If your business owns the building it operates in, a sale-leaseback can convert that trapped equity into cash while you stay exactly where you are. For South Florida owner-occupiers sitting on real estate that has appreciated sharply, it's one of the most powerful — and underused — capital strategies available. Justin Crow advises owners on whether it fits and how to structure it.
How it works
You sell the property to a real estate investor and, at the same closing, sign a long-term lease to continue occupying it. You walk away with the full market value of the real estate in cash, and your business keeps running without interruption.
Why owner-occupiers do it
- Unlock capital for expansion, equipment, debt paydown, a partner buyout, or retirement — at the property's full market value, not a loan against part of it.
- Stay in place with a lease term you control.
- Separate the operating company from the real estate, which often makes a future business sale cleaner and lets each asset be valued on its own terms.
The leaseback terms drive the price
The lease you sign is not an afterthought — it's central to the economics. Term length, rent level, and renewal options directly affect what an investor will pay and how protected your occupancy is. Getting that balance right is where representation matters most.
Start by knowing the number
Before anything, you need a defensible value for the property. Start with a free Broker Opinion of Value — or read what your commercial property is worth — then we model the sale-leaseback against simply holding or selling outright.
Related tools: See what your property is worth with the free Broker Opinion of Value tool, or browse the market & lease guides.