Effective rent is one lease number that converts a messy deal into a yearly figure after credits and extras.
How do you calculate it?
A simple method adds rent, subtracts credits, and spreads the result across the term so a tenant can compare. A tenant should keep this lease answer visible on the same page.
How is it different from face rent?
Face rent is the sticker on the lease. Effective rent should fold in free months and build-out money.
How is it different from NPV?
NPV is a lump sum in today's dollars. Effective rent is a level yearly lease number a tenant can quote.
This hub treats effective rent as a teaching average, not a market index.
CAM may or may not be inside a given firm's 'effective rent.' Ask.
Edge cases
Some people exclude TI from effective rent. Say which camp you are in.
Monthly vs annual divisors change the headline.
Common mistakes
Calling an average 'NPV.'
Spreading a late credit as if it were cash today.
Leaving extras out of the average and the path.
Decision implications
Use effective rent to communicate. Use NPV to keep time.
If they disagree, show both.
Compare this to related metrics
See the spoke page for a direct NPV contrast.
Face rent is even thinner than effective rent.
Limits
There is no single official effective-rent law on this page.
When this should not drive the choice
When the question is 'when do I pay,' an average is the wrong lead.
Questions this topic answers
These are the standalone authority pages in this family. They are grouped so a reader can start, calculate, compare, or go deeper without a wall of cards.