How to write a useful commercial or industrial property brief in Sabah

Describe the operation before the property

State what happens at the premises: customer visits, production, storage, cold chain, deliveries, staff shifts, heavy vehicles or regulated activity. I also ask which parts happen daily, which happen only at peak periods and which activity requires approval or specialist infrastructure.

A visually suitable building may fail because access, loading, power, approved use or nearby occupiers do not fit the operation. The brief should identify these failure points before viewings begin.

• Business activity and required approvals
• Staff, customer and vehicle volumes
• Operating hours and noise or odour considerations
• Storage, racking, loading and circulation needs

Make the physical specification measurable

Replace ‘large warehouse’ or ‘good office’ with minimum and preferred criteria. I separate the non-negotiable operating limit from the features that would simply be helpful. This lets the search widen sensibly without sending options that cannot work.

For a warehouse, I want measurements and vehicle information. For a shop or office, I want the customer journey, visibility, parking and fit-out needs. For land, I need the intended development or operation and the professional team that will confirm planning, conversion, infrastructure and approval requirements.

• Usable floor and land area
• Clear height, floor loading and column spacing
• Power, water, drainage and telecommunications
• Loading-bay, ramp and turning requirements
• Parking and accessibility
• Fit-out, subdivision and expansion potential

Set the location by movement

For industrial and logistics property, I map suppliers, ports, airport, workforce and delivery routes. For retail, I map customers, visibility, turning access and parking. For offices, I balance client access with staff commuting and the image the business needs to present.

In Greater Kota Kinabalu, Inanam and Kolombong, Sepanggar and KKIP, Penampang and Putatan each create a different movement pattern. Name acceptable corridors and the trips that matter rather than one preferred postcode. Test those routes at the relevant operating hour because a map distance does not prove a reliable journey.

Compare total occupancy cost and decision timing

State whether the business wants to buy or lease, its target start date, lease term, capital budget and fit-out allowance. I compare more than rent or price: service charges, utilities, deposits, legal cost, renovation, compliance work, security, insurance, reinstatement and downtime all affect the decision.

Identify the internal decision-maker, legal reviewer and technical reviewer. A clear approval route prevents a viable property from being lost while the business decides who must sign off. It also helps the property owner answer serious questions before issuing an offer or tenancy document.

Put compliance and commencement on one page

The local authority and approval path depend on the exact location and activity. DBKK information is relevant to premises within its jurisdiction; other districts use their own local authorities. A Sabah lawyer, planning professional, engineer or other qualified adviser may be needed to confirm title, approved use, building, occupational, environmental or technical requirements.

My shortlist records each dependency as confirmed, pending or not applicable. If the business cannot commence until a particular licence, upgrade or consent is obtained, that dependency belongs beside the target start date and budget—not in the small print after the site is chosen.