Home-based businesses are quickly becoming the fastest growing form of business start-ups in America. In fact, over half of the 600,000 new businesses founded each year are grown out of someone's home office of basement.

Gross area is the total area of a building, measured from the outer walls. It includes all spaces, both usable and non-usable, such as hallways, elevators, and staircases. This measurement helps determine the overall size of the building, which is important for leasing or selling property.