Florida Real Estate Sales Associate Examination Content OutlineReal Estate Contracts and AgencyEasy

A tenant signs a lease agreement for a commercial space where they will operate a retail store. The lease specifies a fixed monthly rent payment, but also includes a provision that the tenant must pay an additional amount based on the property taxes and insurance premiums incurred by the landlord. What type of leasehold estate has been created?

  1. AA ground lease
  2. BA gross lease
  3. CA net lease
  4. DA percentage lease
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C. A net lease

A net lease requires the tenant to pay a fixed rent plus a share of the property's operating expenses, such as property taxes, insurance, and sometimes maintenance. This aligns with the scenario described.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. A ground lease involves leasing only the land, with the tenant owning or building the improvements.
  • B. A gross lease typically includes all property expenses within the fixed rent payment.
  • D. A percentage lease involves rent based on a percentage of the tenant's gross sales, often with a minimum base rent.

Net Lease

A lease agreement where the tenant pays a fixed base rent plus a portion or all of the property's operating expenses, such as property taxes, insurance, and maintenance.

  • Tenant pays fixed rent + some expenses.
  • Can be single net (taxes), double net (taxes + insurance), or triple net (taxes + insurance + maintenance).
  • Common in commercial real estate.

Memory trick: Leases define who pays what in a rental agreement.

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