What marks the end of the stabilization period?

• A. Burn-off of lease-up concessions
• B. Lease expiration
• C. Construction completion
• D. Marketing period

Answer: (A)

Stabilization occurs when a property stops being in lease-up mode and reaches steady-state economics. The telltale moment is the burn-off of lease-up concessions—the rent-free periods, TI allowances, and other incentives used to attract tenants. As these incentives are exhausted, rents rise to market levels and occupancy settles at the planned stabilized rate, making cash flows predictable. That exhaustion marks the end of stabilization because it signifies the property is operating under normal market conditions, not while incentives are still driving occupancy. Construction completion, marketing periods, or lease expirations can happen during leasing, but they don’t define the turning point the same way; only the full burn-off of concessions signals that stabilized operation has begun.