Mike Tolj's (miketolj) Blog

Finding quality tenants is tough. Keeping them can be even tougher. From my experience, tenants who stay long-term often benefit from a few key strategies:✅ Know your neighborhood – each LA submarket is unique✅ Make your space appealing – functional layouts and small upgrades matter✅ Price for va...

Service-oriented and internet-resistant tenants — like medical users, salons, fitness, and quick-service dining — continue to drive strong retail demand across the San Gabriel Valley.For agents, knowing which tenants are most in-demand can help market spaces more effectively, close leases faster,...

Heading into 2026, many commercial properties are seeing 20–40% premium increases. Why? Rising reinsurance costs, climate-related risks, and higher construction/replacement costs are reshaping the market.For real estate agents, this isn’t just an insurance headline — it affects your clients’ NOI,...

Sublease space in the Tri-Cities office market is no longer just a temporary solution — it’s becoming a meaningful factor in how deals are priced, negotiated, and structured across Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena.What’s standing out is how this inventory is reshaping tenant leverage. In several s...

SB 1103: Are We Underestimating Its Impact on Commercial Leasing?Most brokers are familiar with residential tenant protections — but SB 1103 quietly changed the commercial leasing landscape in California, especially for deals involving small businesses, restaurants, and nonprofits.I’m seeing more...

Protecting Commercial Property Investments in Los AngelesCommercial real estate in Los Angeles offers great opportunities — but it comes with risks: tenant issues, lease loopholes, unexpected costs, and liability exposure.We put together a practical guide for LA commercial property owners and inv...

DTLA Office Market Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2026Downtown Los Angeles office vacancy has climbed above 33%, forcing landlords and property managers to rethink how they attract tenants. From flexible, hybrid-ready workspaces to amenities that focus on wellness and experience, the market is evolvi...

Many of you, as real estate professionals, perform hundreds—even thousands—of due diligence processes throughout your careers. ✅ A structured checklist isn’t just helpful—it’s essential to avoid costly surprises and make smarter investment decisions.Our latest guide walks through the Essential CR...

Even experienced tenants are sometimes caught off guard by how much their actual lease costs can exceed the base rent. In Los Angeles, it’s not just the advertised monthly rent that matters — triple-net (NNN) charges, property tax pass-throughs, ongoing maintenance expenses, and even seismic retr...

Do You Really Know the Difference Between an LOI and a Purchase Agreement?It’s a question that comes up all the time in commercial real estate — and surprisingly, even seasoned pros mix them up. The Letter of Intent (LOI) and the Purchase & Sale Agreement (PSA) might look similar on the surface, ...