Glossary

Gross lease

A commercial lease where the landlord pays operating expenses; the tenant pays a flat rent.

Definition

In a gross lease the tenant pays one rent number that covers taxes, insurance, and shared-space costs. Contrast with net leases, where the tenant pays some or all operating expenses on top of base rent. Modified gross sits between the two.

Example

An office tenant pays $30/SF gross — the landlord covers taxes, insurance, and CAM out of that rent.

Why it matters

The lease type decides who absorbs cost increases. Under a gross lease a tax reassessment or an insurance jump lands on the landlord; under a net lease it passes through. That difference is the reason two leases at the same headline rent are not the same asset.

How it works in practice

Price a gross lease with a realistic expense growth assumption, and consider a base-year stop so unusual increases pass through. Track the expense pool anyway, even when nothing passes through, so you can see the margin erode before renewal.

Common mistakes

Quoting gross and net rents side by side as if they were comparable, and signing a long gross term with no escalation in a market where taxes are rising.

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