How do I find office space for my business in Dallas-Fort Worth?

To find office space in Dallas-Fort Worth, start by defining your headcount, budget, preferred location, parking and build-out needs, then begin the search months before your current lease ends. A tenant representative can tour options, compare true occupancy costs and negotiate terms. In most deals the landlord pays the tenant rep from the leasing commission.

Companies keep arriving, and that shapes the market small businesses compete in. Dallas-Fort Worth has received more than 100 corporate headquarters relocations since 2018, the most of any U.S. metro (CBRE, The Shifting Landscape of Headquarters Relocations, 2026 Update, April 2026). Large users such as AT&T, which announced a global headquarters campus of about 54 acres in Plano in January 2026, draw the headlines. This guide is for the smaller firms signing most of the region's leases.

What should I decide before I start touring?

Touring before the requirement is defined is the fastest way to lose a month. Settle these points first, in writing, and share them with anyone helping you search:

• Headcount now and later. Count today's staff, then estimate where you expect to be near the end of the lease. A lease commonly runs several years, and the space has to work in year four as well as year one.
• Budget as total occupancy cost. Base rent is only part of it. Add operating expenses, parking, utilities, internet, furniture, moving and any build-out you fund beyond the landlord's allowance.
• Location versus where your people live. Plot your employees' home ZIP codes on a map before you fall for a building. In a region this spread out, a few miles in the wrong direction can add a long commute for half your team.
• Parking. Ask for the building's parking ratio and whether spaces are free, reserved or paid.
• Build-out. List the rooms you need: private offices, conference rooms, a break room, storage, a server closet. Space that already fits your layout (often called second-generation space) can save time and money.

What types of office space are available in DFW?

Dallas-Fort Worth offers nearly every format, from downtown towers to single-story suburban buildings. The main categories:

1. Class A. Newer or fully renovated buildings with strong amenities, structured parking and professional management. Rents are highest, and landlords often offer larger improvement allowances on longer terms.
2. Class B. Older, well-maintained buildings with fewer amenities. Often the best value for a business that needs functional space more than a showpiece lobby.
3. Flex space. Buildings that combine office with warehouse or light industrial areas, useful when you store inventory or run a small operation alongside office staff.
4. Coworking and executive suites. Furnished, short-commitment memberships or private offices. Good for small teams, new market entries or uncertain growth, though the cost per person can run higher over time.
5. Sublease. Space another tenant has leased and no longer needs. Subleases can offer built-out, sometimes furnished offices at a discount for the remaining term, but they require landlord consent and carry their own risks.

How early should I start looking?

Earlier than most owners expect. If your current lease expires next year, the search should be underway now, especially if the new space needs construction. A typical sequence:

1. Define requirements and check your current lease for renewal option notice deadlines.
2. Survey the market and tour a short list of buildings that fit.
3. Request proposals from landlords and compare them side by side.
4. Negotiate a letter of intent covering the key business terms.
5. Draft and review the lease, with your attorney involved.
6. Design, permit and build out the space.
7. Move in before your current lease ends.

Build-out alone can take months once permits and contractors are involved. Starting early also protects your leverage: a tenant with time can walk away from a weak proposal, and a tenant with sixty days left usually cannot. If you want help mapping your own timeline, our commercial real estate team can work backward from your expiration date.

What does a tenant representative do?

A tenant representative is a commercial broker who works for the tenant, not the building. The listing broker on a tour represents the landlord. A tenant rep's job is to make sure you see the whole market and sign the right lease. The Agency Dallas Commercial Division represents tenants leasing office space across Dallas-Fort Worth, and the work typically includes:

• Translating your requirements into a search across buildings, submarkets and space types
• Scheduling and attending tours, and pointing out what a listing sheet leaves out
• Requesting proposals from several landlords so they compete for your business
• Comparing offers on total cost over the full term, not just the quoted rate
• Negotiating the letter of intent, improvement allowance, free rent and renewal rights

Who pays the tenant representative?

In most Dallas-Fort Worth office leases, the landlord pays. The landlord agrees in its listing agreement with its own broker to pay a leasing commission, and that commission is commonly shared with the tenant's broker. The lease itself often names the brokers involved and states that the landlord is responsible for their commissions.

Arrangements do vary, so confirm the details in writing before the search begins. Ask your tenant rep to set out compensation in a representation agreement, and ask what happens if a landlord, a sublessor or a coworking operator does not pay a commission. For background on broker compensation in Texas generally, see our post on how real estate commissions work in Texas after the NAR settlement.

How can our Commercial Division help?

If your lease is up within the next year or two, or your team has outgrown its space, start with three details: the property type (office, flex or retail), the location or areas your employees come from, and the approximate size or budget. Choose the "lease space" option on our Commercial Division page or call (469) 839-6020, and we will follow up within one business day. The Agency Dallas Commercial Division helps small and mid-size businesses lease office space throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and North Texas.

Frequently asked questions

How much office space does my business need?

Space needs depend on layout, not just headcount. A team working mostly at open workstations needs far less space per person than one that requires private offices and several conference rooms. List the rooms you need, add room for growth over the lease term, and have a space planner or tenant rep test-fit your plan against real floor plans before you commit.

Is coworking cheaper than a traditional lease?

For a small team or a short commitment, coworking can cost less up front because furniture, internet and amenities are included and there is no build-out. Over a longer period, the cost per person often rises above a conventional lease. Compare total cost over the time you expect to stay, and weigh privacy and room to grow.

Should I renew my current lease or move?

Often the best way to decide is to do both at once: survey the market while you talk with your current landlord. Moving brings construction, furniture and disruption costs, so renewal can make sense. A real look at alternatives, started early, gives you the information and leverage to negotiate either a better renewal or a better new lease.

Do I need an attorney if I use a tenant rep?

Yes. A tenant rep negotiates business terms and helps you compare proposals, but a commercial lease is a binding legal contract, often dozens of pages long. A real estate attorney should review it before you sign, particularly the personal guarantee, default, assignment and operating expense provisions. Your rep coordinates with the attorney so business points and legal language stay aligned.

What is a sublease, and is it a good idea?

A sublease means renting space from an existing tenant rather than the landlord. Subleases can offer built-out, sometimes furnished space at a lower cost for a shorter term. The trade-offs: the landlord must consent, your rights depend on the original lease, and renewal may not be available. Have an attorney review both the sublease and the underlying lease.

Sources

• CBRE, The Shifting Landscape of Headquarters Relocations, 2026 Update (April 2026)
• AT&T, global headquarters campus announcement for Plano, Texas (January 2026)

Verified October 2026.