Renting an office has become more than just a smart financial decision—now, it’s a way to join a community of like-minded individuals who can fuel your creativity and productivity.

Of course, the opposite can also be true, which is why it’s crucial to carefully evaluate any shared workspace using these 6 criteria:

1. Location: Some factors to consider and balance are the length of your commute and the workspace’s surrounding neighborhood.

2. Community and culture: People make or break your shared workspace experience; it goes without saying that you want to be surrounded good, honest, nice individuals, but you also have to consider the balance of careers involved. If you’re in music, for example, you probably don’t want to share office space with a group of librarians…

3. Amenities: Some offices offer free Wi-Fi; others provide a kitchen and snacks. Know exactly what you’re getting before you join.

4. Interior design: Considering the design and furnishings of a shared space is crucial. Themes and art installations can foster creativity or act as serious distractors. The same is even truer of furnishings—I always compare chairs when considering any office location.

5. Events and Education: As mentioned, shared workspaces should feel like communities. Find out what special programs your space offers to foster community building and bettering.

6. Membership Policies: Like any lease, before you sign up to rent office space, you must know how to pay your bills, what kind of security will be in place, how you can access your building and what pet policies are in place.

Since I’m often Nashville-based, I’ve checked out the best local share spaces to see how they measure up. Here’s what I discovered…

Center 615

East Nashville has gained a hip reputation, and the Center 615 campus feeds right into that vibe. With three side-by-side buildings off Main St (close to downtown and the interstate) and tons of free parking, C615 caters to an array of business companies, graphic designers, fashion designers, photographers, mortgage investors and more. The building’s green and white design scheme was picked to lend it a “futuristic feel,” according to founder Christian Paro, so members could think “to infinity and beyond;” weekly events in the Center’s huge studio space help further that cause. Amenities include Google Fiber Wi-Fi; two kitchens; a work out room and showers; access to a bar and coffee shop; use of conference rooms, event spaces and the studio; and 24/7 keycard access. Membership options begin with $15 daily rates and run up to $300 monthly rates. Private suite options are also available.

Deavor

Located in Germantown, just off the interstate and near the State Capitol, Deavor is also pretty hip. The large, open interior layout (which also features a photo studio) still delivers the allure of coziness, thanks to warm lighting and a mix of Herman Miller couches, tables and chairs. Members tend toward creative professions:  think photography, videography, and digital designers. As an added bonus, Deavor shares building space with Red Pepper, a huge marketing and communications center dedicated to helping grow brands. Amenities include a kitchen; a Bongo Java-stocked coffee and tea bar; 24/7 security with cameras; free member events; (limited) free parking and bike racks; free office services including a receptionist, printing and copying, high speed internet with Wi-Fi; studio space; and even phone booths! Flex Membership costs $200 per month and gives you 10 workdays of access. At $300 per month, Shared Membership lets you into the space from 7 to 7, Monday-Friday; you can also use the shared tables and have your own locker. Upgrade to Premium Membership at $450 per month and you’ll enjoy 24 hour access, reserved desks, and unlimited studio use.

The Skillery

Like a more productive neighborhood coffee shop, The Skillery in Germantown offers a friendly spot in which you can sit down and work. Conference rooms surround an open area with comfy chairs and a kitchenette designed to encourage socializing amongst the digital marketing and insurance oriented members. Housed in the same building as Uber, Steadfast Coffee, and CrossFit Pro Vita, you just know that free entrepreneur workshops will attract some big names. Amenities include free (mostly on-street) parking; free printing; prototyping materials; a conference room; and outdoor patio and lawn space. Membership starts at $20/month and runs as high as $325/month depending on your options.

WELD

While its location south of Nashville is a bit removed, WELD’s secluded warehouse environment and customizable boxed office options (in cool cargo containers!) has proved appealing to members of the design, photography, music, and entertainment industries—graphic designers, T-shirt companies, podcasters and more showcase their creativity in this unique space. As a sign of community appreciation, WELD’s walls are decorated with members’ photographs and works of art. The small on-site kitchen offers on-tap beer, snacks and Crema coffee. Members can book FREE time in the on-site photo studio.

Other amenities include: 24/7 key fob access to work & studio spaces; meeting rooms; storage options; a permanent address; free events; and negotiated local discounts. A $400/month membership offers all the above; permanent desks are an additional $200 each month and private offices start at $400 a month.

Nashville Entrepreneur Center
This facility offers 22,000 square feet in the heart of downtown, right by Ascend Amphitheatre (and Pinewood Social, the super-popular bowling alley/restaurant.) The space, divided into five basic entrepreneur categories—health care, entertainment, social enterprise, media, and technology—is appointed in calming blues and whites, from the tables up to the light fixtures. Seating areas are clustered by windows for invigorating natural light. Some of the amenities include free coffee; a member break room; mailbox access; 24/7 keycard access; in-house, members-only café; and a reserved workspace access. Three levels of membership are available. Create, at $15 a month, gives access to events, Google for Entrepreneurs recourses (provides technical content, business tools and infrastructure upgrades) and member-priced photography services. At $50/month, the Launch program offers the above plus co-working space, rental access and two Advisor meetings (mentors, service providers or program experts who provide customized business guidance and advice). The Grow membership is $100 a month and includes all of the above plus Unlimited Advisor meetings.

E Spaces

Housed in a Belle Mede office tower (with a second location in Cool Springs), E Spaces is the only shared workspace that has the professional environment many small businesses require—meaning its member groups lean heavily toward startups and corporate teams. There are first come first serve desks and tables in the main room, and an adjacent kitchen stocked with complimentary drinks and a communal-use fridge. An outdoor patio offers a great view of the city and a chance to clear your head. All members enjoy 24/7 access to all locations; a mailbox with email notification service; high speed, secure Wi-Fi; conference phones; unlimited black and white printing with 100 pages color printing per month; private phone rooms; flat screen displays with HDMI and VGA cables; whiteboards and markers; concierge assistance; networking events and free parking. Collaborative space rentals start at $225/month; dedicated office rentals start at $1000/month and meeting room rentals begin at $25/hour.

Refinery

Located just below the Gulch on Houston Street, Refinery welcomes members in fields ranging from tech startups to music based non-profits, web design and everything in between. Amenities include free coffee and tea; free car and bike parking; workshop-style classes on topics such as work/life balance and relationships; and well-populated networking events. Membership comes in 3 levels: DROP-IN, at $99/month, gives 10 hours access/week; PART-TIME, at $199/month, gives 20 hours/week and FULL-TIME, at $299/month, provides 24 hour access and all amenities. For an extra $150/month, you receive a reserved desk, a free mail locker and 5 hours of monthly meeting space access.

So, which one did we choose? Rented Lifestyle now has an office at WELD! We love the space, the location of the building and the amenities. We also feel like we have joined a very creative community in Nashville. Big thanks to Katie and Jordan, who made us feel right at home.