Strip mall parking lot told me more than the lease did

Three years back I looked at a spot on Route 9 in Clifton, NJ. The lease numbers looked fine, rent was $4,200 a month for 1,800 square feet. I sat in the parking lot for two hours on a Tuesday afternoon. Counted 14 cars total, and one was a guy napping in his van. Last month I drove by again, same strip mall, three more empty storefronts. My point is, do the math on the traffic before you sign anything. Anyone else use the drive-by test before committing?

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thomas_wright4115d ago

You ever just trust a lease because the numbers looked good on paper? That was me before I learned the hard way. I used to think foot traffic was overrated, like you could just make up for it with online orders or something. But sitting in that lot for an hour, watching three cars pull in and two of them leave without buying anything, changed my whole view. I signed anyway because I was stubborn, and I paid for it every single month. Now I won't even look at a space unless I've parked there during peak hours on a weekday and a Saturday. That parking lot test is worth more than any clause in the lease.