Office vs. retail: What lease tracking must handle
Office and retail leases share core elements—rent per SF, base rent, lease term, renewal options—but diverge in structure. Office leases often emphasize TI (tenant improvement) allowances, free rent months, base year CAM, and build-out schedules. Retail adds percentage rent (tenant pays base rent plus a percentage of sales above a threshold), co-tenancy clauses (tenant can reduce rent or terminate if anchor leaves), exclusive use provisions, and go-dark rights.
Your software should support property subtypes (office, retail, industrial) so you can filter and report by type. NNN lease management is common in retail; office deals may be gross or modified gross. The best platforms support all structures.
Key features for office and retail lease tracking
- Rent per SF: Base rent, annual escalation, rent bumps
- TI allowance: Tenant improvement dollar amount and timing
- Free rent: Months of free rent at lease start
- Lease term: Start/end dates, option periods
- Property subtype: Office, retail, mixed-use filtering
- Landlord vs tenant rep: Track which side you represent
TI allowance and free rent: Why they matter
Tenant improvement (TI) allowances fund build-out—often $50–$200+/SF for office, less for retail. Free rent (rent abatement) is common at lease start—3–6 months for a 5–10 year lease. Your software must capture TI dollar amount, disbursement schedule, and free rent months. Missing these in tracking leads to accounting errors and client disputes.
Critical dates that office and retail brokers can't miss
Renewal notices (often 6–12 months before expiration), option exercise deadlines, TI completion dates, estoppel deadlines (for sales/refinancing), and rent commencement dates. Software with an expiration matrix—all leases expiring by month—and critical date reminders prevents missed deadlines and lost revenue.
Retail-specific terms to track
Percentage rent: breakpoint (sales threshold) and percentage rate. Co-tenancy: trigger (e.g., anchor vacancy) and tenant rights (rent reduction, termination). Exclusive use: product or service category tenant has exclusivity over. Go-dark: tenant's right to cease operations. These terms drive deal value and disputes—software should capture them in structured fields.
How to evaluate office and retail lease tracking software
List 20 recent office and retail deals. For each, note lease structure, rent per SF, TI, free rent, escalation, and critical dates. Can the software capture all of this? Test the expiration matrix. Verify document storage (LOIs, leases, amendments). Check filtering by property subtype. See our full commercial software guide.
Brokurz for office and retail lease tracking
Brokurz supports office, retail, industrial, warehouse, and mixed-use. You get deal pipeline, lease structure capture (gross, NNN, etc.), critical dates, investment analysis, and AI document classification. Explore Brokurz for commercial or contact us to see it in action.
FAQ: Office and Retail Lease Tracking
What is office lease tracking software?
Software that captures office lease terms—rent per SF, TI allowance, free rent, renewal options—with critical date reminders and document storage.
What is retail lease tracking software?
Software for retail leases, often NNN, with percentage rent, co-tenancy, exclusives—plus rent per SF, TI, and critical dates.
Does Brokurz support office and retail?
Yes. Brokurz property subtypes include office, retail, industrial, mixed-use. Filter and track by type.
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Track office and retail leases in one place
Brokurz gives you lease tracking, critical dates, and investment analysis for office and retail.