The best small retail spaces in a city center are rarely listed on Funda. Owners of prime locations prefer to rent through their own networks rather than public portals, because it helps them find the right tenant faster and avoid prolonged vacancies. If you only search on public platforms, you see a fraction of what is actually available. This article answers the most frequently asked questions about finding retail space off the beaten path.
Why aren’t the best retail spaces listed on Funda?
The best retail spaces in a city center are not listed on Funda because owners of attractive prime locations have no need for broad public exposure. They have established contacts with brokers, shopping center managers, and real estate investors who approach them directly as soon as a space becomes available. Public portals are only used when a property is difficult to rent out or when an owner lacks an active network.
This mechanism works in both directions. On one hand, owners of sought-after locations want certainty about their tenant: a strong concept, proven revenue figures, and a reliable tenant that fits the retail mix of the street or shopping center. On the other hand, a property listed on Funda is implicitly less attractive, because the market knows it has been vacant for some time. Landlords prefer to avoid sending that signal.
For a starting or growing retail entrepreneur, this means that searching on Funda or iLocate gives a distorted picture. You see what remains after the first round of network-based letting — not what is truly on the market. Small retail spaces in a city center that fill quickly are often never publicly listed at all.
Which channels actually work for off-market retail spaces?
For retail space that is not listed on Funda, direct networks work best: specialized retail brokers, shopping center managers, property owners, and industry associations. Those with access to these channels see spaces before they are publicly listed — or spaces that are never publicly listed at all.
In practice, there are a number of routes that deliver results:
- Retail brokers with their own network: A specialized broker is in daily contact with owners and developers and knows which spaces will soon become available. This is the most direct route to off-market listings.
- Approaching shopping center managers directly: Larger shopping centers have their own leasing team. By reaching out directly, you can express interest in spaces that have not yet been listed.
- Municipalities and BIZ organizations: In many cities, there are business improvement zones or municipal programs that actively address vacancies and connect entrepreneurs with available spaces.
- Local property owners: In smaller cities, many retail spaces are owned by private investors who do not use a broker. Knocking directly on the door of a vacant property can be surprisingly effective.
- Trade publications and retail networks: Industry-specific channels sometimes identify available spaces earlier than generic platforms.
Through KroesePaternotte’s listings, spaces are also available that are not offered through public portals, because the network of owners and developers maintains direct contact with the team.
How do you know what a market-rate rent is for a small retail space?
To determine a market-rate rent for a small retail space in a city center, you need to compare recent transaction prices in the same street or subarea, adjusted for floor area, condition of the space, and foot traffic. Without access to current transaction data, it is virtually impossible to assess this independently.
Rental prices for retail space vary considerably — not only by city, but also by street. A space in a prime location on a major shopping street commands a very different price per square meter than a comparable space on a secondary location just two streets away. Public sources rarely provide insight into what is actually being paid, because signed lease agreements are not publicly disclosed.
What you can do as a starting point:
- Request multiple offers for comparable spaces in the same area
- Ask a specialized retail broker for a rental price indication based on recent transactions
- Factor in service charges, which are added on top of the base rent and can amount to 15 to 25 percent of the total rent
- Ask about the rent-free period, which is common in new leases and effectively reduces the overall rental cost
KroesePaternotte holds lease transaction data covering virtually the entire Dutch retail market, going back to 1984. This makes it possible to assess, street by street and city by city, whether an asking rent is in line with the market — something no public source can offer.
What should you look out for in a retail lease agreement?
In a retail lease agreement, the most critical elements are the rent and indexation, the lease term and any break options, the service charges, the permitted use of the space, and the division of maintenance responsibilities between tenant and landlord. Each of these points has direct financial consequences and must be carefully reviewed before signing.
Lease term and break options
Retail space in the Netherlands is typically leased for an initial period of five years, with an option to extend for a further five years. This is a long commitment if your concept is still developing. A break option gives you the right to terminate the lease early at a pre-agreed point in time, usually after two or three years. Not every landlord offers this as standard, but it is negotiable — especially if you bring a strong concept to the table.
Service charges and additional costs
Service charges cover shared costs such as security, cleaning, marketing, and management of the building or shopping center. They are settled annually based on actual costs. Always ask for a breakdown of what the service charges cover and what they have historically amounted to. In shopping centers, service charges can be significantly higher than for standalone retail spaces.
Permitted use and indexation
The permitted use clause in the lease determines what type of activity you are allowed to carry out in the space. If you later want to expand or change your concept, an overly narrow description can block that. Indexation governs how the rent is adjusted annually, typically based on the consumer price index. Always check which index figure is used and whether a cap or floor applies.
When is it smart to engage a retail broker as a tenant?
It is smart to engage a retail broker as a tenant as soon as you are seriously looking for retail space in a city center — especially if you have no experience with lease negotiations or if you want to secure a prime location. A specialized broker works in your interest, knows market rates, and has access to spaces that are not publicly available.
Many entrepreneurs assume that brokers only work for landlords, but a retail broker representing the tenant has the opposite objective: the lowest possible rent, favorable lease terms, and a location that suits the concept. The cost of this guidance is in many cases covered by the landlord or forms part of the negotiating gain achieved.
Specific situations where a retail broker clearly adds value:
- You are opening your first physical store and are unfamiliar with the market
- You want to expand to a new city and don’t know which locations offer the best prospects
- You have found a space but are unsure whether the asking rent is realistic
- You want a prime location but see nothing available on public platforms
- You want to negotiate but don’t know what concessions are standard
The leasing services of KroesePaternotte are specifically focused on retailers and entrepreneurs looking for retail space in the right location across the Netherlands. As a broker exclusively focused on retail, without the distraction of other real estate markets, the expertise is directly applicable to your search — whether you are looking in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Groningen, or any other city. Get in touch for a no-obligation conversation about what is truly available in your target area.
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