There are many reasons why a virtual office is a better investment than a traditional full-time office, and perhaps the biggest is cost: a virtual office is always going to be much cheaper than a lease.
Of course, just like with conventional office space, the location of your virtual office is going to dictate how much it costs you. Since San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in America for real estate, it is also going to have the most expensive virtual offices.
Is a San Francisco virtual office really worth all that money? It really depends what you’re looking for.
An impressive locale
The type of business you’re in will be a major factor in your virtual office needs. If you make presentations to clients on a regular basis and want to show an impressive front, you’re going to need a striking business address. Something along the lines of the 36th floor of a skyscraper at the end of Market Street in San Francisco. With incredible views of the San Francisco Bay, your clients are definitely going to be wowed. However, that ability to “wow” doesn’t come cheap: a virtual office package at One Market Street run $549 per month, and comes with just five days of private office use.
The heart of commerce
You might need to be in a big city because you’re involved in B2B sales, and you need access to potential clients. There are more than 100,000 businesses in San Francisco County alone, many of which are located within the city. If you want to be close by, you should consider an office like 555 California Street in the heart of the financial district. But just like One Market Street, be prepared to pay a premium for that access.
What are you really paying for?
So what do these San Francisco locations have in common? You’re really just paying for the marquee address. There’s nothing about the virtual offices themselves and their services that are unique to San Francisco. You can get all of the same amenities from a more suburban location at a fraction of the cost, and as an added bonus, you don’t have to worry about traffic or parking problems.
For example, a virtual office park in Dublin can give you virtual address and receptionist service for as low as $99 per month; at One Market Street, that exact same service will cost you $199.
Unless you absolutely need to be within the San Francisco city limits, there’s no reason you need to locate your virtual office there. Save money by choosing a more suburban location – you can get the same work done at a much cheaper price.
