Commercial Real Estate

Commercial Lease Agreement Generator

I built this generator to create comprehensive commercial lease agreements for office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use spaces. It supports NNN, gross, and modified-gross lease structures with automated rent calculations, escalation clauses, and tenant improvement provisions.

About This Commercial Lease Agreement Generator

This generator produces a professional commercial lease agreement suitable for office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use properties. Commercial leases are significantly more complex than residential leases and typically involve longer terms, rent escalation provisions, operating expense pass-throughs, tenant improvement allowances, and detailed use restrictions.

Understanding Commercial Lease Structures

The lease structure determines how operating expenses are allocated between landlord and tenant. A triple net (NNN) lease requires the tenant to pay base rent plus their proportionate share of property taxes, insurance, and common area maintenance. A gross lease bundles all expenses into a single rent payment. A modified gross lease splits expenses, typically with the tenant paying increases above a base-year amount. Each structure affects the total occupancy cost differently and should be evaluated based on your business needs and the local market.

Key Negotiation Points

When negotiating a commercial lease, focus on these critical areas: rent escalation (negotiate caps on annual increases), tenant improvement allowance (ensure adequate build-out funding), CAM cap (limit annual operating expense increases), personal guarantee scope (negotiate burn-off provisions), assignment and subletting rights (maintain flexibility), exclusivity clauses (prevent competing businesses in the same building), and renewal options (secure future occupancy at predictable rates).

Common Commercial Lease Pitfalls

Tenants should watch for: undefined or uncapped CAM charges, demolition clauses allowing early termination, co-tenancy requirements, radius restrictions limiting other locations, continuous operating covenants, and percentage rent provisions in retail leases. Having a real estate attorney review the lease before signing is strongly recommended for leases exceeding $100,000 in total value.