Sell Your Florida Hotel or Motel for Cash

Home › Property Types We Buy › Hotels & Motels · Updated October 25, 2026

Selling a hotel or motel is not like selling any other piece of real estate. You are selling a building, a business, a brand relationship (if you are flagged), furniture and equipment, a reservation history and, in Florida, a property that lives and dies by the season and the weather. Buyers want to see years of profit and loss statements, STR-style performance reports, franchise documents and a capital plan. Lenders want even more. And when a property has been closed since a hurricane, or is staring down a franchisor’s expensive property improvement plan, the pool of qualified buyers can shrink to almost nothing.

That is where a direct cash buyer helps. Libera Capital Group evaluates lodging properties on what they are today and what they could realistically become, without requiring a lender’s approval, a franchise transfer or a fully renovated building. We buy roadside motels on the Tamiami Trail, small beach hotels on the barrier islands, older chain properties near interstate exits, and everything in between.

Below we explain what we buy, the Florida-specific issues that affect lodging sales — seasonality, storm closures, PIPs, licensing and taxes — how we value a hotel or motel, the deal structures we can use, and how the process works. If you own other commercial real estate as well, see our commercial property buying overview.

Why Hotel and Motel Owners Sell to Libera Capital Group

What Types of Hotels and Motels Do We Buy?

Independent motels and motor courts

Single-story and two-story exterior-corridor motels, many built in the 1950s through the 1980s along US 41, US 27, US 17 and older state roads. These properties often have a manager’s apartment, a small office and a pool. Some still operate as nightly lodging; others have drifted into weekly or monthly stays. We buy both.

Flagged limited-service and select-service hotels

Older franchise properties near I-75 interchanges, airports and commercial corridors. These may be nearing the end of a franchise agreement, facing a PIP, or underperforming a newer competitor that opened down the road. We can buy with the flag in place where the franchisor allows, or with a plan to de-flag or re-flag.

Small beach hotels, inns and resort cottages

Barrier island and waterfront lodging on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, Englewood Beach, Manasota Key, Venice and Siesta Key areas. These often combine high land value with high flood risk and significant storm damage history.

Extended-stay and efficiency properties

Properties with kitchenettes that cater to traveling workers, insurance-displaced residents and seasonal workers. Florida treats stays longer than six months differently for sales tax purposes, and long-term occupants may have different legal status than transient guests — something we review carefully.

Closed, storm-damaged or distressed lodging

Properties shut down after Hurricane Ian, Helene or Milton, buildings with open code cases or unsafe-structure notices, hotels with franchise defaults or maturing debt, and motels that simply need more work than the owner wants to take on. See distressed commercial property and major repairs and fire damage.

Lodging with mixed uses

A motel with a restaurant or bar, a hotel with retail frontage, or an inn with a residence attached. Our mixed-use property page covers how we handle buildings with more than one use.

What If My Flagged Hotel Is Facing a PIP?

A property improvement plan, or PIP, is the list of upgrades a franchisor requires to keep a hotel in the brand, to renew a franchise agreement, or to approve a sale to a new owner. PIPs commonly cover guest room soft goods and case goods, bathroom renovations, lobby and breakfast area redesigns, exterior paint and signage, technology systems, fitness rooms and accessibility items. For an older limited-service hotel, a PIP can be a very large number relative to the property’s value.

Why PIPs stall hotel sales

• A change-of-ownership PIP is often heavier. Many franchisors issue a new, more extensive PIP when a hotel is sold, which a buyer has to fund on top of the purchase price.
• Lenders want the PIP funded up front. Hotel lenders frequently require PIP reserves at closing, which raises the cash a buyer needs and narrows the buyer pool.
• Deadlines create pressure. If you cannot complete a PIP by the franchisor’s deadline, you may face default notices, loss of the flag or liquidated damages under the franchise agreement.
• Uncertain return. In a market where newer hotels have opened nearby, spending heavily to keep an older property in a brand may not pay back.

How we handle PIP properties

We look at three paths and price the one that makes sense: keep the flag and complete the PIP over time; convert to a different brand with a lighter PIP; or operate independently. We review your franchise agreement for transfer provisions, termination fees and liquidated damages, and we will discuss with you who bears which costs at closing. Because franchise agreements are binding contracts with real financial consequences, we strongly recommend that you have your own Florida attorney review any termination or transfer before signing a purchase agreement.

