That 5-year lease in Corktown I almost signed still keeps me up at night

Back in May I was dead set on a retail spot on Michigan Ave, 1,200 square feet, $2,800 a month. Landlord swore foot traffic was about to blow up. I walked away at the last minute because the parking situation felt off. Three months later the coffee shop next door closed and the block's been quiet ever since. Dodged a bullet, but now I second-guess every deal I look at. Has anyone else walked away from a lease and felt totally lost on what to trust next?

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mark_mitchell15d ago

Have you checked out the city's own traffic data before you look at places now? I read somewhere that the city posts pedestrian counts online for different blocks, and it's saved me from trusting a landlord's word twice. One spot I was eyeing last year had numbers that were half what the guy claimed, so I passed. Also, try driving by on a Tuesday at 11am and a Saturday at 2pm, not just when you're scheduled to tour. That'll show you the real rhythm of the street. It's not perfect, but it beats going off vibes alone.