Browse Due Diligence & Site Assessment Terms
Whether you are leasing or buying, conducting thorough due diligence before you commit protects against costly surprises. These terms cover the inspections, assessments, and reviews that form a complete site evaluation.
Commercial Property Due Diligence
The comprehensive process of investigating a property's physical condition, legal title, environmental history, and financial performance before completing a lease or purchase transaction.
View definition →Property Inspection
A physical examination of a building's structure, mechanical systems, and overall condition performed by a licensed inspector to identify deficiencies and estimate repair costs.
View definition →Structural Inspection
An engineering review of a building's foundation, framing, columns, tilt-up panels, and roof structure to assess load capacity, integrity, and any latent structural defects.
View definition →Roof Inspection
An assessment of a warehouse roof's membrane, drainage, penetrations, and remaining useful life — critical because roof replacement is typically the largest single capital expense in industrial real estate.
View definition →HVAC Inspection
An evaluation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment to assess functionality, maintenance history, age, energy efficiency, and estimated replacement cost.
View definition →Electrical Inspection
A review of a building's electrical service capacity, panel condition, wiring, and code compliance — essential for tenants with above-average power requirements.
View definition →Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)
An investigation of a property to identify recognised environmental conditions such as past chemical storage, underground tanks, or contamination that could create liability for a tenant or buyer.
View definition →Phase I ESA
A non-invasive environmental assessment involving records review, a site walkthrough, and stakeholder interviews to identify potential contamination risks without physical sampling.
View definition →Phase II ESA
A follow-up investigation involving soil borings, groundwater sampling, and laboratory analysis to confirm or characterise contamination identified during a Phase I assessment.
View definition →Soil Testing
Laboratory analysis of soil samples collected from a site to detect contamination, assess bearing capacity, and evaluate suitability for construction or planned operations.
View definition →ADA Compliance Review
An assessment of a property's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, covering parking, building access, restroom facilities, and interior pathways.
View definition →Seismic Zone
A geographic classification of earthquake risk used to determine structural design requirements; properties in high-seismic zones require additional engineering review and reinforcement.
View definition →Wind Load Rating
A structural specification indicating the maximum wind speed a building is designed to withstand — critical in hurricane-prone coastal regions and high-wind inland areas.
View definition →Building Class
A classification system rating an industrial building's quality, age, specifications, and location relative to other properties in its market, typically designated A, B, or C.
View definition →Class A Warehouse
A modern, large-bay industrial facility with 32+ foot clear heights, ESFR sprinklers, abundant dock doors, deep truck courts, and institutional-quality construction and finishes.
View definition →Class B Warehouse
A functional industrial building with adequate specifications for most tenants but older construction, lower clear heights, or a secondary location compared to Class A product.
View definition →Class C Warehouse
An older or lower-specification industrial facility with limited dock doors, low clear heights, or deferred maintenance — typically leased at significantly below-market rents.
View definition →Rent Roll Review
An examination of all current leases at a property to verify tenant payment history, lease expiration dates, rental rates, and potential near-term vacancy or rollover risk.
View definition →Estoppel Certificate
A tenant-signed document confirming current lease terms, rent amounts, and the absence of outstanding landlord obligations — required by lenders and buyers during property transactions.
View definition →Title Search
A review of public records to confirm clear ownership of a property and identify any liens, encumbrances, easements, or competing claims against the title.
View definition →Title Insurance
A policy protecting a buyer or lender against financial loss resulting from title defects — such as undisclosed liens or errors in the public record — not discovered during the title search.
View definition →ALTA/NSPS Survey
A high-precision land survey meeting standards set by the American Land Title Association, identifying property boundaries, easements, encroachments, and all improvements on the site.
View definition →Zoning Verification Letter
An official letter from the local planning or zoning authority confirming a property's current zoning classification and the specific uses permitted under that designation.
View definition →Utility Capacity Verification
Written confirmation from utility providers of the available electricity, gas, water, and sewer capacity at a specific property — essential for tenants with high utility demand.
View definition →Ready to find your next warehouse space?
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