Notes on cre expertise.

Practitioner-level guides to the clauses, calculations, and provisions that drive commercial leasing.

6 entries on file

The Ledger

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6 entries

§ 01MAR 03, 2026

CRE Expertise

The Complete Guide to Commercial Lease Clause Drafting

Every clause in a commercial lease carries financial weight. This guide walks through the highest-stakes provisions, rent escalation, CAM, options, percentage rent, TI allowances, and measurement, with links to deep-dive resources on each.

LeasePilot Team10 MIN READ

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§ 02JAN 22, 2025

CRE Expertise

The 7 Most Expensive Clause Mistakes in Commercial Leases

Ambiguous CAM definitions lead to six-figure disputes. Renewal options without clear 'fair market value' methodology end up in arbitration. These seven drafting mistakes cost landlords money, and they're all preventable.

David Saltman9 MIN READ

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§ 03OCT 08, 2024

CRE Expertise

Critical Lease Dates: The Deadlines That Cost Landlords Millions When Missed

A renewal option window closes because nobody calendared the notice deadline. A termination right expires silently. An escalation date passes without adjustment. These aren't edge cases, they're the most common and most preventable source of loss in commercial leasing.

David Saltman8 MIN READ

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§ 04JUN 19, 2024

CRE Expertise

Tenant Improvement Allowances: The Economics Most Landlords Get Wrong

A $50/SF TI allowance on a 10,000 SF space is $500,000 in landlord capital. How that's amortized, whether it's recaptured through rent, and how it compares to free rent alternatives changes the deal economics fundamentally. Most landlords model it too simply.

David Saltman8 MIN READ

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§ 05APR 18, 2024

CRE Expertise

Rent Escalation Clauses: The Complete Guide to Getting Them Right

Fixed percentage, CPI-based, fair market value, stepped increases, every method has trade-offs. This guide covers the calculation mechanics, drafting pitfalls, and why spreadsheet errors compound over 10-year terms.

LeasePilot Team11 MIN READ

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§ 06MAR 20, 2024

CRE Expertise

Usable vs. Rentable Square Footage: The Measurement Gap That Changes Every Deal

A tenant signs a lease for 10,000 rentable square feet, and gets 8,200 usable square feet of space. That 18% load factor isn't a surprise if you understand BOMA standards. But most tenants don't, and most lease documents don't make the distinction clear.

David Saltman7 MIN READ

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§ What’s next

Reading is one thing. Drafting is another.

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