Start your own local retail leasing brokerage
Run a small brokerage that leases storefronts for landlords and finds spaces for new shops, restaurants and service businesses.
- $4k-15k
- Full-time
- From home
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
163,894 US businesses with employees in this field, -1.0% in a year
NAICS 531210 “Offices of real estate agents and brokers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
You run your own licensed brokerage focused on retail leasing in one town or county. You list vacant units, find and qualify tenants, and manage the process from first viewing to signed lease, working from a home office or small shared office.
Your first three steps
- Check your state's broker license requirements, including any required years of experience as a licensed agent
- Form an LLC, get an EIN and get quotes for errors and omissions and general liability insurance
- Sign up a few landlords with vacant units by offering a clear listing agreement and professional photos
Who pays
Landlords and small property owners with vacant retail units, plus tenants such as small shops, cafes and salons who want help finding a location.
How it makes money
Commission on each lease you arrange, agreed in a written listing or representation agreement. You keep the full fee, but you cover all your own costs, and deals can take a long time to close.
Skills that help
- Sales and negotiation
- Local market knowledge
- Organizing contracts and deadlines
- Marketing listings online
Watch out for
- A broker license is usually needed to open your own brokerage, and states differ on experience and exam rules, so check with your state's real estate commission
- Errors and omissions insurance is commonly advised or required, so check what your state expects
- Rules on handling client money, record keeping and advertising, which differ by state
- Long gaps between deals mean you need cash reserves for several months
- Cost of listing and market data subscriptions and marketing before income starts
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: your own local retail leasing brokerage
Researched with live web search for United States: 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?
Estimated startup costs are typically around $4,000 to $15,000, depending on listing and market data subscriptions, marketing before income starts, and insurance such as errors and omissions cover.
How much can a small retail leasing brokerage earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many leases you close. The estimate assumes from about 30 hours a week, and long gaps between deals mean you need several months of cash reserves.
Do I need a license to open my own leasing brokerage?
A broker license is usually needed, and states differ on experience and exam rules, so check with your state's real estate commission. Also check errors and omissions insurance expectations and rules on client money, record keeping and advertising.
Other ways to run this business
Similar business services ideas
Office and home water delivery route
Deliver 5-gallon bottles and coolers to offices and homes on a regular schedule.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Niche product importer, run from home
Order one product category from an overseas maker and sell it to small retailers and online shops.
- $3k-15k
- Side hustle
- From home
Mobile security patrol service
Drive set routes past small businesses, lots and neighborhoods, checking property and reporting what you see.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Small outsourced customer support team
Run a small team that handles customer calls and enquiries for online stores and software companies under contract.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Online
Virtual fee-only financial planner
Help individuals and families plan savings, investing and retirement by video call, for a flat or hourly fee.
- $3k-15k
- Part-time
- Online
Independent business brokerage in one niche
Run your own small brokerage selling one type of local business, such as landscaping, HVAC or restaurants.
- $3k-15k
- Full-time
- From home