Commercial Real Estate
Main Street Specialists
We match businesses with the right Main Street location. Small commercial space for lease, retail storefronts, restaurant space, offices and mixed-use buildings under $5M, for lease or for sale, across New Jersey’s downtowns.
Big Brokers Chase Warehouses. We Fill Downtowns.
Most commercial firms are built for 60,000 square foot buildings and national tenants. The spaces that make a town feel alive are smaller: a 945 SF studio above the bakery, a 3,200 SF showroom with glass on the sidewalk, a corner building with a shop downstairs and two apartments up top.
That’s our lane. We know which uses each zone allows, which buildings carry 3-phase power, and which landlords will give a startup time to build out before rent starts. Then we introduce the right business to the right space.
What we check on every space
Four Sides of Every Main Street Deal
Business Owners Looking to Lease
Retail space, restaurant space, office space or a studio: for a business ready for its first storefront or a bigger one.
- Space search by use and budget
- Zoning check before you tour
- LOI and lease negotiation
Landlords With Vacant Space
Owners of storefronts, upper-floor offices and mixed-use buildings who want the right tenant, not just the first one.
- Tenant strategy by zone and layout
- LoopNet, CoStar & GSMLS exposure
- Credit and background screening
Owner-Users Ready to Buy
Businesses tired of paying someone else’s mortgage that want to own their building and build equity.
- Lease-vs-buy comparison
- Buildings with income units
- Lender and attorney referrals
Sellers & Investors
Mixed-use, small retail and office buildings up to $5M, where pricing hinges on rent rolls and cap rates.
- Broker opinion of value
- NOI and cap-rate modeling
- 1031 exchange guidance
From “I Need a Space” to Keys in Hand
The order matters. Checking zoning before you fall in love with a space saves months and thousands of dollars.
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Learn the Business
Foot traffic needs, square footage, power, plumbing, parking, signage and the real all-in budget.
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Check the Zoning
We confirm your use is permitted in the district, or flag when a variance or planning board application is needed.
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Shortlist & Tour
We line up the spaces that fit, including ones that never get a sign, and walk several in one visit.
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LOI & Negotiation
Rent per square foot, term, escalations, build-out time before rent starts, utilities and options to renew.
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Lease & Move In
Lease review with your attorney, deposits, insurance, and the town’s change-of-tenant certificate.
How We’re Marketing 611 Main Street, Boonton
A ±3,200 SF ground-floor showroom with 37 feet of glass on Boonton’s Main Street, available March 1, 2027. This is the full package we built for the owner before the sign went up. Every Main Street listing gets the same treatment.
Professional Photography
49 edited images, including a vehicle-free storefront shot for the hero.
Drone Aerials
Seven aerials that show the building in the context of downtown Boonton.
Zillow 3D Tour
A walk-through tenants can explore before they ever book a showing.
Measured Floor Plan
Room-by-room dimensions so tenants can plan their layout and build-out.
Leasing Brochure
An 11×17 leasing brochure for email, print and showings. View the brochure (PDF)
Listing Video
A vertical video for Instagram, Facebook and email campaigns. Watch it here.
Full Syndication
GSMLS, LoopNet and CoStar, plus print and social kits for targeted outreach.
Tenant Strategy
A ranked list of the tenants most likely to sign long and stay, shown below.
The Tenant Strategy
Before marketing starts, we study the space, the zone and the downtown plan, then rank the tenants most likely to sign long and stay.
| Rank | Tenant type | Why it fits | Target term | Risk we plan for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Showroom + workshop (cabinetry, lighting, kitchen & bath, design-build) | Permitted use; puts the 3-phase power to work; matches the building’s history | 7–10 yrs | Noise or dust from fabrication |
| 2 | Craft brewery, distillery or taproom | Explicitly permitted; heavy build-out makes the tenant stay | 10+ yrs | Floor loading, drainage, license timeline |
| 3 | Boutique fitness or instructional studio | Open plan and tall ceilings suit classes | 5 yrs | Thinner credit; get a guarantor |
| 4 | Specialty food market or retail | The downtown plan lists grocery and prepared food as unmet demand | 5–10 yrs | Thin retail margins |
| 5 | Restaurant | Permitted; full-lot buildings are exempt from off-street parking | 10 yrs | Highest build-out cost (hood, grease trap) |
Medical office is not a listed use in Boonton’s B-1 district, so we treat it as a variance case rather than a first-round target.
Real Businesses, Real Main Street Spaces
Photography & Video Studio
Toured three suites on Main Street in a single visit, chose a ground-level unit, and moved in with a clean-up and build-out window before rent began. Three-year lease.
Boxing & Fitness Studio
±2,916 SF of partially finished space turned into a private training facility. We negotiated stair safety and lighting upgrades by the landlord before commencement.
Podcast Studio
A creative tenant placed in a Main Street building with a two-year lease and a fixed 3% second-year step, so the owner could budget the whole term.
Shop + Two Apartments
A five-year income model for a fully occupied three-unit building, valued at 7% and 8% cap rates under current and improved rents, insurance included.
Should You Lease or Buy?
Both can be the right call. We’ll run the numbers side by side for your business before you commit.
