Sometimes a negotiation doesn't stall because someone goes quiet — it stalls because both sides are talking, and neither one is moving.
A recent lease negotiation reached a clear standstill: the tenant submitted a counter-offer on rent, and the landlord's broker came back plainly — the rent stays where it is. No further movement, no compromise offered.
The landlord may have a number they genuinely can't go below. Debt service, other tenants' rates in the same building, or ownership requirements can all set a hard floor.
Market comps may not agree. If the landlord believes the asking rent reflects current market conditions, they have little incentive to negotiate against their own data.
There may be another prospect in the wings. A landlord unwilling to move on rent is sometimes signaling they don't feel pressure to make this specific deal work.
Get the comps. Before pushing further, confirm whether the asking rent is actually out of line with the market or just feels that way.
Negotiate elsewhere in the deal. If rent truly won't move, look at TI allowance, free rent, renewal options, or CAM caps — there's often more flexibility in these terms than in the base rate.
Know your walk-away point in advance. Decide before the standoff drags on whether this space is worth the asking rent, so you're not negotiating against your own uncertainty.
Give it a deadline. A rent standoff can sit unresolved indefinitely if no one sets a timeline for a final answer.
A firm "no" on rent isn't necessarily the end of the deal — it's a signal to shift where the negotiation happens.
If a landlord held firm on rent tomorrow, do you know which other terms you'd push on instead?
Stuck in a rent standoff on a lease you're trying to close? Let's figure out where there's actually room to move.
Michael Reyes
Anchor Point Commercial Group | eXp Commercial
915-348-3100
MReyes@AnchorPointCommercial.com