The landlord has a broker. You should too.
Every listing agent works for the landlord — their job is to maximize the landlord's return. Tenant representation puts a licensed adviser on your side of the table, from site selection through signed lease. And in most deals, the landlord pays for it.
Get RepresentationWhat a tenant rep adviser actually does
Market knowledge you can't Google
Comparable deal terms, landlord reputations, center performance, and off-market availability — the information asymmetry that usually favors the landlord, flipped.
Cost-of-tenancy analysis
A full model of what each space truly costs over the lease term: base rent, NNN/CAM, escalations, TI shortfalls, and downtime. Spaces get compared on real numbers.
Negotiation strategy
LOIs run in parallel to create competition. Free rent, TI dollars, exclusives, caps on CAM growth, renewal and termination options — asked for, in writing, in order.
What's actually negotiable in a commercial lease
More than most tenants think. Landlords write the first draft, which means the first draft protects the landlord. Here's the working list I negotiate from — roughly in order of dollar impact:
- Free rent. Months of abatement during build-out and ramp-up. Often easier for a landlord to give than a lower face rate, and worth real money to a business that isn't open yet.
- Tenant improvement allowance. The landlord's contribution to your build-out — amount, disbursement timing, and what happens to unused dollars all matter as much as the headline number.
- Escalation structure. The difference between annual increases compounds across a full term. Caps on CAM growth belong in the same conversation.
- Renewal options. The right to stay, at a defined rent or a defined method for setting it. Without one, your leverage at renewal is whatever the landlord says it is.
- Assignment and subletting rights. If you sell the business, can the lease go with it? Buyers ask. A restrictive clause quietly reduces what your business is worth.
- Guaranty scope. Duration, cap, and burn-off provisions that keep a business lease from becoming an open-ended personal liability.
- Exclusives, co-tenancy, and kick-outs. The retail-specific protections covered in depth on the retail leasing page.
No tenant gets everything. The craft is knowing which levers matter most for your business, sequencing the asks, and creating enough competition between landlords that the asks get answered.
Four moments tenant representation earns its keep
Your first location. The lease you sign now is the cost structure you live with for years. First-time operators are also where landlords push hardest on guaranties and as-is delivery — exactly where an adviser changes outcomes.
A franchise rollout. Franchise site criteria are specific — trade area, visibility, parking counts, drive-thru feasibility — and franchisors have opening deadlines. I run structured site searches against the criteria and keep the real estate on the franchisor's timeline.
A renewal. Landlords count on renewal inertia: staying feels easier than moving, so tenants accept the first number. A market check and one credible alternative routinely change that number.
An expansion. Adding a second or third location is when lease obligations start compounding. Consistent terms, staggered expirations, and assignment rights across locations protect the whole enterprise, not just the newest address.
Common questions about tenant representation
Who pays the tenant rep broker?
In most commercial lease transactions the landlord pays the commission, split between the listing broker and the tenant's broker. Professional representation typically costs the tenant nothing directly.
Can't I just negotiate with the listing agent myself?
You can — but the listing agent has a fiduciary duty to the landlord, not to you. Without your own representation, you're negotiating against a professional with better information, alone.
When should I engage a tenant rep?
Before you tour anything. Early engagement means the search is structured around your requirement from day one — and it protects your negotiating position, since registering with a broker after you've already contacted landlords directly can complicate representation.
Do you handle lease renewals?
Yes. Renewals are where landlords count on inertia. A market check and a credible alternative are often worth real money at the renewal table.
- Free rent & abatement
- Tenant improvement dollars
- Escalation & CAM caps
- Renewal & exit options
- Guaranty burn-off
Retail-first, Atlanta-wide
My core practice is retail tenant representation in Atlanta, with deep focus on Cobb County. I also represent buyers and sellers of retail investment property across Atlanta, backed by the full platform of T. Dallas Smith & Company.
Start a ConversationDon't negotiate alone.
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