Retail Leasing Agent (Under a Brokerage)

Landlords with empty units, and new or expanding businesses such as restaurants, salons and independent shops.

A fee or commission paid when a lease is signed, usually by the landlord and sometimes by the tenant. Income can be lumpy, with several quiet months between deals.

• Negotiating and selling
• Knowing your local neighbourhoods and streets
• Reading and explaining lease terms
• Staying organized across several deals

• Licensing: in most provinces, arranging leases for a fee requires registration, so check your provincial regulator before taking any fee
• Income can be irregular and slow to start, so plan to cover living costs for several months
• Brokerage desk fees, board or association dues and errors and omissions insurance, so check what you pay and what is included
• Commercial leases are complex, so know when to send clients to a lawyer
• Rules differ by province, and Quebec has its own regulator and French-language requirements

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $3,000 to $8,000, depending on brokerage fees and insurance. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,000, but income can be irregular and slow to start, so plan to cover living costs for several months.

In most provinces, arranging leases for a fee requires registration, so check your provincial regulator before taking any fee. Rules differ by province, and Quebec has its own regulator and French-language requirements. Check these before you start.

Check brokerage desk fees, board or association dues and errors and omissions insurance, including what is covered. Commercial leases are complex, so know when to send clients to a lawyer. Estimates start at about 20 hours a week.