Local retail leasing brokerage
Run a small office that handles retail leases for landlords and tenants in your town or neighbourhood.
- C$15k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
A small brokerage focused on shop and retail premises in one area. You take on vacant units from landlords, market them and find suitable tenants. You also help local businesses find a new location. You may add one or two agents as you grow.
Your first three steps
- Check your provincial regulator for the experience and registration needed to become a broker of record or managing broker
- Build a list of local landlords and vacant units, and speak to a few about leasing mandates
- Price out a small office or home office setup, trust account requirements, insurance and a listings website
Who pays
Local landlords and property owners, and small businesses looking for premises.
How it makes money
Commission or fees on each signed lease, and sometimes a fee for helping a landlord market and manage a unit's leasing over time.
Skills that help
- Deep knowledge of your local market
- Negotiating and relationship building
- Marketing listings online and locally
- Managing a small team and compliance paperwork
Watch out for
- Brokerage registration: most provinces require a licensed broker to run the business, so check the requirements before you start
- Trust account rules for money held on behalf of clients
- Errors and omissions insurance and commercial general liability insurance
- Slow start: it can take months to build landlord trust and close your first lease
- Rules differ by province, and Quebec has its own regulator and French-language requirements
- WCB/WSIB coverage and employment rules if you hire staff, which vary by province
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: local retail leasing brokerage
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a retail leasing brokerage?
Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $15,000 to $40,000, depending on your office, insurance and marketing. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000. It can take months to build landlord trust and close your first lease.
What licensing and rules should I check before starting?
Most provinces require a licensed broker to run the business, so check the requirements first. Also check trust account rules for client money, errors and omissions and commercial general liability insurance, and provincial differences, including Quebec's regulator and French-language requirements.
How much time does it take, and what if I hire staff?
Estimates start at about 30 hours a week, depending on your listings and team. If you hire staff, check WCB/WSIB coverage and employment rules, which vary by province.
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