A building owner is evaluating the following alternatives for leasing space in an office building for the next five years:

(a) Net lease with steps. Rent will be $15 per square foot the first year and will increase by $1.50 per square foot each year until the end of the lease. All operating expenses will be paid by the tenant.
(b) Net lease with CPI adjustments. The rent will be $16 psf the first year. After the first year, the rent will be increased by the amount of any increase in the CPI. The CPI is expected to increase by 3 percent per year.
(c) Gross lease. Rent will be $30 psf each year with the lessor responsible for payment of all operating expenses. Expenses are estimated to be $9 psf during the first year and increase by $1 psf per year thereafter. Gross lease with expense stop and CPI adjustment. Rent will be $22 the first year and increase by the full amount of any change in the CPI after the first year with an expense stop at $9 psf. The CPI and operating expenses are assumed to change by the same amount as outlined above.

How would you rank the alternatives in terms of risk to the property owner?

The lease rent that depends upon CPI rate and operating expenses has more risk than normal increase in value rent alternatives. Reason being that CPI can be increased or decreased in future and this will affect the builder's cashflow.

Likewise, operating expense is also an increase or decrease because the builder's cashflow can increase or decrease .

The risk level of all the four alternatives is shown below

Net lease with steps- Less risky

Net lease with CPI - Highly risky

Gross lease - Moderately risky

Gross lease with CPI - Highly risky