Latest News and Articles

Commercial Real Estate (CRE) asset management is a specialized discipline focused on maximizing the financial performance and long-term value of real estate investments. While often confused with property management, asset management is broader, more strategic, and deeply analytical. It encompasses acquisition planning, underwriting, risk modeling, capital improvement strategy, portfolio optimization, lease decisioning, tenant mix strategy, and the eventual disposition of real estate assets.

Navigating the complexities of financial health requires more than a superficial glance at a single number. It demands a profound understanding of credit insights, a concept far more comprehensive than many realize. This article will guide you through this intricate landscape, illuminating how a sophisticated approach to credit assessment can fundamentally alter your financial trajectory.

Retail space leasing is a multifaceted process that demands meticulous attention and strategic foresight. As a business owner, your chosen location directly impacts your brand visibility, operational efficiency, and ultimately, your profitability. This guide by Otso provides a comprehensive overview of the retail leasing journey, offering actionable advice and critical considerations for success in 2025 and beyond.

Lease assignment is a powerful tool, a testament to the flexibility that can exist within rigid legal agreements. For assignors, it's a lifeline to escape an unwanted lease obligation without incurring severe penalties. For assignees, it's an opportunity to step into an established location, sometimes on more favorable terms than a new lease. For landlords, it's a mechanism to maintain occupancy and cash flow, albeit with the added administrative burden of vetting a new tenant.

When you invest in commercial real estate, the credit rating of your tenant isn’t a detail—you might as well call it your foundation. In a net lease or triple net (NNN) structure, the strength of your tenant’s creditworthiness underpins your cash flow, property value, and ability to secure favorable terms from lenders.A tenant with investment-grade ratings (e.g. AAA, A, BBB, or Baa3 and above) helps you sleep at night. A non-investment grade tenant (e.g. BB / Ba, CCC / Caa) demands extra scrutiny, stronger guarantees, and careful lease design. In the context of commercial real estate, mastering tenant credit analysis is essential.

Imagine you're a ship captain. You wouldn't set sail without knowing the strength of your vessel, the skill of your crew, and the potential for storms. In retail real estate, your "vessel" is your property, your "crew" is your management team, and your "weather" is the market. But the "cargo"—the most vital part of your voyage's success—are your tenants. Their financial health directly impacts your journey. Understanding tenant credit isn't just good practice; it's your secret weapon. It allows you to anticipate challenges, mitigate risks, and, most importantly, maximize your investment's potential. It's the difference between a portfolio that thrives and one that constantly battles headwinds. This knowledge empowers you to make smarter leasing decisions, negotiate more favorable terms, and ultimately, build a more valuable asset.

Leasing commercial space is a significant step for any business. Landlords aren't trying to be difficult; they're simply protecting their investment and seeking reliable partners. By understanding their needs, being transparent about your financial situation, and meticulously preparing all the necessary documentation, you dramatically increase your chances of securing the perfect space for your business. Show them you're a responsible, well-prepared tenant, and you'll be well on your way to opening your doors.

Do you find yourself navigating the complex landscape of commercial property leasing, constantly weighing risk against reward? Are you confident that your current tenant vetting process is robust enough to protect your valuable assets? Many commercial property owners and managers overlook critical steps, inadvertently exposing themselves to significant financial liabilities.

The world of retail leasing in 2025 demands agility, insight, and a keen understanding of the modern consumer. The era of passive landlords and single-minded tenants is over. Success hinges on a proactive approach that embraces transformation rather than resisting it. Commercial leasing strategy has never been more important.

The challenges with collection of tenant financial information in the commercial real estate lease process are acute, on every lease. Institutional Landlords struggle with inefficient gathering of information and incomplete data as well as increased risk through lack of quality information. This case study showcases how a midsize REIT transformed its operations using Otso's Tenant Financial Review solution. The implementation resulted in significant time savings, increased rental income, exceptional ROI and millions in portfolio value in less than a year.

The LCX is poised to change the way lease security is managed in commercial real estate. It combines the strength of traditional LCs with the modern needs of today's landlords and tenants—delivering robust security, cost savings, and unparalleled convenience.

Otso reviews the AI models available and which ones work for business...and which ones don't.

Retail REITs face several challenges when trying to understand and select the appropriate AI technologies to implement. Otso delves into the excitement, opportunity and obstacles institutional owners face when assessing the AI landscape for their organizations.

We are thrilled to announce that Otso has achieved SOC 2 certification, a significant milestone that underscores our unwavering commitment to the security, availability, and confidentiality of our customer and tenant data. This certification is not merely a symbol of trust; it represents our dedication to upholding the highest standards of data protection and offering services that our customers and partners can rely on with confidence. 

‍Otso Corporation has entered into a formal audit process to achieve both SOC 2 Type I and Type II certifications. Type I will demonstrate our systems and design controls as of a specific date, while Type II will assess the operational effectiveness of these controls over a period. We understand the importance of transparency in this journey. To keep you informed and provide insights into our ongoing compliance processes, we invite you to visit our Trust Center. For more information about our services and our dedication to security and operational excellence, please visit our main website at otso.io.

Retail REITS are starting to embrace solutions to the outsized risk of non-compliance and insecure collection methods in their leasing workflows.

Otso is proud to celebrate the women who are driving change in commercial real estate. From executives to founders, these influential women span both the transactional and technological spectrums of commercial real estate. They are the changemakers, leading with insight, innovation, and indomitable spirit. Their contributions not only pave the way for future generations but also highlight the critical role of diversity in fostering growth and excellence in commercial real estate. Join us in honoring these remarkable women, their achievements, and their enduring impact on our industry.

What do retail owners need to know? In this blog post, we will discuss three different ways retailers are trying to reinvent themselves and stay competitive in today’s changing market.

For those who haven’t experienced this first hand, commercial real estate has been plagued with failed technology for the past decade. There are very few that have built real technology solutions that hit the right resonance with the industry at large (kudos to those who have!) What are some of the reasons for this? Here is our take (piping hot)

By conducting a comprehensive analysis of a property’s financial history, institutional buyers can identify potential risks, negotiate favorable terms, identify value-add opportunities, and make informed decisions about financing.

In today’s commercial real estate (CRE) environment, leveraging technology is not just a competitive advantage.

Otso Partners with Blackstone/Shopcore to maximize underwriting accuracy and efficiency across retail assets.

The collaboration between Otso and Nuveen is yielding significant improvements to their Office Portfolio

Leasing is changing, here's how to adapt.

In the ever-evolving landscape of commercial real estate (CRE), institutional landlords are constantly seeking innovative ways to enhance asset performance.

The intersection of commercial real estate (CRE) and technology is a dynamic and evolving frontier.