How do I sell a motel I live on site and run myself?

When you live where you work, the line between the owner and the motel blurs. You answer the night bell, clean a room when someone is sick and cover the desk without thinking of it as a job. A buyer cannot see any of that unless you show it. Showing it plainly lets a buyer who wants the lifestyle judge it for themselves.

Be honest about the hours and the labour

Write down a typical week: who opens, who cleans, who covers nights and what you and your family do. Include unpaid help. A buyer will either hire that labour or do it themselves, and they need to know which. Hiding it creates a nasty surprise after closing and may hurt your credibility during due diligence.

Explain the owner’s suite

Tell buyers whether the suite is part of the sale, how big it is, and whether it could instead be rented as a room or used for a manager. Some buyers want to live on site, others do not. Be clear on how it appears in your financial statements, and ask your accountant if personal costs run through the business.

Plan the move-out and closing date

You are leaving a home as well as a business. Pick a closing date that gives you time to move and avoids the busiest weeks. Agree on a date when the suite will be empty and clean. Ask your lawyer how to write this into the agreement.

Train the buyer on the desk and the nights

Offer a period of hands-on training: the booking system, key handling, late arrivals, difficult guests, supplier calls and who to phone after hours. Many buyers find the night calls the hardest part to picture, so let them shadow you through one.

A buyer will want to ask about your role, as set out in asking the owner about their role before buying a motel.