Buying a Shop or Office: Commercial Property Questions
Updated 26 October 2026
Shops and offices are judged differently from homes: what matters is footfall, the permitted use and the tenant. These answers cover the questions buyers and business owners ask first.
Should I buy or lease an office?
Lease if your business may grow, shrink or move within five years, or if you would rather keep money in the business. Buy if you will stay for the long term and have spare capital.
How do I evaluate a commercial property?
Check that the intended use is permitted, then location, visibility, parking, frontage for a shop, rents in the same building, vacancy around it, maintenance cost and, if it is already let, the tenant’s lease terms.
What is a lock-in period?
The first part of a lease, often one to three years, during which the lease can’t be ended without paying the remaining rent or a penalty. Read the exceptions and notice terms.
What is a letter of intent?
A short document recording the agreed terms (rent, deposit, term, lock-in, fit-out period) before the full lease or sale agreement. State clearly which parts, if any, are binding.
What is carpet area for an office or shop?
The usable area inside the unit, as for homes. Commercial loading is often higher than in apartments, so compare prices and rents on carpet area.
What should I check before buying a shop?
The RERA registration for a new project, the approved plan showing the unit as commercial, frontage and footfall, parking, signage rights, and the maintenance and power charges.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and charges change; confirm them with the official source or a professional before you commit.