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Permanent Loctation VS. Temporary

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  • Permanent Loctation VS. Temporary

    This will be our first year as a commercial haunt. And we will not have the luxury of a permanent location.

    Just seeing how many others out there do it the same way.

    And to those of you who operate with a short-term lease, how does it work out for you? When do you typically have your location secured by? Are most real-estate agencies willing to work with a short-term lease to our types of events?

    Any advice is appreciated.

    Thanks,
    41
    We have a permanent year-round location.
    65.85%
    27
    We have a temporary lease of a few months.
    34.15%
    14
    Jordan Renda
    www.NightTerrorsHauntedHouse.com

  • #2
    For 10 of the 13 years we have had a temp location. Now that we own the location we are still using tents and change the places on the farm where we set up the "houses" and paths. Most years space has been donated to us, other years we have traded tent rentals or a percentage of the door receipts. We have had zero luck with real estate companies - zero. For the best results find out who the owner is and deal with them directly. If you can use tents, it does take some of the pressure off and opens up more possibilities.
    George Maser 864-761-7223, masertents@gmail.com. For the fastest response please call or text! (I talk much better than I type)

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    • #3
      Speaking from my own frustrating experiences, I would agree that most real estate agents (and repped properties) want nothing to do with a short-term lease.

      Best bet is to deal with property owner directly if at all possible ... which may make the strip malls, department stores, and other corporate locations tricky.

      I'd also suggest that you find some kind of local business that might want to "host" your event for multiple years -- perhaps there's a business around you that has an existing parking lot or other support staff that can be used for your event? A go-cart place, drive-in, or other summer business that's looking for business in the fall? An independently-owned retail store with lots of available parking, or a business park with big stretches of asphalt/undeveloped property, or a fairground of some kind?

      Try to figure out a way to host your event at the same place at least two seasons in a row so that your audience can find you in year 2. The most difficult part of moving from year to year is that so much of your advertising is spent telling people how to find you (not to mention potentially dealing with entirely new townships, fire marshalls, etc. every year.)

      If's much easier to budget and plan ahead if you're looking at a 2 year plan instead of a one season plan ...
      Scott Simmons
      The ScareHouse / Undead Productions Inc.

      http://www.scarehouse.com
      http://youtube.com/thescarehouse

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      • #4
        It is especially important to keep the same location year after year if that location is one hidden behind downtown storefronts in a small village in the middle of a big cornfield.
        But my property has been zoned commercial for 137 years.
        Some adverturous types find it like a mystery challenge to find a place that presents some degree of difficulty.
        I like adventurous types for customers, that's where my fun is found!
        "And as a reward for actually finding this place I will now take you through it for a tour! $12.00 American money Please!"
        hauntedravensgrin.com

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        • #5
          Finding your place was a fun time, I was saying in the truck "There is no haunted house way the he// out here" and then bam I see your car and freak out "It's Jims car" still had to go into a Five & Dime and ask "Down the ally behind the bar" we were told so on we go and there it is a huge creepy house on a cliff looking out over the river and the town grave yard. You can't build a location like that.

          Originally posted by Jim Warfield View Post
          It is especially important to keep the same location year after year if that location is one hidden behind downtown storefronts in a small village in the middle of a big cornfield.
          But my property has been zoned commercial for 137 years.
          Some adverturous types find it like a mystery challenge to find a place that presents some degree of difficulty.
          I like adventurous types for customers, that's where my fun is found!
          "And as a reward for actually finding this place I will now take you through it for a tour! $12.00 American money Please!"
          Giving People The Chills Since 2005

          http://www.warehouse31.com

          Comment


          • #6
            My "Perminence"

            Also includes where I live, which means extra security for everything I own because I am HERE.
            There can be some personal disadvantages to living within your haunted house (ask my ex!)
            Noise during late hours coming right through the thick walls but then it's a haunted, haunted house and sometimes that noise must be left over from a long, long time ago, party sounds, a roomfull of people, laughing, talking, a little singing with music playing, I walk through the door it all stops!
            I must be an absolutely terrible Bore!
            "Jim's here, everybody be quiet, maybe he will go away sooner?"
            hauntedravensgrin.com

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            • #7
              We are definitely having issues securing a short term lease. I live in a tourist area which means that a lot of property owners don't even live here -- which makes it more difficult in that I have to go through the agents. Which, like UndeadProd said, is very hard because none of the agents want to deal with you. They don't get much of a commission from a short term lease so you are essentially wasting their time.

              There's one location I want very badly and the building has been vacant for over 10 years. But the agent keeps telling me that the owner wants to sell and that's it. But she's not even contacting the owner to ask. Now I've got my own agent to try and get around her and so far I think it's working. You just have to try different approaches to get the property you want for the price you want to pay.

              Speaking of money, whether it's vendors or property owners I've never had so much trouble throwing money at people. I can't even get half the vendors to call me back!
              http://www.hauntedozarks.com

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              • #8
                Haunted "O"

                If you are talking about haunted merchandise venders not returning your calls, maybe this is just their most hectic time of the year?
                If you are too busy already dealing with a ton of customers the new caller might get sort of ignored, at least for ahile?
                I have never understood how October customers call on a Saturday night and expect to get a live person to gab with?
                hauntedravensgrin.com

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