How Do Seasonality, Storms and Florida Rules Affect a Hotel Sale?

Southwest Florida’s seasonal swing

Southwest Florida lodging is intensely seasonal. Winter and spring — roughly January through April, with spring training and Easter adding demand — are the high season for snowbird visitors and leisure travelers. Late summer and early fall are typically the slowest months, overlapping with peak hurricane season. That means a hotel’s annual profit is often earned in a few months, and a single bad season (red tide, a storm, a soft travel year) can swing results significantly. Buyers who look only at trailing twelve-month numbers may misread the property. We look at multiple years and normalize for unusual events.

Storm closures and reopening

Many coastal lodging properties in Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties closed for extended periods after Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa on September 28, 2022. Others were affected by Helene’s surge and Milton’s landfall near Siesta Key in October 2024. A closed hotel has no current income to support a loan, which makes it nearly impossible to sell to a financed buyer. Owners may also be dealing with insurance disputes, business-interruption claims and decisions about whether to rebuild at all.

For properties in FEMA special flood hazard areas, the 50% substantial-damage rule can require the rebuilt structure to meet current elevation standards — which for an older ground-level motel may effectively mean demolishing and rebuilding. We evaluate these situations every day and can buy a closed or damaged property in its current condition. Our hurricane and flood damage page goes deeper. For official flood maps, the FEMA Flood Map Service Center is the authoritative source.

State licensing and inspections

Public lodging establishments in Florida are licensed and inspected by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants. A license does not transfer automatically with a sale; the new owner applies for its own. Open inspection violations, life-safety deficiencies or fire marshal findings are common on older properties. We do not need you to clear these before closing — we include them in our plan.

Transient rental and tourist development taxes

Florida imposes state sales tax on transient rentals, and counties levy a tourist development tax (often called the bed tax) on short-term stays. Unpaid or underreported lodging taxes can become a liability that follows the business. As part of due diligence we ask about your filing status and, where needed, work with the closing agent to make sure taxes are current or properly escrowed. Your CPA should confirm the details for your property.

Long-term occupants in a transient property

Older motels sometimes house guests who have stayed for months. Depending on the facts, a long-term occupant may be treated as a tenant rather than a transient guest, which affects how and whether they can be asked to leave. We do not require you to clear occupants before selling. We will discuss the situation openly and, if needed, recommend that you consult a Florida attorney about the proper procedure.

Wind, flood and liability insurance

Insurance for coastal Florida lodging has become expensive and sometimes hard to place. A buyer’s lender will require proof of coverage before closing, and a high quote can kill a deal late in the process. Because we buy with cash and arrange our own coverage, your sale is not hostage to the insurance market.

How Do We Value a Hotel or Motel?

Lodging valuation combines real estate, business performance and capital needs. Here is the framework we use.

Operating performance

We review occupancy, average daily rate and revenue per available room by month for at least two to three years where available, along with the profit and loss statements. We separate rooms revenue from food and beverage, parking or other income, and we look closely at labor, utilities, franchise fees, management, repairs, insurance and property taxes. The goal is a realistic, normalized net operating income — not an unusually strong season or an unusually weak one.

Capitalization and per-key value

We apply a cap rate that reflects the property’s location, age, brand (or lack of one), condition and risk, and we check the result against value per key (per room) for comparable lodging in the area. For a small independent motel, per-key value and land value may matter as much as income.

Capital expenditure and PIP

We estimate the cost of deferred maintenance, any franchisor PIP, life-safety items, storm repairs and the furniture, fixtures and equipment the property needs. These are subtracted from the stabilized value, along with a realistic allowance for the time and risk to complete them.

Land and redevelopment value

On some sites — especially older motels on valuable coastal or corridor land — the underlying land and redevelopment potential exceed the value of the lodging business. In those cases we consider what the site could support under current zoning and flood rules, priced conservatively.

Personal property and the business

A hotel sale usually includes furniture, fixtures and equipment, and sometimes the trade name, website, phone numbers and booking accounts. We will agree with you on what is included and on any allocation of price between real and personal property. Allocation has tax consequences, so involve your CPA.

What Deal Structures Work for Hotel and Motel Sellers?

All-cash purchase of real estate and FF&E

We buy the land, building and furniture, fixtures and equipment in one transaction, closing through a Florida title company or attorney. When title is clear and documents are available, closing can often happen in as little as 7–14 days; most lodging sellers prefer a few weeks to coordinate staff, bookings and vendors.

