If you have ever rented a residential property and signed a lease agreement with your landlord, you may think you already know all there is to know about lease agreements. However, contrary to popular belief, there can be a number of significant points of discrepancy between residential and commercial lease agreements. Before you begin to shop around for a commercial space, it's important to familiarize with the points that may make a commercial lease agreement somewhat different from its residential counterpart. Generally speaking, the laws that govern commercial lease agreements are less favorable to the renter. Although most communities and states have extensive consumer protection laws that extend to residential leases, many of these rights do not cover commercial leases. Similarly, there are fewer legal protections available for renters who want to break a commercial lease. Because commercial lease agreements are often longer-term, it's important to consider your options very carefully before making a commitment. Breaking your commercial lease is much more likely to result in legal action.