As a rental manager for commercial properties, chances are you will have tenants for a longer period of time. Most commercial leases are a minimum of five years and they can have options that last twenty years or more. In general, tenants are required to do their own improvements and they take care of their own interior repairs. Often exterior repairs are paid for by the tenants on a prorated by-square-footage basis. This may sound like the easiest type of property management, but it does have its downside.

Due to the less than hands-on nature of running commercial property, many owners take on the responsibility of managing the property themselves, leaving fewer opportunities to manage commercial property. When there is a vacancy it can take months or even years to fill. Advertising may have to be done nationally to find the right tenant for the property. The costs associated with a vacancy can create tension between the owner and the property manager and it can affect the property manager's income stream as well.