CalculateRealEstateROI

Strategy · 10 min read

Commercial vs. Residential Real Estate: Which Path?

Different financing, different leases, different time horizons.

Lease Structures

Residential = 1-year leases, gross rents, tenant pays utilities, landlord covers maintenance. Commercial = 5–10 year leases, NNN structures where tenant pays taxes/insurance/maintenance.

Financing Reality

Commercial loans are typically 5/25 or 7/30 — fixed 5–7 years then floating or balloon. Refinance risk is real and constant.

When to Switch

Most investors move toward commercial after 8–15 residential properties when operational complexity makes consolidation attractive.