If you’re about to embark on an investment that involves commercial real estate, you may be flooded with conflicting information and wondering if you have all the information you need to make a good decision. Here are some steps that might help you make an informed decision regarding your commercial real estate decision.

Start by finding a reputable commercial real estate broker or commercial real estate agent. It’s not advisable to put all your trust in one person, but this is certainly a good way to get started on your quest for great commercial real estate.

Those seeking to buy property – whether it’s personal or commercial real estate – are sometimes in a hurry to get the deal done. Avoid that situation. Make sure that you have time to commit to the entire process. If you have some specific needs with regard to your commercial real estate, you may be tempted to “make do” with something less. Before you do that, consult with your agent and look over the commercial real estate for sale. You may decide that you can find exactly what you want if you are willing to wait for that great property to come along. Whether you can afford to wait depends on your circumstances and only you can make that decision.

As you are deciding what you can pay for your commercial real estate, take time to look into commercial real estate loans that you qualify for. If you can get a great rate or excellent terms, you may find that you can pay more than you’d expected. At the same time, you may find that you have to hand over a large initial investment to qualify for a commercial real estate loan. That may cut into what you had set aside for establishing a business, purchasing inventory or other costs associated with commercial ventures.

You should also look at the potential for marketing studies, full commercial appraisals and other professional services to help you determine the value of commercial real estate. This is especially true if you are planning to purchase both commercial real estate and the business that occupies the property. Look at the records for the business, or hire someone else to do that task for you. How well the business has done in the past (and how well you can reasonably expect it to do under your leadership) is important to the actual value of the property.

Appraisals will typically assess only the value of the property, but if you request an income appraisal you can also get a good idea of the value of the property taking the potential income into consideration. This is an important step in obtaining a commercial real estate loan.

Remember that the three most important aspects of property are location, location, location. That’s especially true with some types of commercial real estate. If you’re depending on foot traffic to sell products, you have to be in an area that attracts those shoppers. Instead of being competition, other stores in your immediate vicinity help draw more customers for shopping. At the same time, some types of commercial real estate should be out of the mainstream. If you’re purchasing property for industrial use or manufacturing, being away from traffic is likely to be a better location – but don’t overlook the need for adequate and reliable utilities.

Take time to carefully consider your options before you make a commercial real estate purchase, but in the end you should also be willing to trust your instincts.