Commercial Leasing in Louisville, KY (Tenant & Landlord Representation)
Looking to lease commercial property or fill an empty space in Louisville, Kentucky and nearby areas? Hi, I’m Raphael Collazo. As a CCIM-certified commercial broker, I help business tenants find the right space on fair terms, and I help building owners lock in reliable, long-term tenants.
A commercial lease is a legally binding contract that lasts for 3 to 10 years. Whether you are searching for commercial space for lease for your growing company or you own a building with vacant units, my team protects your money and handles the negotiations from start to finish.
Find Space on Fair Terms
Tell us your space requirements. 100% of tenant broker fees are paid by the landlord.
Fill Vacant Building Space
Lock in reliable, pre-vetted long-term commercial tenants with verified credit.
How We Help Both Business Tenants and Building Owners
In commercial leasing, tenants and landlords have very different goals. We offer dedicated representation tailored to which side of the table you sit on:
For Business Owners & Tenants (Tenant Representation)
When you search online for lease commercial property near me, remember that the agent listed on the sign works for the landlord, not for you. Their job is to get the landlord the highest rent and the strictest lease terms. As your tenant representation broker, I work 100% for you:
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Finding Every Option: I search all available commercial lease properties, including spaces that are about to open up before they hit public websites.
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Comparing Real Costs: Many spaces advertise a low base rent but hide expensive CAM (Common Area Maintenance), tax, and insurance fees. I calculate your true total monthly payment before you sign.
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Negotiating Free Rent & Buildout Money: I negotiate Tenant Improvement (TI) allowances (money the landlord pays to build out your rooms, walls, and flooring) plus free rent months while you set up your shop.
For Landlords & Property Owners (Landlord Representation)
An empty suite drains your cash flow every single month. Worse, putting the wrong tenant into your building can lead to unpaid rent, property damage, and costly legal evictions. As your landlord leasing agent, I protect your building’s value:
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Aggressive Marketing: We market your commercial lease property across CoStar, LoopNet, Crexi, social media, and direct calls to expanding local businesses.
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Strict Tenant Vetting: We check every applicant’s business credit, tax returns, bank statements, and operating history before you sign a lease.
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Strong Lease Structures: We structure clean leases with annual rent increases and personal guarantees so your building’s income grows year after year.
What Every Tenant and Landlord Should Know About Lease Terms
Not all commercial space lease agreements work the same way. Here is a simple breakdown of the three main lease structures used in Louisville, Kentucky and nearby areas:
| Lease Type | What the Tenant Pays | What the Landlord Pays | Most Common Building Types |
|---|---|---|---|
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Triple Net Lease (NNN)
Tenant covers operating expenses
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Base rent PLUS your share of property taxes, building insurance, and common area maintenance (CAM). | Structural roof and foundation only (in most cases). | Retail strip centers, standalone restaurants, and industrial warehouses. |
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Modified Gross Lease
Shared operating expenses
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Base rent plus utilities and janitorial. Landlord and tenant split operating expenses. | Property taxes, building insurance, and exterior upkeep. | Multi-tenant office buildings and flex spaces. |
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Full-Service Gross Lease
All-inclusive predictable rent
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One simple, all-inclusive monthly rent check. | All taxes, insurance, maintenance, and standard utilities. | Class A downtown and suburban corporate office suites. |
Retail, Warehouse, and Office Spaces Across Greater Louisville
We help tenants find and landlords fill four main types of commercial properties for lease:
Retail Storefronts & Strip Plazas
High-visibility spaces for shops, restaurants, salons, gyms, and service businesses along major corridors like Hurstbourne Parkway, Shelbyville Road, Bardstown Road, and Dixie Highway.
Industrial Warehouses & Flex Space
Distribution facilities, contractor bays, and light manufacturing spaces with drive-in doors, dock-high loading, and 3-phase power near I-64, I-65, and I-264.
Professional & Medical Office Suites
Move-in-ready offices and medical clinics designed for doctors, dentists, CPAs, attorneys, and growing teams in St. Matthews, Lyndon, and Downtown Louisville.
Land & Pad Sites for Ground Lease
High-traffic corner lots and outparcels available for long-term ground leases.
From Space Tour to Keys in Hand
Whether you are leasing a 1,200 SF shop or a 50,000 SF warehouse, we follow a simple 5-step process:
Needs & Budget Review
We define your exact square footage, parking, power, zoning, and monthly budget (or your target rent roll if you are a landlord).
Market Tour & Shortlist
We tour the best matching spaces in Louisville, KY and nearby areas and compare them side by side.
Letter of Intent (LOI)
We submit a written proposal covering base rent, lease length, renewal options, free rent periods, and Tenant Improvement (TI) buildout funds.
Lease Review & Protections
Working alongside your attorney, we check the final lease contract to cap unfair expense hikes and clarify repair duties (especially for expensive items like HVAC units and roofs).
Buildout & Move-In
We coordinate keys, permits, and landlord buildout schedules so you open for business on time.
Real Leasing & Space Transition Stories in Louisville, KY
Real outcomes from local business expansions and space renovations across Louisville:
Corporate Office Sale-to-Lease Success (Louisville, KY)
Moving from building ownership to leasing requires careful timing so a company never misses a beat. We guided our corporate client through selling their building and transitioning into a creative, right-sized leased office space in Louisville.
706 E Broadway White-Box & Tenant Preparation (Smoketown, Louisville, KY)
On our 706 E Broadway project, we coordinated city permitting and completed a clean white-box demolition to make the space flexible and ready for incoming commercial tenants.
Common Questions About Commercial Leasing
Everything you need to know about tenant representation costs, lease durations, buildout allowances, and avoiding NNN traps: