Advise needed on contacting landlords directly with retail properties
Does anyone have recommendations on how to go about finding landlords directly that have vacant retail spaces? I'm in the market for short term/pop up leasing and most listing online are through agents, who obviously won't even entertain the idea since they won't get paid as much. But landlords are more receptive to bringing in revenue while their spot is vacant. 

Just wondering if you guys can recommend options that are more efficient than driving around all day.
[{"id": "hc2j4t1", "text": "You have to realize what you're looking for is an awful opportunity for a good landlord and a great opportunity for a shit slumlord. You're gonna get shit responses because short term leases are shit opportunities for most landlords. Unless a space is literally turn key to go next day, just the costs to bring a space up to standard &amp; clean are more than they would make from your 3 month lease. That doesn't even bring in the question of utilities insurance or taxes. On the other hand I could absolutely see some crumby owner who's space has been shuttered and full of mold or other problems having no issue throwing you the keys for a few months.", "replies": [{"id": "hc2nivc", "text": "Thanks for the input. Totally see where you are coming from. Understandably landlords want long term commitments, so the best thing we offer is flexibility to work with whatever works for the landlord.\n\nWhat has been successful with landlords is that:  \n\n- They bring in revenue on vacant units while they continue to market seeking a long term commitment. Helps them cover insurance, taxes, CAM at least. Willing to pay a premium for the flexibility of a short term lease.      \n- Low key operation not requiring any modification to the space, and being able to close operations with short notice, or even move to any other vacant units they have. As soon as they get a long term tenant, we're out.     \n- Established operation with ~100 locations around the country so less concern for them that we're going to be some shit operation that's gonna leave the place trashed.    \n  \nIt's worked with landlords, but its just very time consuming process to even find them.", "replies": [{"id": "hc2ovbq", "text": "My guy out here repping Spirit Halloween store", "replies": [{"id": "hc2pmn7", "text": "Hah, no, definitely don't need anything that big. But made me realize the timing of this falls in line with those Halloween stores.", "replies": [{"id": "hc2rjio", "text": "Don\u2019t feel the need to be specific but What\u2019s the business? Curious", "replies": [], "depth": 5}, {"id": "hc58k3q", "text": "Actually those Halloween deals have been locked down since at least June!   By now they are working on their 2022 locations.  Some larger landlords (REITS for example) have specialty or temp leasing teams looking for opportunities like yours.  There is also a company called RevUp that specializes in connecting landlords with short term leasing opportunities.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}, {"id": "hc6mkro", "text": "Commercial spaces take months to lease out, and vacancies cost money in cam and taxes. Landlords will definitely put a short term occupant in, like Spirit Halloween, as long as the term is short or the deal is month to month (where the LL can evict). These deals have no TI, no free rent, no incentive for the tenant other than really cheap rent.\n\nHaving a Vacancy sucks and it's nice to recover those operating costs and taxes plus a bit more. Better to have the slave occupied then vacant if only for a short time, as long as the tenant returns it to shell condition.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc2k09v", "text": "If an agent is advertising a space online, then they most likely have an exclusive agreement with the landlord. That means, even if you approach the landlord directly, they will refer you back to the agent since they will have to pay them no matter what. Furthermore, most state laws require that agents present offers to their clients, regardless of how much they get paid. So if an agent is not \"entertaining\" the idea of a short/term lease or a \"pop up\" lease, then it is because the owner has told them that they are not interested. Unless you are willing to pay a premium, it doesn't benefit an owner to have a lease that is shorter than a year. They would much rather have a tenant guaranteed for 1-5 years than have to remove the space from the market and be unable to show it, only to put it back on the market a few weeks or months later. \\*Note - I am a licensed real estate agent and I have represented clients looking for pop up/short term space.", "replies": [{"id": "hc2ospq", "text": "Very helpful info, thank you! Did not know that about state law requiring offers to be presented. I've been getting a lot of agents saying \"oh I don't THINK the landlord will go for that\" and not even being open to the idea of presenting the offer which gets annoying. Obviously if they said the landlord has instructed them on no short term at all then yeah I'd move on.   \n\nAnd yes landlord definitely want long term tenants so what we offer right away is that the landlord can continue marketing the location to find that long term commitment and we'll be out on short notice. If we're asking that flexibility from them then of course we'd work with them on what they need.  Our locations are very simple so don't need any constructions beyond the basics of being up to code.  \n\nThat approach has worked, just hard to get the offer to landlords so they can at least consider it.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc3ckvs", "text": "If you don\u2019t need a storefront look for small industrial spaces. A lot of times they are used to shorter leases with small companies and either lease a bigger space in the same building or know that they will out grow the space. Kind of like a tech incubator but with business that do online shipping and receiving.", "replies": [{"id": "hc6z6c7", "text": "I don\u2019t disagree, but to OP, if you go this route, make sure the use and parking you\u2019ll need from the City aligns with the zoning regs and the amount of parking allotted in your lease. LL won\u2019t warrant or rep the space/parking allotment as satisfactory for your use.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc3d1i5", "text": "Landlords get agents because they don't want to market for, or negotiate with tenants.In almost every state an agent must present offers to the seller unless there are written instructions to not present a certain type of offer. If you want a space, make an offer. The landlord will probably see it.  \n\n\nShort term things rent all the time, those halloween shops and Christmas shops are often very short term.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc42qzp", "text": "Some larger landlords and REITs have teams dedicated to short term/temp leases only. SITE Centers is one good example. Also a good broker would present any offer - even if it\u2019s short term. Furthermore any intelligent landlord would know to include a kick out clause in the event that shortly after signing a temporary deal they then had a strong tenant wanting to sign a long-term lease\u2026", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc4gi7m", "text": "Spelling is key.\n\n(I'll get down voted by some butt hurt person...doesn't change the fact that spelling is key to this goal).", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc5do6a", "text": "What markets are you looking at?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc5esz2", "text": "There are a couple of angles to take, depending on what type of business you have.  \n\nA vacancy that gets a lot of interest and tours will be tougher for you, unless your business could be considered an amenity to other tenants or has irregular hours so that tours can still take place.  If that's true for you, lead with that when you're talking with brokers.  Pre-Covid, I would see pop up fitness classes/gyms which were a pretty easy yes from the landlord.\n\nCheck to see if your local municipality funds or supports a creative/small business incubator, which sometimes happens through an arts commission or economic development council.  They possibly have contacts for this type of deal.  They fight the same fight with landlords (over shorter vs. longer leases in the name of small business owners), but they likely have a network of resources that could pan out for you.  \n\nWhen working with a broker (or trying to), it's usually helpful if you can email a single page sheet with your deal points (criteria) - include type of business, business hours (include if you would be willing to close/leave the premises with X hours notice during a broker tour with a potential long-term tenant), number for employees, parking needs, min-max square footage needs, desired move-in date, max lease term (if you wouldn't stay longer than a certain number of months), and state (if you can) any amount you could pay up front (first month + one month rent security deposit or another TBD negotiated amount).  Think of the sheet as a cover letter for a job you're applying for - convince them you could be a good choice for them, even if unconventional.\n\nIf worse comes to worst, you could always stop in to properly management offices, give them your one-pager (described above), and ask them if they think it's worthwhile enough to put you in touch with the landlord.\n\n(edited for clarity; plus to add the following)\nAgain, super dependent on your type of business, but if you're a small independent retailer, try working with an existing retail shop whose product complements yours.  For example, we have a well-liked local gift shop who hosts independent pop-up retailers in a corner of her shop on a rotating basis.  It's great exposure for the pop-ups, but also a brilliant way to keep her shop fresh and create a reason for customers to return with higher frequency.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hc5w2tf", "text": "Is it cannabis?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]