like you're locked into anything so if the other prices are lower, and this current lessor won't budge, you can just get a cheaper spot.\n\nI think your gut was right with your first decision to sign at 675 given the info you've presented. I probably wouldn't counter again without comparable prices since they gave such a hard price floor.", "replies": [{"id": "g65ckse", "text": "Thank you, it's already the cheapest in the area for the size so I don't really have other places to use as leverage. I'm assuming they aren't getting a lot of interest, but that doesn't seem to reflect in their prices beyond what's already been reduced. \n\nI think dads are just always trying to get their kids to get the best deal but wanted to make sure the reality of the situation is how I'm sort of seeing it.", "replies": [{"id": "g65cy2z", "text": "I'd just show them that you're getting the best price and then ask them to back off a bit. I think you're right but it's just causing stress. I think they'll understand.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}, {"id": "g66254l", "text": "I've probably negotiated 500 leases in my career as a corporate real estate manager. I've got no problem asking a landlord for a deal.  However, I really try to avoid taking 2 bites at the apple &amp; try to offer the LL something they want when asking for several concessions.\n\nExplain to your parents this is potentially a long term relationship; you don't want to nickle &amp; dime the LL as you don't want the same from him.    It not like your mom's world where she sells a house and she's done.\n\nDon't feel bad though, you had your parents leaning on you.  I'm sure this guy will be very happy if you just pay your rent on time.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g65hb5i", "text": "Do you have to pay utilities or common area maintenance (CAM) on top of the rent? How long is the lease? Leases are typically cheaper the longer they are. If this is a small space and there the building is pretty much filled, they may not be interested in spending too much time on negotiations. If they have a lot of empty spaces, that is a different story. It really depends on what other tenants pay and what is the price range for similar units in the building. Is it worth haggling over $25/month?", "replies": [{"id": "g65hxqu", "text": "It's a small 2 floor building with about 50% occupancy. I share electric and heat, my own WiFi. I think the heat/electric is metered to my space. No other fees. And the lease is for one year. It's as long I can consider for my business. But yeah it's actually the best spot for me and the only space that actually works that I can get to.", "replies": [{"id": "g65qw4c", "text": "I don't know how many square feet and how it is comparable to other spaces, but he seems to have tried to meet you halfway. Just make sure the lease states no CAM / operating expenses other than your own metered utilities. Someone that is 80 years old doing his own showings probably just wants a reliable rent check every month.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g65o4w2", "text": "I think you've done a lot. Tell your Dad that he should call them up and negotiate on your behalf.", "replies": [{"id": "g66lthf", "text": "Noticed I got downvotes from some nitwits but I'm serious. You can only get away with your parents chipping in for your defense in situations like this when you're young. Once you turned 30, you'll be laughed at. \n\nUse your parents as your advantage while you still can.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g65pbmr", "text": "Countering again would definitely make you look like a problem tenant. You said you'd go as high as $700, then $675 and they prepared a lease, then $600, now you're seeing if you can do $650. The way you're negotiating has no logic or reason as for *why* you're asking for less.  \n\n\nThe best thing you can do is look at other options and find the best deal you can get by pitting them against one another, but the way you've been handling this is not good faith negotiations. A better tactic would be if you went back to he owner and said, \"I really appreciate that you've been working with me on this, but I found a better deal at such-and-such place, and they offered me $600 (assuming you actually were offered that), are you willing to match that?\".  \n\n\nI don't like how you handled this. You've made it so that the owner can't trust you.", "replies": [{"id": "g65pywu", "text": "Thanks. Yes I agree, I don't like how I've handled it. I've been easily influenced, I admit, by my parents who keep thinking that because of the pandemic that I should get a better deal. Maybe so, but I've sort of failed at setting myself up for that in the beginning. Anyway, just wanted to check on how to proceed from here. Glad I asked. The landlord is very old and seems to not be too bothered by where we things are now so that's good.", "replies": [{"id": "g66krqc", "text": "Right, but what influence do they have on this deal? Are they entering a financial stake? Are either of them involved in CRE? Are they performing comps for you? If the answer to all of those questions is now, tell them politely to shove it and move on. You're obviously a big boy if you're leasing an office space.", "replies": [{"id": "g66m4us", "text": "Well I definitely appreciate what you're saying. I live with them and they are overbearing to begin with. Wouldn't be the first time their expectations prevented something from happening altogether. I needed to ask her because my perspective is isolated to just mine and theirs at the moment. But I think I did as good job handling this deal on my own considering. Definitely not the end of the world either way.", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g65ueoe", "text": "Seems like your contemplating over a small amount. Some landlords might see it as a red flag to renegotiate over $25 and may pull the deal. Best of luck.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g66c978", "text": "If your parents are as eager to squeeze as you describe, it's good that you are getting an outside perspective. The behavior they are pushing can be very alienating and have negative consequences whether or not you take the lease but is unfortunately all too common in real estate, especially when family gets involved. It sounds like you have a good sense of the other party's perspective but are still feeling an undue sense of urgency compounded by the baggage from your parents. Clear your mind and then envision the deal that you think is right for you. Articulate the other factors at play besides the rent amount. And then act accordingly in the way that you advice a good friend to act. There's a lot of room to negotiate right now, to be sure, and I'm not saying your parents are wrong \u2013 but as an adult, you should act for yourself.  Not all parents are involved as yours and they are surely trying to help you \u2013\u00a0but it sounds like the skills at hand (and potentially the landlord's competency/attentiveness) are more important than the dollar amount.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g672yrj", "text": "At this point your time and energy is better spent on how your business can make $75-$100 more a month.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6782ue", "text": "Old guys think negotiating for pennies is the right thing to do. I hate when people try to negotiate my prices, so unless I really have to I don\u2019t do it to others. These same old guys are usually the type of people who step over a quarter to pick up a nickel, if you know what I mean.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g67buh6", "text": "What is the annual rent per square foot?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g67j5yd", "text": "All of these answers are super helpful and concise. Your annual rent is approximately $8400 per year. Can your business sustain that cost? If yes, proceed. If not work out of your parents basement", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g67my17", "text": "Whatever you do make sure you don\u2019t sign for a long lease.  I don\u2019t know what your purposes are or your market but I\u2019d do a year max at first so you get a feel of the place.  Then you can also renegotiate at that time if you want.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g67q8cj", "text": "Tell your dad to quit being a horse trader.  It is $25/mo...that is practically nothing.  Is the damage to your reputation with the landlord worth $25/month?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g681rkr", "text": "to give you a data point, we negotiated our office rent from $3k per month down to $1.5k for next 9 months, obviously due to COVID. they didn\u2019t like the terms and the negotiations started with us getting two months half off if we extend our lease by a year. but, i walked around and looked at all the empty spaces and was pretty sure they would take our deal.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "g6pgbf7", "text": "Stop being annoying.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]