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SquareFeet.io

Update
September 2021 - This service is no longer active. The problem still remains.

SquareFeet Header Image

For the past few months I have been beta testing a new web service called SquareFeet.io. I am excited to see them launch today. I have already found the service indispensable and the best way to tell you about SquareFeet is to describe the problem.

The Problem
One of the frustrations with commercial real estate is there is no one source for all property listings and there probably never will be. Some brokers use Loopnet, others post offerings on their local CIE, while other brokers only publish information on their personal website. I have a list of close to two dozen websites I check for local inventory when I am searching for investment properties. I then compile the listings in our internal database and create reports for clients. This process is cumbersome and unnecessary.

We often deal with 1031 exchange clients who have 45 days to identify a replacement property. In that short time, clients want to see every investment that meets their criteria. This list can quickly become unmanageable over email and drove me to create an internal website that we share with clients. Here is a screenshot.

After testing SquareFeet.io I knew I had a replacement for this process. Our internal collaboration tool is rudimentary compared to SquareFeet. I can now browse through potential properties and click a bookmarklet that adds the pertinent information to a list. The list can then be shared with clients. Pictures, files, and notes can be added to each listing and all collaborators are notified of the changes.

SquareFeet does a better job of describing how the service works. Here is their description.

Searching for space online can be frustrating and confusing. To be comprehensive, you’ll end up searching a number of different sites, each a little different. Keeping track of the spaces you encounter often involves creating spreadsheets and folders full of flyers, photos, site plans, etc. Collaborating with others adds a another layer of craziness, with long email strings and attachments flying back and forth.

SquareFeet fixes all of that.
It’s a free tool that helps you stay organized and sane during your search for office, retail, or industrial space. It replaces the clumsy process of spreadsheets and emails with a simple way to pull your favorite spaces to a single place, and collaboration tools that make it easy to compare, update, monitor and share.

Here’s how it works:

  • Get started by installing our bookmarklet — it’s just a button you add to your browser.
  • Then, search for space on all the listing services you usually use.
  • When you find spaces you like, click your new “+SQFT” button to save them to SquareFeet.
  • When you’re finished searching, you’ll have a single list of spaces all in the same place to review and compare.

Now that you have a list of saved spaces…

  • Compare spaces side-by-side in a consistent format, or plot them all on the same map.
  • Add notes to each space, or upload additional photos, maps, plans, rent rolls, or anything else you come across during your research.
  • Fill in information that might be missing from particular spaces.
  • Share your list with others, like your partners or your real estate agent. Everyone you invite becomes a collaborator, and can add notes or suggest additional spaces as your search progresses.
  • View the complete history for your list or for individual spaces, tracking all the activity for your search in a single place.

That’s it! We hope you love it.

Go check it out at SquareFeet.io

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