Modified gross lease

A commercial lease that splits property costs between landlord and tenant. Common in office buildings. Terms vary widely, so what's included has to be read line by line.

Investment terms · Updated September 2026

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Part 1 of 4

Why a seller cares

A modified gross lease splits the building's costs between landlord and tenant, and the split is whatever the lease says. A buyer of a small commercial property reads the split before the rent.

Part 2 of 4

A simple example

Your office tenant pays $3,000 base and their share of utilities and janitorial; you pay taxes and insurance. The lease says exactly which.

Modified gross lease: a simple example
The costWho pays under this lease
Utilities and janitorialThe tenant, pro rata
Taxes and insuranceThe landlord
Roof and structureThe landlord, in nearly every version

Modified gross means read the list. The list is the lease's real rent.

Part 3 of 4

What people get wrong

That modified gross is a standard split. There is no standard; every lease draws the line differently.

Part 4 of 4 · where to read next

Where it appears in the sale

What a definition is, and what it isn't

Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.

Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish

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