Opening a New York office from abroad is mostly paperwork and timing. Here is the sequence that works, and where teams usually lose weeks.
1. Decide what you are signing as
Landlords lease to a legal entity. A US subsidiary (Delaware or New York LLC / C-Corp) with an EIN is the cleanest path; a foreign parent can sign, but expect a much larger deposit or a letter of credit. Set up the entity before you start touring — it takes one to three weeks.
2. Start with a flexible office
Serviced offices accept new entities and even individuals, need no build-out and can start within days. Many companies bridge their first year in a coworking or serviced suite, then sign a conventional lease once headcount is predictable.
3. Shortlist by commute, not by photos
Pick two or three districts and one transit anchor. If your staff arrives by commuter rail, look around Grand Central or Penn Station; if by subway from Brooklyn, Downtown works better. Then open the buildings on our New York listings and compare real suites.
4. Tour, then negotiate more than the rent
- Free rent — one month per lease year is common.
- Tenant improvement allowance — $50–100/ft² on multi-year deals.
- Escalations — push for a fixed 2.5% instead of open-ended pass-throughs.
- Sublease and assignment rights — your exit if plans change.
5. Budget the deposit and the timeline
Expect three to twelve months of rent as security, plus first month up front. From signed term sheet to move-in: two to four weeks for a furnished suite, six to twelve weeks for second-generation space, four to six months for a full build-out.
Send us the shortlist and we arrange the tours — every enquiry from a building page reaches a broker who works that district daily. No agency fee for tenants.