Closing timed to the season

Many Southwest Florida owners want to operate through the winter and close after Easter. We can sign a contract now and close later, giving you certainty while you capture your strongest months.

Operational transition support

We can agree on how advance reservations, deposits, gift certificates and group contracts are handled; whether key staff are offered positions; and how utility, cable, internet and booking-platform accounts are transferred. Clear handoffs protect your reputation and your guests.

Leaseback or management period

In some cases an owner-operator wants to keep running the property for a period after closing. A short-term lease or management agreement can bridge the transition.

1031-friendly timing

If you are exchanging into another investment, we can align closing with your qualified intermediary’s deadlines. Because a hotel sale includes personal property that may not qualify for like-kind treatment, talk to your CPA about how the exchange will work.

Where Are Hotels and Motels Common in Southwest Florida?

Our home market has a wide range of lodging, from 1950s motor courts to modern interstate hotels. Visit the Southwest Florida hub for all the areas we serve.

Fort Myers Beach and the barrier islands

Estero Boulevard was lined with small hotels, motels and condo-hotels, many of which were destroyed or heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian. Rebuilding requires meeting current flood elevation standards, and many owners are deciding whether to rebuild or sell. See our Fort Myers Beach page and our Sanibel page.

US 41 (Tamiami Trail) corridor

From North Fort Myers through Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Naples, and north through Port Charlotte, Venice and Sarasota, US 41 carries many older independent motels. Some are still nightly lodging; others operate as weekly stays. See North Fort Myers and Port Charlotte.

I-75 interchanges

Limited-service flagged hotels cluster around exits at Colonial Boulevard, Daniels Parkway near Southwest Florida International Airport, Alico Road, Corkscrew Road near Estero, Bonita Beach Road, Immokalee Road and Pine Ridge Road in Naples, and Kings Highway and Tucker’s Grade in Charlotte County. See Estero and Naples.

Englewood, Manasota Key and Venice

Small beach inns and cottage resorts serve a loyal seasonal clientele. Many were affected by Helene and Milton in 2024. See Englewood.

Inland towns and Lake Okeechobee

Clewiston, Moore Haven, LaBelle and Arcadia have motels that serve anglers, agricultural workers, contractors and travelers on US 27 and SR 80 — a different demand pattern than the coast.

Cash Sale vs. Brokered Hotel Sale: Cost Comparison

A stabilized, well-performing hotel with strong financials may command a higher gross price on the open market. For properties with PIP exposure, storm damage, weak recent numbers or heavy deferred maintenance, the net result of a direct sale is often competitive. See our cash offer vs. listing comparison.

How Does Selling a Hotel or Motel to Us Work?

1. Tell us about the property. Share the address, number of keys, brand status, two to three years of P&Ls or monthly performance reports, and any PIP or storm-damage information.
2. Confidential review and site visit. We review the numbers and franchise documents, then tour the property at a time that will not disrupt guests or staff.
3. Written cash offer. Typically within 24–48 hours after we have what we need, with price, deposit, timeline and how reservations, staff and FF&E are handled.
4. Close and transition. We coordinate with the title company, the franchisor if applicable, and your team for a clean handoff on the date you choose.

Full details are on our how it works page.

Related Property Types and Situations

• Mixed-use properties
• Mobile home & RV parks
• Retail & shopping centers
• Hurricane & flood damage
• Inherited property
• Back taxes & liens

Who Buys Hotels and Motels in Florida?

Libera Capital Group buys Florida lodging properties directly for cash, and sellers usually compare us with several other buyer types. Owner-operators, often families who run motels themselves, buy smaller independent properties. Hotel REITs and institutional investors focus on larger branded hotels in major markets. 1031 exchange buyers occasionally take on hospitality, though many prefer simpler net-lease assets. Hotel brokers run marketed sales to private investors and management groups, and auctions dispose of some closed or lender-owned motels.

Which route works best depends on performance and capital needs. A well-reviewed hotel with steady revenue and a fresh renovation can be financed and marketed broadly. A tired motel facing a brand-required renovation, a code case, storm damage or a franchise exit has fewer financed buyers, and that is where a Southwest Florida cash buyer that reads the numbers and closes on a set date can help.

Frequently Asked Questions about Selling a Hotel or Motel