What Your Broker Might Miss—And Why It Can Cost You the Lease

For brokers who want to protect their deals and their client relationships

Most commercial real estate brokers work hard to find the right space and negotiate strong terms for their clients. But when it comes to what’s physically possible inside that space, what the building can actually support, the risk of oversights rises fast.

At HDC, we don’t compete with brokers. We partner with them. Our role is to protect your deal and your reputation by making sure your client’s vision won’t collapse under the weight of zoning, infrastructure, or hidden building constraints.

Where Leases Go Sideways

We’ve seen deals fall apart because:

• A restaurant tenant signs a lease in a site with no path for grease trap installation

• A med group learns their imaging equipment exceeds the space’s electrical capacity

• A retail client unknowingly triggers a full code upgrade due to scope or age of the structure

• Parking minimums, fire separation, or ADA access requirements stall or kill the buildout

None of these problems show up in the LOI. But they show up after the lease is signed, when the client is out of options and the finger-pointing begins.

Why It Happens

Some brokers are exceptionally sharp on code, zoning, and site conditions. Others are strong negotiators but rely on the landlord or GC to flag problems.

The issue?
Most GCs won’t say anything until they win the bid. And landlords rarely clarify scope or building limitations unless asked directly.

Your client is left exposed, thinking their space “just needs some buildout” when, in reality, it might need structural, MEP, and permitting intervention.

Our Role: Supporting the Broker, Protecting the Deal

We help brokers:

• Walk the space before the LOI is finalized

• Evaluate zoning, parking, utilities, and code triggers

• Translate tenant use into real-world construction impacts

• Define realistic buildout budgets that support lease negotiations

• Clarify landlord scope vs. tenant responsibility up front

We do this in the background, as your technical partner—not as a roadblock, but as a safeguard.

Bottom Line

We’re not here to slow you down. We’re here to keep your client from calling you six months later with a problem.

When you bring us in early, you stay ahead of surprises—and your client gets a space that actually works for their business.

Contact us to add HDC to your team as a pre-lease construction advisor.