If you own your own business or work from home, you may have considered renting a virtual office. It’s a sound investment: cheaper and less risky than a full-time lease, while still providing a lot of the same amenities and conveniences.
When looking at virtual office space, you may wonder where your virtual office should be located. A metropolitan hub like San Francisco may seem like a good bet, given its marquee location and reputation as a bustling city. But why not consider a more suburban location, like Dublin? At first glance, the comparison might not make sense, but there are plenty of reasons why a virtual office in Dublin can be the smarter move for your business.
The cost of doing business
The biggest and most obvious reason to choose Dublin over San Francisco is the price. Just like with other real estate, a virtual office rental in San Francisco is prohibitively expensive. This listing of popular virtual address rentals in The City has an average monthly price of $130. And if you want a prime location or additional services, the prices can skyrocket.
Alternatively, you can get a business address at a Dublin virtual office for as low as $49 per month – basically the same price as three lattes a week.
Does the mailing address matter?
When you do business with a company or person, how much does the business address factor into your decision? As long as it’s not a PO Box, which can be a sign of a scam, do you ever make a business deal based on the city in the business’ address?
What should really matter when it comes to mailing addresses is that your mail gets delivered correctly and securely, and all virtual office addresses can provide that. So why pay extra for the same service in a different city?
Peace and quiet
Unless you live in San Francisco, it can be a hassle to get to a virtual office (as needed) in The City. With constant traffic on the way in and out, you’re going to have to either sit in traffic or use public transit, which also takes additional travel time. And any trip you have to make is the same trip potential business clients will have to make, too. Plus, there’s always the need to consider parking, which is a precious resource in San Francisco, and navigating the streets.
With a Dublin location, you get less traffic and easier access to an office building. Plus, there’s ample parking available in a much less hectic atmosphere. And if for some reason you need to visit San Francisco, it’s only a short drive away.