Retail lease questions to answer before you sign
Occupancy cost, use clauses, signage, parking, and exit terms. The lease shapes the business for years.
We’re not just here to help you lease or buy property. We’re here to help you make better business decisions. The lease is one of the biggest.
Total occupancy cost
Base rent is only part of it. Ask for common area maintenance, taxes, insurance, and utilities, and how each can increase.
Use, zoning, and exclusives
- Does the use clause allow everything you plan to do, including future services?
- Does zoning permit your use at this location?
- Is there an exclusive that protects you, or one held by another tenant that restricts you?
Visibility, signage, and parking
Confirm sign rights in writing, and understand parking ratios and any shared-parking rules.
Build-out
Who pays for tenant improvements, who manages the work, and when rent starts relative to opening.
Growth and exit
- Renewal options and how rent is set on renewal.
- Assignment and subletting, which matter if you ever sell the business.
- Personal guarantee terms.
Your next step
Apply this to your own situation in a few short questions, with guidance before you share any contact details.
Start the commercial space assessmentPrefer to talk it through?
When your situation needs professional judgment, Stoic Estates can help directly.
This takes you from Stoic IQ education to Stoic Estates services.
Stoic IQ content is general educational information about real estate. It is not legal, tax, financial, or lending advice. Consult qualified professionals about your specific situation.