BreakThru Realty

How to Sell a Business in Florida, Step by Step

Selling a business in Florida follows the same seven steps whether it is a café or a distribution company. What changes is how much each step matters.

Storefronts and parked cars along a small town main street at sunset

Reviewed by Tyson E. Sam, Founder and Broker of Record, BreakThru Realty, Florida License 3565210

Find Out What My Business Is Worth · (786) 914-1017

Value It

Recast your earnings into seller's discretionary earnings, compare with recent sales of similar Florida businesses, and settle on a price range a buyer's lender can support. The right price at the start is the biggest single factor in how long a sale takes.

Prepare It

Gather three years of tax returns and financials, document the add backs, read the lease assignment clause, list the equipment and the licences, and fix what a buyer would discount. Talk to your accountant about the tax on the sale and how the price will be allocated between assets.

Market It Confidentially

A blind profile on the MLS, business-for-sale networks and a buyer list, with the name released only to buyers who sign an NDA and prove their funds. Inquiries go to the broker, not to you or the business, and showings happen after hours so staff and customers see nothing unusual.

Negotiate and Accept an Offer

A letter of intent sets the price, the cash at closing, any seller note, the training period, the noncompete, the due diligence period and the conditions such as financing and the lease. It is usually non-binding on price but binding on confidentiality, and it is where most of the real negotiation happens.

Due Diligence and Closing

The buyer verifies the business, the lender underwrites, the landlord consents and the licences are applied for. Florida buyers commonly ask for evidence that the seller's state taxes are paid, because a buyer can inherit them. The closing agent disburses the funds and you train the new owner for the period agreed. Your attorney and accountant should confirm current Florida requirements for your sale.

Find Out What My Business Is Worth

Tell us the type of business, the city, how long it has operated, annual revenue, owner benefit or seller's discretionary earnings, EBITDA if you track it, monthly rent and lease expiry, number of employees, how involved you are, why you are selling, your timeline and whether you would consider seller financing. A licensed BreakThru business broker prepares a confidential valuation from comparable sales and replies within one business day. Everything you tell us is confidential, the valuation is free, and nothing is listed or announced unless you decide to sell. Prefer to talk now? Call (786) 914-1017.

Questions Owners Ask

How much is my business worth?
Most owner operated businesses in Florida sell for a multiple of seller's discretionary earnings: net profit plus the owner's salary, benefits and one time or personal expenses run through the business. Where the multiple falls depends on the industry, the lease, the staff, the trend in the numbers and how much the business depends on you. A confidential valuation gives you the range for your business and the reasons behind it.
Will my employees, customers or landlord find out?
Not from us. The business is marketed without its name or address, buyers sign a nondisclosure agreement and prove their funds before they learn who you are, and showings happen after hours or are presented as something else. The landlord is approached only once there is an accepted offer, because the lease has to be assigned.
How long does it take to sell a business?
Six to nine months from listing to closing is common for a well prepared small business, faster when the price is right and the records are clean, longer for businesses that need a licensed buyer or a franchisor's approval. The escrow period after an accepted offer is usually sixty to ninety days.

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