Expand Your Career With SKILLINGS Education

Who This Guide Is For:

Residential Leasing

$50,000 - $68,000 ¹

Strata Management

$80,000 - $87,000 ²

Body Corporate Management

$80,000 - $87,000 ²

Residential Property Management (Leasing Focus)

$50,000 - $100,000 ³

Commercial Leasing

$60,000 - $150,000 ³

Commercial Property Management (Leasing Focus)

$55,000 - $135,000 ³

Lease Administration

$50,000 - $110,000 ³

Tenant Advisory

$90,000 - $135,000 ⁴

Resimercial (Hybrid)

Where You Can Go:

• Commercial Leasing
  Source, qualify, and close leases. Navigate leasing documentation, negotiate incentives, structure rent reviews, and manage make-good and securities.
• Commercial Property Management (Leasing Focus)
  Run renewals, market reviews, incentives, outgoings, and make-good. Partner with asset managers to protect income and tenant retention.
• Lease Administration
  Own the data. Abstract leases, track options/reviews, validate outgoings, and support audits and portfolio reporting.
• Tenant Advisory
  Represent occupiers through needs analysis, market search, lease negotiation, and make-good/exit planning.
• Resimercial (Hybrid)
  Work both sides: continue residential deals while taking on small-format commercial (retail/office suites, strata industrial, neighbourhood strip shops, small mixed-use components). It’s the low-risk way to build commercial credibility and fees—fast.

Why Move Into Commercial Leasing (CRE)?

• Workweeks, not weekends: Most inspections and negotiations happen Monday–Friday with business clients, not Saturday open homes.
• Bigger dollars per deal: Leases are multi-year and higher value, so each transaction can mean higher fees and stronger income potential.
• Repeat business, year after year: Renewals, options, expansions, and relocations create ongoing work with the same clients.
• More ways to grow your career: Leasing experience opens doors to roles like property management, asset management, and tenant representation.

4 Tips To Move Into Commercial Leasing (CRE)

• Translate your experience.
  ‍On your CV, swap tasks for outcomes—“raised average rent 5%, vacancy down 3 pts”—and use commercial language (tours, term sheets, renewals).
• Get exposure to real CRE work (even small).
  ‍Shadow a colleague on a small retail/office lease, assist with tours/admin, or help a local developer on a mixed-use component. Use this to speak credibly about commercial leasing documentation, incentives, and rent reviews in interviews.
• Be pragmatic about your entry point.
  ‍You might need to take a small step back while you build the commercial toolkit. Typical starting roles include Leasing Assistant/ Analyst, Assistant Property Manager or Lease Administrator —even a Personal Assistant /Reception role in a commercial agency can be a smart foot in the door. If you keep your residential book and add commercial (resimercial), you may not need to step back. The upside: with strong residential fundamentals and focused CRE training, most people move up quickly and step into their target role with confidence.
• Up-skill with formal training.
  ‍Take a structured course and earn a certificate. Learn the leasing lifecycle, commercial documentation, incentives, rent reviews, securities, outgoings, and make-good. SKILLINGS Education courses are built for Australian real estate professionals who want practical, job-ready skills. Expect clear explanations, real-world examples, step-by-step checklists, and dedicated support—plus a Certificate of Completion.

Differences between Commercial Leasing and Residential Leasing

• Confidentiality is standard.
  ‍Expect NDAs and limited information sharing. Rents, incentives, and outgoings are often confidential and released only to qualified parties.
• The process is longer and more structured.
  ‍Commercial deals move through clear gates—Brief/Leasing Proposal → Heads of Agreement (terms) → Agreement for Lease (conditions) → Lease—with more stakeholders (solicitors, property managers, fit-out contractors). Timelines are measured in weeks to months, not days.
• It’s numbers-first advice.
  ‍You’ll compare gross vs net rents, calculate net effective rent, and weigh incentives (rent-free, abatements, fit-out contributions). You’ll also handle rent reviews (CPI/fixed/market), outgoings recovery, securities (bank guarantees/bonds), and make-good obligations. Getting the math right is essential to advising clients.
• Fewer transactions, bigger fees.
  ‍Leases are multi-year and higher value, so commissions are typically larger—but there are fewer deals and a longer lead time. Pipeline planning matters.
• Decisions are less emotional and more business-driven.
  ‍You’re working B2B. Recommendations need to be justified with data—comparable deals, building positioning, and the impact on cash flow—rather than personal preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need prior commercial experience?

No. Residential leasing gives you a strong base. Many candidates start with a small commercial brief or a support role (Leasing Assistant/Analyst, Lease Admin, Assistant PM) while they upskill.

Will I earn more?

Often, yes—commercial leases are larger and multi-year. The ranges in the diagram show typical AU salaries by role; many see a 20–40% uplift once established. Expect a ramp period and fewer (but bigger) deals.

Will I still work weekends?

Mostly no. Commercial inspections, negotiations, and sign-offs are usually Monday–Friday with business clients.

How long does a commercial lease take to close?

Typically weeks to months. Expect a staged process (brief/proposal → Heads of Agreement → Agreement for Lease → Lease) with more stakeholders (solicitors, PMs, contractors).

What skills matter most to hiring managers?

Understanding how lease terms drive cash flow (incentives, rent reviews, outgoings, securities, make-good), clear communication, and clean document handling. Basic Excel (calculating net effective rent) is a plus.

What should I highlight on my CV?

Results, not tasks. Example: “Renewals +5% vs prior, vacancy down 3 pts, +$120k annual rent.” Include building types, portfolio size, and any work on term sheets/renewals.

Do I need to sign NDAs?

Often. Commercial leasing involves confidential terms (rents, incentives, outgoings). Share details only with qualified parties.

What are common entry points if I switch fully to commercial?

Leasing Assistant/Coordinator or Analyst, Lease Administrator, Assistant Property Manager (leasing focus). These roles build your commercial toolkit quickly.

Can I keep my residential pipeline while I learn?

Yes. A resimercial (hybrid) approach—maintaining residential while taking on small commercial suites/strata industrial—reduces income risk and builds case studies.

How “financial” do I need to be?

You don’t need investment-bank modeling. You do need to price to market, compare gross vs net rents, and compute net effective rent. You’ll also work with rent reviews (CPI/fixed/market) and understand outgoings and securities.

Do I need a different licence?

Requirements vary by state/territory. Check your local regulator (e.g., Fair Trading/Consumer Affairs) for the exact licence or registration needed.

How can I get experience fast?

Shadow a live lease, help with tours/admin, sit in on leasing discussions, or assist a local developer/landlord on a small brief. Turn each into a short, outcome-based case study for interviews.

What are the key KPIs in commercial leasing?

Occupancy/downtime, renewal spreads, net effective rent, quality of incentives, and tenant retention.

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