Leasing Tip of the Day: Do the Math

Leasing Tip of the Day: Do the Math

Believe it or not, I used to be math-phobic. Today, I run an $80+ million portfolio, but when I started, I couldn’t tell the difference between income and expense, net and gross, or asset and liability. I had to re-educate myself (and trust me, I was an English major, not a numbers person!).

Here’s the thing—if you want to excel in retail leasing, you’ve got to understand the numbers. Learn to read business plans and financial statements. And then actually read them, especially before negotiating renewals with tenants. Numbers tell a story, and you need to understand that story yourself, rather than relying on someone else to interpret it.

If math feels intimidating, get over it and get better! Numbers are your secret weapon in negotiations.

There are plenty of free resources to help you, like Khan Academy, which offers tutorials on financial literacy, economics, and accounting. Being confident with numbers will give you an edge in every deal you work on.