There are many things to consider when selling your company, including whether to sell
the real estate with the business. The business and the real estate are two separate assets;
therefore, they should be considered separately. Today’s market offers several options for a
seller to maximize financial gain on their real estate. Before you sell your business, consider
the following.
RENTAL INCOME
The best reason to lease your real estate is the earning potential. We generally see business
properties have an annual return between 8-10% of the real estate value, depending on
the area. In markets where real estate values are climbing, rental income with a sale of
the property later is a great option. However, commercial properties can be designated as
a special-use buildings, meaning that its highest value is as the current business. As an
investment, special-use properties such as this can be a bit risky as suitability is limited
to few business types. Selling the business but keeping the real estate puts you at risk in
a situation where your tenant chooses to move their business. You could be left with an
empty building that will require extensive remodeling to repurpose, as leasing to another
like-kind business is usually not possible in these situations because the previous tenant
has opened a new facility nearby. Be sure to consider all options before jumping into a long-
term lease.
1031 EXCHANGE: TAX DEFERRAL STRATEGY
You should decide if your business would be as good an investment as would be a sister
piece of property with a broader use. Moreover, the gain on the real estate sale is taxed as
a capital gain. Unless there is a change in our tax structure, the capital gain tax will always
be with us, and maybe at a higher rate. So why not take advantage of a 1031 Exchange? This
allows you to sell a piece of property, reinvest the proceeds into a new property and defer
the income tax from the sale. Properly structured, a 1031 Exchange becomes a valuable
tax savings and wealth preservation tool. Be sure to seek the guidance of your CPA and a
Qualified 1031 Intermediary.