Lease When
- You’re testing a new location or concept
- You want cash in inventory and equipment, not a down payment
- You may outgrow the space in two to five years
- You want the landlord carrying roof and structure
Buy When
- You’re committed to the town for ten years or more
- Rent over the term would pay down a building
- Upstairs apartments or a second tenant can cover part of the mortgage
- You want the real estate as a long-term asset
What You Get With MorrisAgent Commercial
Zoning & Use Review
District rules pulled before you tour or list.
Tenant Strategy
Ranked list of best-fit tenants for your space.
Commercial Marketing
LoopNet, CoStar, Crexi and GSMLS syndication.
3D Tours, Drone & Floor Plans
Measured floor plans and walk-through tours.
Tenant Screening
Applications, credit and background reports.
LOIs & Lease Terms
Rent, term, escalations, deposits and guarantees.
Broker Opinion of Value
Comps, demographics and as-is or as-improved value.
Investment Analysis
Rent rolls, NOI, cap rates and five-year models.
1031 Exchange Guidance
Coordinated with your attorney and accountant.
The Downtowns We Know Block by Block
We’ve marketed, leased and sold commercial and mixed-use property across New Jersey, with the deepest roots in the Main Streets below.
Local People Who Answer the Phone
Dave Wainwright Jr.
Broker-Associate with more than 35 years in commercial, investment, land and redevelopment property across New Jersey, from mixed-use buildings and industrial facilities to Main Street retail.
973-818-7100
Glen Baker
Leads the MorrisAgent Team at RE/MAX Select, residential and commercial. Brings data-driven pricing, investment analysis and the team’s marketing system to every commercial listing.
973-727-8539
What Business Owners and Landlords Ask Us
Straight answers to the questions people search before they call. Every deal is different, so treat these as a starting point.
Who pays the commercial real estate broker when I lease a space?
In most commercial leases the landlord pays the brokerage commission, including the share that goes to the broker representing the tenant. For most business owners, having us on your side costs nothing out of pocket.
How much does it cost to rent a storefront in New Jersey?
Commercial rent is quoted per square foot per year, and it varies block by block with the floor, storefront frontage, condition, power and parking. Ask us for current comparable leases on the exact street you’re considering, along with the all-in monthly cost once utilities and shared charges are added.
What’s the difference between a gross lease and a triple net (NNN) lease?
With a gross lease you pay one rent and the landlord covers taxes, insurance and building upkeep. With a triple net lease you pay base rent plus your share of property taxes, insurance and maintenance. Many small Main Street leases fall in between, with the tenant paying its own gas and electric. Always compare the all-in monthly number.
What are CAM charges?
Common area maintenance charges cover shared costs like snow removal, parking lot upkeep, landscaping and hallway lighting. Ask how CAM is calculated, what it includes and whether it is capped before you sign.
How long is a typical commercial lease?
Small business leases on Main Street commonly run two to five years, and many landlords ask for a three-year minimum. Specialty tenants with heavy build-outs, like breweries or restaurants, often sign for ten years or more. Renewal options let you lock in the right to stay.
How much is the security deposit on a commercial lease?
In our market a deposit of two months’ rent is common, paid at lease signing along with the first month. Newer businesses may also be asked for a personal guarantee.
How do I know if my business is allowed in a space?
Every town divides its downtown into zoning districts with a list of permitted uses. A use that isn’t listed may need a variance from the planning or zoning board, which adds time and cost. We check the district before you tour, so you only see spaces you can actually open in.
What is a letter of intent (LOI)?
An LOI is a short, usually non-binding outline of the main deal terms: space, use, rent, term, deposits, start date and who pays for what. Once both sides agree on the LOI, the attorneys draft the full lease.
Can I get time to build out the space before rent starts?
Often, yes. Landlords will frequently allow a clean-up or build-out period before the rent commencement date, especially for a longer term. It’s one of the first things we negotiate.
Where can I find small commercial space for lease near me?
LoopNet and the MLS show part of the market, but plenty of Main Street spaces are leased by owner or before a sign ever goes up. Tell us your use, size and towns, and we’ll pull listed spaces plus the off-market ones we hear about from local landlords.
Who pays for renovations in a commercial lease?
It’s negotiated. The landlord may deliver the space as-is, complete certain work before you open, or give you a tenant improvement allowance or free rent toward your build-out. Get it written into the LOI and the lease, including who owns the improvements when the lease ends.
I’m leasing my space by owner. Why use a broker?
A for-lease sign reaches whoever drives by. We market to tenants actively searching, check that their use is allowed before they tour, screen credit and background, and negotiate term, deposits and guarantees that protect your building. Most owners recover the commission in fewer vacant months.
Do you help with commercial buildings for sale, not just leases?
Yes. We represent buyers and sellers of mixed-use, retail, office and small industrial property up to about $5M, including value opinions, income analysis and 1031 exchange coordination.
Tell Us What You’re Looking For
Looking for a space, filling one, buying or selling a building? Share a few details and a commercial specialist will call you within one business day.
MorrisAgent Team at RE/MAX Select
20 W Main Street, Rockaway, NJ 07866
(973) 200-4800
Talk to a commercial specialist
Tell us the type of business, the size you need and the towns you’re considering. Landlords and sellers, tell us about the property.
Dave Wainwright Jr., Director of Commercial: 973-818-7100