Current estimates say that 95 percent of American adults have mobile devices and almost 80 percent own smartphones. That means mobile phone companies require many towers to connect all those phone calls. Cell towers require particular conditions to function correctly, so they can just climb in certain places. That puts it online for a lease if you own land in one of those places.
Getting the best lease rates requires negotiating with the cell tower company. You can hire a cell tower consultant or you can do it yourself. Here are 7 things to look for in a cell tower lease consultant:
1. Search Customer References
Consultants are not licensed, which means that anybody can call themselves a consultant. However, if you know your business, you will get many customer references. Request those references before making a firm agreement. If the references are valid, it is a good sign that you are dealing with a competent professional.
2. Demonstrate Experience
Lease agreements can be complicated with any number of clauses. A decent consultant should know these clauses. Ask the cell tower lease consultant you are considering explaining the update triggers. Update triggers are events that are supposed to trigger a change in payment. These must appear in the lease.
3. Transparent Rate Structure
Consultants use various rate structures ranging from fixed rates to commissions. What you should look for is a consultant with a transparent rate structure. That means that you know just what the consultant charges and what you get in return. Not all lease consultants use them, but you can even ask whether they have a rate schedule that you can review. Check here!
4. Are They Insured?
Cell Tower Lease Consulting is generally a business that serves customers. That means that your advisor must have some type of liability insurance. Though no consultant consciously does something that hurts a client, mistakes can occur. Liability insurance protects you and the consultant from possible future errors.
5. Do You Get Along with Them?
You do not need a new best friend in your cell tower lease consultant, but you should feel comfortable with them. Do not hire any consultant that bothers you. It is a recipe for arguments as well as bad blood. Keep searching until you find a consultant who is on the same page as you. You will finish up happier with their work and the lease agreement they get for you.
6. Right Resources to Navigate
Make sure you have the right resources to navigate. If you do not know the rules of the road, you need a professional who knows it exactly. By having a thorough knowledge of how each aspect of a cell phone tower transaction – financial, legal, development, and so on affects the final result, you will have a solid basis from which to orient yourself during the procedure.
7. Reflections on Hiring Consultants for Leasing Cell Towers
Hiring consultants is a lot like hiring other professionals. Look for consultants with strong client recommendations. They test their experience a bit to ensure they understand what they are talking about. Be sure to know your rate structure in advance. Keep in mind that you should never ask yourself what you are paying for.
You verify your insurance situation. At a minimum, they must carry liability insurance. So, you deal with intangibles. Do you like and trust the person in front of you? If not, then it is time for you to go to another cell tower consultant. Check out this site: https://medium.com/@PippaPayne579JlT/significance-of-getting-a-consultant-for-cell-tower-leasing-transactions-35600bb4c122