Austin Commercial Sites helps businesses lease or buy retail space in Austin, and helps owners lease or sell retail property. If you are a tenant or buyer, our service typically costs you nothing because the landlord or seller pays the brokerage fee. Tristen Palori, a licensed commercial real estate agent with Foresite Commercial Real Estate, leads every search and negotiation personally.
Who we help with Austin retail space
- Tenants opening a first location, adding a second or third, or relocating: restaurants, coffee, fitness, salons, medical and dental users, and service retail.
- Buyers purchasing a freestanding building, pad site, or small center for their own business or as an investment.
- Landlords and owners who need to fill vacant suites or sell a retail property. See landlord representation.
Medical and dental users often fit best in retail centers. Our medical office page covers their specific needs.
What matters when leasing retail space in Austin
Lease structure: NNN vs. gross
Most Austin retail is leased on a triple net (NNN) basis: you pay base rent plus your share of property taxes, insurance, and common area maintenance. Those NNN charges can change your true monthly cost significantly, so we compare total occupancy cost, not just the base rate.
Tenant improvement allowance and free rent
Second-generation spaces (especially former restaurants with a hood and grease trap) can save months and a large share of construction cost. Raw shell space usually needs a bigger TI allowance. We negotiate TI, free rent during construction, and the start date for rent together.
Zoning, permitted use, and exclusives
Your use has to be allowed by City of Austin zoning (or the zoning of the suburb you are in) and by the center’s own lease restrictions. Many centers grant exclusives to existing tenants, which can block a second coffee shop or nail salon. We confirm permitted use and existing exclusives before you spend money on plans.
Parking, visibility, and signage
Restaurants and fitness users need more parking than many centers can spare at peak hours. We check parking counts, traffic counts, co-tenants, and the center’s sign criteria (building and monument signage) early.
Protections in the lease
We look closely at personal guarantees, assignment rights if you sell the business, renewal options, co-tenancy, and relocation clauses.
Austin retail submarkets and corridors
Every concept has a different right answer, but these are the areas we search most often:
- Central and urban: South Congress, South Lamar, East Austin (East 6th, East Cesar Chavez, Manor Road), Burnet Road, and Mueller.
- North: the Domain and North Burnet, Parmer Lane, Lakeline, and the US 183 corridor.
- Suburban growth markets: Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown, Pflugerville, and Hutto to the north; Kyle and Buda along I-35 to the south.
- West: Bee Cave, Lakeway, and the Westlake area along Loop 360 and RM 2222.
We match the location to your customers using demographics, traffic patterns, and nearby competition.
How our retail process works
- Discovery call. We review your concept, budget, size, timing, and must-haves, then lay out a plan.
- Market survey. We pull every available site that fits, including spaces not yet listed, and put them in a custom site report with maps and demographics.
- Tours. We narrow to a short list and tour the best options with you.
- Negotiation. We request proposals on our top 1 to 3 sites at the same time so landlords compete, then negotiate rent, TI, free rent, and lease protections.
- Lease or contract. We review the lease with you (and your attorney) through signing. For a purchase, we manage the contract, due diligence, and closing.
Read more about tenant and buyer representation.
What it costs
For tenants and buyers, our fee is paid by the landlord or seller in nearly every Austin retail transaction, so you pay nothing for representation. For owners listing retail property, the fee is a commission agreed in the listing agreement and paid at lease signing or closing.
Tell us what you are looking for and we will start with a free site report. Contact us or call 512-580-7800.
Looking for a different property type? See office, industrial, or specialty property.
See it in action
Every option on one interactive map.
We put every fitting site, on and off market, on a live map with rent, size, flyers, and demographics so you can compare real options side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How early should I start looking for retail space in Austin?
Start about 12 months before you want to open. Finding the right site often takes 2 to 3 months, negotiating takes another 1 to 2 months, and construction and permitting commonly take about 6 months.
How long is a typical retail lease in Austin?
Most retail leases run 5 to 10 years. Longer terms usually earn a larger tenant improvement allowance and more free rent from the landlord.
Does the landlord pay for any of my retail build-out?
Often, yes. Landlords commonly contribute a tenant improvement (TI) allowance toward construction, and the amount depends on the space's condition, the lease term, and your credit. Negotiating it is a core part of our job.
What does it cost to use a retail broker as a tenant?
Usually nothing. The landlord or seller pays the brokerage fee in most Austin retail deals. You sign a short written representation agreement that spells out who pays the fee.
What kinds of retail tenants do you work with?
Restaurants, coffee shops, fitness and yoga studios, dental and optometry practices, service businesses, and other storefront users, from first locations to multi-unit operators.
Can you lease or sell my retail property?
Yes. We represent Austin retail landlords and owners who want to lease vacant suites or sell a building or center. See our landlord representation page for how we market a listing.
Keep exploring
Retail by area
Areas we cover
Guides and tools