How do I prepare my orchard’s packing house and cold storage for a buyer?

Walk through the building as a stranger would. Clean and clear the floors, the lines and the cold rooms. Label equipment, tidy the repair shelf and remove what no longer works. A buyer who sees broken gear piled in a corner will wonder what else has been ignored.

Next, collect the paper. Bring together manuals, service invoices, refrigeration records, any temperature logs you keep and notes on past breakdowns. Be honest about weak spots. A known problem with a plan beats a surprise found during due diligence.

Then clarify ownership. List every machine and say whether it is owned outright, financed, leased or borrowed from a neighbour. Say which items go with the sale and which do not. Ask your lawyer how to record this in the agreement. If a repair would help the cooler run steadily, consider doing it before showings. Ask your accountant how any spending would be treated before you commit. Offer a short walk-through with a refrigeration technician beforehand, so you hear the problems from a professional before the buyer does.

Key takeaways

• Clean, label and clear the packing house before any buyer visit, so the building speaks well for itself.
• Assemble manuals, service invoices and temperature logs in one folder that a stranger could follow.
• List every machine and say whether it is owned, leased or financed.
• Consider a walk-through with a refrigeration technician before showings begin.