| Lease structure — NNN, gross or modified gross |
Doesn’t apply — asks “rent or buy?” |
A $30 PSF NNN quote and a $30 PSF gross quote are wildly different deals once taxes, insurance and common-area maintenance are stacked on. Capturing the lease type up front stops a tenant comparing numbers that aren’t comparable, and tells the broker what the real occupancy cost will be. |
| Representation — tenant-rep, landlord/direct, or principal |
“Are you already working with an agent?” |
In commercial, who pays and who represents whom is the whole shape of the deal. A tenant-rep enquiry, a landlord marketing space, and a principal buying an asset need three different conversations. Miss this and the bot routes an investment-sales lead into a leasing flow. |
| Space size — usable vs rentable sqft (load factor) |
Bedrooms and bathrooms |
A tenant needs, say, 4,000 usable square feet, but pays on rentable square feet — usable plus a share of lobbies, corridors and restrooms. That load factor can add 15–20%. Asking usable-vs-rentable early means the space shown actually fits, and the quoted rent isn’t a surprise. |
| Price basis — rent PSF per year, or price PSF to buy |
Total budget / pre-approval amount |
Commercial pricing is quoted per square foot, usually annually for leases. A buyer who says “about $2m” still needs a PSF and a size before anything can be matched. The bot has to translate a lump-sum budget into the PSF-and-size terms listings are actually priced in. |
| Investment return — target cap rate / NOI |
Not asked |
For investment-sales buyers, the property is a cash-flow instrument, not a place to work. Their filter is the capitalisation rate — net operating income over price. A residential bot has no concept of it; a CRE bot has to capture the target return before it can surface anything relevant. A buyer who says “about $2m” still needs a cap rate to narrow it. |
| Lease term & options — length, renewals, breaks |
“How soon do you want to move?” |
A three-year term and a ten-year term with renewal options are different risk profiles for both sides, and they change what a landlord will offer on rent and fit-out. Timeline in residential means move date; in commercial it also means commitment length, which drives the negotiation. |
| Build-out & TI — fit-out needs and tenant-improvement allowance |
Not asked |
Most commercial space is leased as a shell or in another tenant’s old layout. Whether the tenant needs a full fit-out — and how much tenant-improvement allowance the landlord will contribute — is often the deal-maker. Flagging build-out needs early routes the enquiry to the right, workable spaces. |
| Zoning & use class — permitted use |
Area / neighbourhood |
A unit zoned for retail won’t house a medical clinic or a light-industrial workshop without a change of use. Capturing the intended use lets the bot rule out spaces that legally can’t host the business — a mistake that wastes tours and, sometimes, signed letters of intent. |
| Deal stage — enquiry, touring, LOI, or under negotiation |
Rarely relevant |
Commercial deals move through defined stages — tour, letter of intent, lease negotiation. Knowing whether someone is browsing or already at LOI on another building decides urgency and messaging. A buyer at LOI stage is a now-lead; the bot marks it hot and alerts the broker immediately. |
