I think that although this thread is kind of old, that a very important aspect of business has been addressed, credit. I think that as soon as you turn 18 you need to start building a good credit score. It can save you literally thousands of dollars over the life of a loan. In this particular case, your dad co signing could really lower the APR you get in order to start a business, and could help you get the lease you want. Anyway hope you had good luck and keep building that credit!

If this is your first foray into a restraurant, you will probibly need a co-signer, since you probibly do not have a great credit history, to secure start up equitity and capital. Dont forget, to have the city health inspectors sign off on your location before you rent or lease it, otherwise you might be stuck with some higher costs to bring the place up to code, and you might be in the red before you even open.

Thanks everyone. I went to look at the place however it was too small so I passed it up.   Once again, thanks!

All of your concerns are legitimate - but there is good advice here regarding getting your father involved and getting legal advice (may cost a little but will save you in the long run). Also, remember, money talks - if the landlord is a bit apprehensive - offer to pay more up front to cover some of his/her risk.

Mike, your landlord is not going to be concerned with your actual age but rather the age of your company. A landlord wants to be sure that the tenant has a viable business, so that he/she can be reasonably assured that you will pay your rent on time. That being said, you can always form a limited joint partnership with your father or a more experienced business. Even though the landlord will probably want a personal guarantee for the lease, the partnership will have some business experience. In my experience, commercial landlords want to see a profit-loss statement, a balance sheet, and bank statements. But every market is different, depending on how 'desperate' the landlord is for tenants. If you are uncomfortable with the negotiations, then hire an attorney or a real estate professional to represent you. Particularly, because this is your first lease, you should hire an attorney to negotiate and draft your lease. The landlord's lease is always one-sided. As a side note, it is illegal for a landlord to discriminate against you because of your age, unless the landlord has a legitimate reason for treating you differently. And 'too young' is not a legitimate reason. So, if you believe you are being discriminated against, assuming everything else is in order, then speak to an attorney about your options. Good luck. Sharmil McKee sm@mckeeoffice.com Business Lawyer McKee Law Office Philadelphia, PA www.MckeeOffice.com Message Edited by ChristineL on 11-02-2009 02:36 PM

In most states in the US you need to be at least 18 to sign into a legal binding agreement; so your age won't be a factor. However, your credit score\history will be; you'll most likely need someone to go on the lease with you that has a substancial credit history. This protects the leasor in terms of knowing he'll get his money as binded in the lease agreement. Best of luck!