Offices and shops for rent in El Manar 1

El Manar 1 is nothing like a business district, and that is precisely its appeal for a certain type of tenant. The doctors, physiotherapists, lawyers, architects and accountants who set up here want a residential address, a clientele of families from the district and its surroundings, and quick access to the Centre Urbain Nord without paying its rents. The office towers are elsewhere.

The offer is limited and changes from week to week; properties are mostly offered by private individuals who own the premises. For a wider view, the offices and shops to rent in El Menzah cover the whole delegation, and those in the Tunis governorate add the Centre Urbain Nord and the city centre.

The practice on a villa ground floor

The most common format is a villa ground floor turned into a practice or an office, with a street entrance and sometimes two or three spaces in front of the gate. There are also first-floor flats converted into offices in the district's small blocks. These premises suit activities that see clients by appointment, with a moderate flow of visitors.

Parking is the argument that comes up most often in listings, and it is also the one to check on site, at the time you will be seeing your clients. A street that is quiet on a Saturday morning can be jammed on a Tuesday late afternoon, when parents come to pick up their children from the schools nearby.

Sizes often range from 60 to 150 m². Rents follow those of homes of the same size, with a premium when the fit-out is already done (waiting room, toilets, cabling). A medium-sized office frequently rents for 1,200 to 2,500 DT, close to the level of Menzah 1 and below that of the Centre Urbain Nord.

Small neighbourhood shops

Manar 1 has few shopping streets. The shops that come free are at the foot of blocks or on the corners of the busiest roads, and serve local residents: grocer, bakery, pharmacy, dry cleaner, hairdresser, service agency. Footfall is steady but modest, without the student peak seen by shops near the campus, and without the summer dip either.

A small shop unit often rents for 800 to 2,000 DT depending on its size and shop front. For a business aimed at students, such as a bookshop, a photocopy shop or fast food, it is better to look towards Manar 2, closer to the faculties.

Some traders based in Manar 1 play precisely on this stability: loyal customers who come on foot and return every week are sometimes worth more than heavier but seasonal footfall.

Checks before signing

A home turned into an office raises the question of permitted use: depending on the case, an authorisation is needed, and a building's co-ownership rules may forbid receiving the public. Ask the municipality before signing, especially if you plan a sign. Talk to the neighbours too: an overflowing waiting room or cars parked in front of gates are the first causes of conflict in a district of villas.

For a shop, a commercial lease gives a right to renewal: have the permitted activity, the term, the rent review and the split of works specified. The security deposit often reaches two to three months' rent, and any key money must be justified in writing. Finally, check the available electrical power and access for patients or clients with reduced mobility.