Buying or leasing real estate for commercial purposes is very different from buying a home or even buying residential real estate as an investment. Commercial leases are generally longer than residential leases, and commercial real estate returns are based on their profitability per square foot, unlike structures intended to be private residences. Moreover, lenders may require more money for a down payment on a mortgage for commercial real estate than for a home loan.

Commercial real estate is often more valuable per square foot, and its leases are longer than for residential rental properties. With greater revenue comes greater responsibility, however; commercial rental real estate is more heavily regulated than residential real estate, and these regulations can be different not only from country to country and state by state, but also different in each county and city. Even within cities, zoning regulations add a layer of unwanted complexity to commercial real estate investments.