Articles by Denise Masters
20 practical guides on Sydney commercial property, grouped by topic.
Workplace and fitout
Space, leasing and fitout decisions that shape how people work.
Commercial Fitout Costs in Sydney: What You Are Paying For
A plain spoken guide to the cost drivers behind a Sydney office fitout, how to build a realistic budget and the questions worth putting to your cost consultant.
Workplace Strategy Before You Sign the Lease
Decide how your people work first, then size and lease the space. A practical Sydney guide to occupancy data, hybrid patterns, location and lease flexibility.
Office Lease Negotiation in Sydney: The Clauses That Matter Most
The lease clauses that carry real value or risk for Sydney tenants, from incentives and rent reviews to options, surrender rights and the negotiating strength that early planning brings.
Make Good Obligations Explained for Sydney Tenants
What make good means for Sydney office tenants, how the clause is defined, and how to plan, negotiate and manage it from lease signing through to handback.
Office Relocation Planning: A Sydney Guide
A practical Sydney guide to planning an office move, working backwards from lease expiry with decision gates, staff change management, technology cutover and make good.
Sustainability
Ratings, carbon and reporting that protect asset value.
NABERS Ratings Explained for Owners and Tenants
A plain language guide to what NABERS ratings measure, how base building and tenancy ratings differ, and practical ways owners and tenants can lift performance in Sydney offices.
Embodied Carbon in Buildings: What Owners Should Ask For
A practical guide to embodied carbon in buildings, covering where emissions sit in structure, facade, services and fitouts, and the questions Sydney owners should put to designers and contractors.
A Practical Pathway to Net Zero Office Buildings
A step by step pathway for owners of Sydney offices, from baseline and efficiency through electrification and renewable supply, with advice on timing works around leases and plant life cycles.
ESG Reporting for Property Owners: What Investors Want to See
What investors look for in ESG reporting for property owners, from data quality and governance to credible targets, tenant data access and avoiding greenwashing in Sydney portfolios.
Green Lease Clauses: How Landlords and Tenants Share the Load
How green lease clauses help Sydney landlords and tenants share goals, data, upgrade costs and fitout standards, with practical advice on drafting a sustainability schedule and running governance meetings.
Technology and smart buildings
Building technology, AV and data that deliver measurable returns.
Smart Building Technology: Where the Return Sits
Smart building technology delivers value when it is tied to a clear outcome, a measurable baseline and data you own. Here is where Sydney owners should look first.
Workplace AV Design: Why Meeting Rooms Struggle and How to Fix Them
Meeting rooms struggle when audio, acoustics and usability are an afterthought. Here is how Sydney occupiers can design rooms that work every time, from the first call.
Building Technology Integration: Getting Systems to Talk
Building systems often sit in silos that keep information apart. Here is how Sydney owners can connect them using open protocols, clear roles and sound security.
The ICT Checklist for an Office Fitout
A practical, numbered ICT checklist for Sydney office fitouts, from carrier lead times and the comms room to wireless design, testing, cutover and handover.
AI in Commercial Property: Practical Uses Over the Next Three Years
AI in commercial property will deliver most value through document analysis, energy optimisation, maintenance and reporting. Here is what Sydney owners can realistically expect and how to prepare.
Facilities and asset performance
Operations, due diligence and strata decisions that keep buildings performing.
How to Review Your Facilities Management Strategy
A practical way to test whether your facilities spending buys the outcomes you want, covering objectives, service levels, contracts, asset data, tenant experience and cost transparency.
Building Technical Due Diligence Explained
What building technical due diligence covers, how its findings become a capital works forecast and negotiation points, and how Sydney buyers and lenders can read the report with confidence.
Strata Building Defects in NSW: What Committees Need to Know
A plain guide for NSW strata committees on spotting defects early, commissioning an independent defects report, keeping evidence and working with a lawyer on warranty and bond questions.
Strata Governance in NSW: Running a Committee That Decides Well
Practical guidance for NSW strata committees on roles, meetings, working with a strata manager, planning the capital works fund, managing conflicts of interest and communicating decisions well.
Commercial Building Asset Performance: The Metrics to Track Each Quarter
A short quarterly dashboard for owners and asset managers covering energy, occupancy, tenant satisfaction, maintenance backlog, capital works delivery and compliance, with advice on baselines and acting on trends.
The Fine Print
Plain talk on Sydney property, delivered through LinkedIn. Subscribe to The Fine Print by Denise Masters and follow along for new articles.
Subscribe on LinkedIn