Document how the premises will be used.
People, customers, workflow, equipment, access, security, compliance, and specialized operations.
Tenant representation
Tenant representation from space requirements through lease execution.
Tenant representation covers new leases, renewals, restructurings, expansions, acquisitions, and space dispositions. Depending on the assignment, services may include requirements development, market surveys, property tours, requests for proposal, occupancy-cost comparison, business-term negotiation, lease coordination, and premises delivery.
The occupancy brief
Define the operating requirement before contacting landlords.
The requirements document identifies the intended use, location, size, physical criteria, access, timing, budget, lease flexibility, and delivery conditions. It becomes the common basis for screening properties and requesting proposals.
Define the practical search area.
Labor, customers, transit, roads, parking, suppliers, service territory, and stakeholder access.
Identify required lease rights and flexibility.
Term, expansion, contraction, assignment, renewal, use rights, alterations, and exit options.
Set the delivery and occupancy schedule.
Current obligations, approvals, design, construction, permits, occupancy, and relocation dependencies.
Property and proposal comparison
Compare properties and proposals on a consistent basis.
The comparison should cover operational fit, full-term occupancy cost, lease rights, landlord and tenant work, delivery timing, and material transaction risk.
Operational fit
Confirm that each property can support the intended operation.
Test configuration, access, systems, parking, visibility, security, loading, specialized improvements, building rules, and the ability to operate as intended.
- Critical
- Conditions required for the operation
- Preferred
- Attributes with measurable value
- Constraint
- Conditions that remove an alternative
Occupancy economics
Compare full occupancy costs over the same period.
Normalize base rent, escalations, operating expenses, taxes, utilities, concessions, improvements, tenant capital, professional costs, and timing.
- Fixed
- Base rent and contractual increases
- Variable
- Expenses, taxes, utilities, and services
- Capital
- Improvements, furniture, equipment, and move
Lease control
Coordinate business terms with lease documentation.
Work with the tenant and its counsel to track agreed business terms concerning use, access, alterations, assignment, subletting, expansion, contraction, renewal, casualty, default, remedies, and any applicable exclusivity.
- Operate
- Use, access, signage, and building services
- Change
- Alterations, transfer, growth, and contraction
- Risk
- Delivery, interruption, casualty, and remedies
Premises delivery
Assign responsibility for delivery milestones.
Connect plans, approvals, landlord work, tenant work, permits, substantial completion, punch list, access, rent commencement, and move dependencies.
- Scope
- Who designs, builds, pays, and approves
- Condition
- Delivery standard and acceptance
- Remedy
- Delay rights and operational fallback
The occupancy comparison
The final comparison should support the tenant’s site and lease decision.
Present the shortlisted alternatives with property fit, location, occupancy economics, lease rights, improvements, schedule, and open conditions so the tenant can select a preferred path.
| Decision lens | Property question | Lease question | Execution question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operation | Can the premises support the actual use? | Do the rights permit that operation? | Can the condition be delivered on time? |
| Economics | What property costs sit outside rent? | What is the full contractual obligation? | What capital and transition cost is required? |
| Control | What physical or building constraints remain? | What flexibility and protection does the lease provide? | Who owns approvals, changes, and open items? |
| Timing | When is the space actually available? | What triggers delivery and rent? | How does it align with the existing obligation? |
Tenant-side execution
Keep qualified alternatives available through business-term negotiation.
The broker manages the requirements, property alternatives, proposal process, financial comparison, business-term negotiation, and commercial delivery items as one assignment.
Complete the space and location requirements.
Separate critical conditions from preferences, and connect every criterion to the decision.
Issue consistent requests for proposal.
Make landlords respond to the same premises, economics, rights, delivery, and timing questions.
Maintain viable alternatives during negotiation.
Advance economics and lease positions without surrendering competition too early.
Track lease execution and premises delivery.
Track documents, approvals, work, condition, dates, responsibilities, and move dependencies.
Connected occupancy decisions
Site selection and market research should inform the tenant search.
LocationSite Selection
Translate the operating requirement into a practical search area and property screen.
↗StructureLease vs. OwnCompare occupancy structures before committing to the market path.
↗MarketSubmarket ResearchUnderstand alternatives, demand, access, and competitive conditions.
↗EvidenceComparable AnalysisRead relevant lease evidence with property and transaction context.
↗Tenant representation
What does the tenant need from the space and the lease?
Provide the intended use, current lease obligations, location and space requirements, budget, decision authority, and target occupancy date.