How to Buy Commercial Property Step by Step

Ready to create a commercial-property plan built around your goals? Book a free strategy session with Helen's team: https://link.unikorn.com.au/widget/bookings/calendar-strategy-call  In this episode of the Commercial Property Investor Podcast, Helen walks through Unikorn Commercial's end-to-end buyer's-agency process for commercial property. From defining a strategy and property profile to making an offer, completing due diligence, securing finance, settling, and planning the next purchase, she explains what each stage is designed to achieve. Helen also explains why commercial property needs a broader support team than many first-time buyers expect. She covers the role of benchmarking, tenant and property checks, contract and lease review, physical inspections, finance, and post-settlement support, all through the lens of Unikorn's commercial-only approach. Helen dives into: ◼️ What Unikorn Commercial offers across education, buyer's agency, and syndication, with this episode focused on buyer's agency. ◼️ Why Helen says commercial property requires a wider support team across finance, legal, accounting, property management, strategy, and risk management. ◼️ The capital ranges Helen uses to distinguish between a buyer's-agency pathway and syndication. ◼️ The full buying process, from strategy through to settlement and beyond. ◼️ How a blueprint session connects passive-income goals, risk appetite, current position, and longer-term plans. ◼️ Building a property profile around yield, growth, cash flow, entity structure, and possible value-add opportunities. ◼️ Why Unikorn benchmarks comparable property profiles across multiple locations before shortlisting opportunities. ◼️ How Helen balances yield, growth, security, and fit with an investor's strategy. ◼️ The offer terms that matter, including price, due diligence, finance, settlement, legal representation, and entity structure. ◼️ How contract and lease review can identify onerous conditions, tenant issues, and disputes before exchange. ◼️ What commercial due diligence examines across the tenant, compliance, building condition, reports, and physical inspection. ◼️ Why valuation, credit approval, rent verification, and loan documents matter before a deal becomes unconditional. ◼️ The role of insurance, property management, depreciation, and a smooth tenant handover at settlement. ◼️ How Unikorn says it supports clients after settlement when a tenant leaves, a major property issue arises, or the next portfolio strategy is ready. 00:00:00 How Unikorn Commercial helps buyers get started 00:01:04 The three Unikorn Commercial service lines 00:01:18 Why Unikorn is commercial-only 00:03:07 The commercial-property A-Team 00:04:47 The Unikorn commercial buying process 00:05:22 Strategy, income goals, and the investor blueprint 00:07:09 Creating a property profile 00:09:27 Benchmarking value across markets 00:11:30 From 10 to 20 properties down to a shortlist 00:11:54 Making an offer and agreeing the terms 00:16:48 Contract, lease review, and deposit conditions 00:19:06 Due diligence begins 00:21:43 Why a physical inspection matters 00:23:09 Deep-dive findings and recommendations 00:24:36 Finance, valuation, and credit approval 00:26:01 Renegotiating after due diligence 00:27:21 Finance completion and going unconditional 00:29:21 Preparing for settlement 00:30:58 The first month after settlement 00:32:17 Reconnecting to plan the next property 00:33:26 What happens if something goes wrong? 00:34:32 Strategy, execution, and after-sales support 00:36:53 How the Unikorn process is different 00:38:33 Book a strategy session with Helen Follow for more insights and updates: Website: https://helentarrant.com/  Buyer’s Agency: https://unikorn.com.au/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helentarrant/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helentarrantofficial/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helentarrantcommercialproperty TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@helentarrantofficial