How to Lease Commercial Space Without a Broker
Leasing commercial space yourself: setting the rate and lease type, describing each suite, listing the space, and answering tenant inquiries.
Updated
You can lease commercial space without a broker. Owners and landlords do it every day, especially for smaller spaces and single buildings. To do it well, you need to set a rate and lease type tenants can compare, describe each available suite clearly, list the space where tenants search, and answer inquiries quickly. Have a real estate attorney prepare or review the lease, since a commercial lease carries more risk than a residential one.
Set the rate and the lease type
Tenants compare spaces by the rate and by what the rate covers, so decide both before you list.
The rate. Commercial space is usually quoted per square foot per year, such as $24/SF/yr. Some industrial space is quoted per square foot per month, and small spaces sometimes by the month. Look at what similar spaces nearby are asking, then adjust for condition, parking, and location.
The lease type. It says who pays the building's operating costs, and it changes what the rate means:
| Lease type | What the tenant pays |
|---|---|
| Triple Net (NNN) | Base rent plus its share of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. |
| Modified Gross (MG) | Base rent plus some operating costs, as the lease spells out. |
| Full Service Gross (FSG) | One rent; the landlord pays the operating costs. |
| Gross | One rent covering most costs; the details depend on the lease. |
A $20/SF/yr NNN space and a $28/SF/yr full service space can cost a tenant about the same, so always state the lease type next to the rate.
The terms you will offer. Think through the lease term, annual rent increases (escalations), any tenant improvement (TI) allowance, and when the space is available. Tenants ask about all four.
Describe each suite
If you have more than one space, describe each separately. For each suite, tenants want to know:
- Size in square feet.
- Rate, or that the rate is available on request.
- What it is for: office, retail, industrial, flex, or another use.
- What is there now: the layout, the condition, and whether it is move-in ready.
- When it is available.
On SPACEXPLORATION, a lease listing holds every available suite in the building, and tenants see each one on the listing page. When a suite leases, mark it leased and the listing shows what is still open.
Show tenants what they care about
What tenants look for depends on the kind of space:
- Office: building class, layout, elevators, HVAC, parking, and whether the space is ready to move into.
- Retail: frontage, signage, the daily traffic count, co-tenants, and whether the center is anchored.
- Industrial: clear height, dock and drive-in doors, power, and sprinklers. How to list a warehouse for sale or lease goes through them.
Good photos matter more than anything else. Show the space empty and well lit, the entrance, the parking, and the view from the street.
List the space
A sign on the building reaches people who drive past. A listing reaches tenants searching from anywhere, and the AI assistants they ask, such as ChatGPT or Claude.
On SPACEXPLORATION, owners list the same way brokers do, and listing costs nothing: no listing fee, no subscription, and no commission. To publish a lease listing, you need at least one photo, a headline, the street address, a summary of at least 80 characters, three highlights, and at least one available suite with its size and rate (or rate on request). You also verify your email and phone number, which keeps fake listings out of the market.
Listings do not expire. Your listing stays up until you take it down, and you can change the rate, the photos, or the suites at any time.
Answer inquiries and sign the lease
Each inquiry goes straight to you, by email and in your leads inbox, with the tenant's name, email, phone if they gave one, and message. Reply quickly; a tenant touring several spaces will remember who answered first.
From there:
- Qualify the tenant. Ask what they do, how much space they need, and when. For a longer lease, ask for financial statements or a guarantee.
- Agree on the main terms in writing, often as a letter of intent: rate, lease type, term, escalations, TI allowance, and start date.
- Have an attorney prepare or review the lease. Pay attention to the use clause, repairs, assignment and subletting, and renewal options.
- Mark the suite leased on your listing once the lease is signed.
Start your listing
List your space on SPACEXPLORATION and put every available suite in front of tenants on the web, on the map, and in AI assistants. If you would rather hand it off, email your flyer or photos to list@spacexploration.com and we will set up the listing for you to approve.