As More Employees Return to the Office, Companies Increase Lease Size Across Chicago

There is a truism in commercial real estate that states nothing kills a deal like uncertainty. When times are bad, companies downsize and look to sell or sublease their spaces. When times are good, they expand and acquire more space. Yet when a Black Swan event such as a global pandemic paralyzes the market with indecision, businesses sign short-term leases or opt to “kick the can” and postpone long-term real estate decisions for a later time. Or, they do nothing, and allow their leases to expire, leaving a glut of vacant and available space on the market.