Commercial Leasing Tips-Rentable area versus Usable area

Rentable area versus usable area can vary from one office building to another. The usable area is the space within your office. The rentable area generally includes a portion or percentage of the common area of the building, which is outside of your office, such as common corridors, restrooms, etc. You pay rent based on the rentable area. If you are looking to rent 3,000 square feet of space, is that what you are getting? The market average for the common area or “load factor” is about 15%. This is one more aspect to consider when evaluating different office buildings.