THE CHICAGO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FIELD GUIDEAn educational publication backed by Jaken Finance Group
PRACTICAL CHECKLIST · UNGATED & PRINTABLE

Annual asset management plan

Turn ownership objectives into a measurable property operating plan.

Use this as a working agenda. Confirm transaction-specific requirements with your advisers. Checkmarks are temporary and reset when the page reloads.

01. State the investment objectives

Document return goals, liquidity needs, hold period, debt deadlines and acceptable risk.

02. Reconcile the starting position

Validate current leases, collections, capital condition, debt obligations and available cash.

03. Build the operating budget

Separate recurring revenue, recoveries, operating expenses and realistic bad-debt assumptions.

04. Build the leasing plan

Identify expirations, renewal targets, prospecting, rent assumptions, downtime and required capital.

05. Schedule capital projects

Prioritize life safety, building preservation, tenant obligations and return opportunities.

06. Forecast cash

Integrate operating cash, capital costs, debt service, reserve changes and distribution capacity.

07. Review risk and compliance

Assign responsibility for insurance, inspections, legal deadlines, reporting and operational controls.

08. Set performance measures

Track collections, retention, leasing costs, project completion and budget variance alongside occupancy.

09. Define approval rights

Clarify spending limits, vendor selection, lease authority and capital-call decisions.

10. Schedule review dates

Use monthly reporting and periodic reforecasts to act on emerging deviations.

11. Fund the downside response

Combine a tenant or collection shortfall with capital and financing stress. Identify unrestricted cash, contractual limits, decision dates and owners authorized to commit further capital.

12. Reassess the exit and debt path

Compare current net sale equity with the funded hold plan, upcoming maturities and likely takeout constraints. Update assumptions when leasing, capital or buyer pricing changes.

An original editorial checklist. It is not a legal form, lender requirement list or substitute for a property-specific investigation.

Research context

These sources inform the underlying investment questions. The checklist is an original working agenda; the sources do not impose every listed step on every transaction.