Set the objective and the possession plan
Decide why you are selling and what must happen afterward. Selling an empty building, selling with a tenant and selling while your business stays under a lease solve different problems. Establish the timing and capital objective before designing a marketing campaign.
If the business is moving, coordinate relocation with the property sale. If it is staying, investigate a sale-leaseback early rather than adding an improvised lease at the end. A buyer needs to understand the income and possession position being offered.
Establish the legal asset and signing party
Confirm the legal property description, title interests and the party authorised to sell. Where several parcels, units or entities are involved, define the proposed transaction precisely. A civic address is useful for visitors but is not a substitute for the legal asset.
Ask counsel to identify restrictions or documentation issues that could affect closing. Resolve missing corporate approvals, incomplete lease records or other administrative gaps before they become an urgent buyer request.
Assemble a factual operating specification
Document measured dimensions, loading, clear height, electrical information, yard, parking and included systems. Attribute unverified owner-supplied information and mark unknowns. If a feature has not been measured or professionally confirmed, do not advertise it as established capacity.
Current photographs and a clear plan help buyers evaluate the premises. Show limitations as well as strengths: shared access, unusual geometry, older equipment or use constraints can matter more than the headline area. Accurate descriptions reduce wasted tours.
Organize condition and environmental evidence
Gather inspection, repair and maintenance records that you are entitled to share. Establish what is known about roof, structure, systems and environmental history. Qualified assessments can identify the right questions and the scope of further work.
Discuss disclosure and reliance with counsel and advisers. An old report should travel with its date, scope and any limits on who may rely on it. New paint or a repaired stain does not remove the need to explain a known issue.
Choose a pricing and presentation process
Work with a qualified broker on the transaction and available evidence. Asking price is a negotiating position, not proof of value. Municipal assessment, an online calculator and a neighbouring advertisement each have limits and cannot be substituted for the property investigation.
Discuss who the likely buyers are and what they need to evaluate. Owner-users will focus on operating fit and possession; investment buyers will investigate income and tenancy. Present one consistent, supported package rather than changing facts to suit each conversation.
Manage tours and diligence securely
Agree on access, safety, tenant communication and confidentiality before tours begin. Keep business records, customer information and security details out of public marketing. Use appropriate secure sharing for sensitive transaction documents.
Track requests in a diligence list: document, recipient, authority to share, date and open question. Give professionals access under the agreed process. Avoid letting repeated informal answers drift into inconsistent commitments about repairs, occupancy or included equipment.
Review offers as a complete commitment
Compare price with conditions, deposits, possession, included items, financing risk and timing. The strongest-looking price may depend on conditions or a calendar that does not fit your move. Ask the broker and lawyer to explain the practical effect of each term.
Prepare closing records, tax advice, funds handling, tenancy transfers and a possession checklist with the professionals involved. Keep the final documents and agreed facts for your records. A sale is complete through the transaction process, not when a website enquiry arrives.
Take this checklist to the conversation
- Define sale objective and possession needs.
- Confirm legal asset and signing authority.
- Measure and attribute property specifications.
- Gather condition, repair and environmental records.
- Identify occupancy and lease obligations.
- Set a factual pricing and marketing process.
- Protect sensitive information during diligence.
- Compare the full offer and coordinate closing.
Questions people ask
Does assessed value tell me the sale price?
No. Assessment is a taxation measure with its own date and method. It is not an asking price, market appraisal or sale result. Use appropriate transaction evidence and professional advice for the specific property.
Should I repair everything before listing?
Separate safety and required maintenance from elective presentation work. Discuss known issues, likely buyer needs and the value of repairs with advisers. Professional estimates and clear disclosure can be more useful than spending on improvements that the buyer would replace.
Can my business stay after the sale?
A sale-leaseback may allow that, subject to a negotiated lease and transaction terms. It exchanges ownership control and future appreciation for sale proceeds and continuing rent obligations. Plan the lease alongside the sale rather than treating it as a minor addition.
What should stay out of public marketing?
Private customer and staff information, security credentials, confidential financial records and documents you are not entitled to publish. Public specifications should be supported and appropriately attributed. Share sensitive diligence through a controlled process.
Reviewed 2026-09-30 · General planning guidance · Sources and boundaries