Selling a Business

Ask what it costs to sell a business and most answers stop at the broker’s commission. That number matters, but it is not the whole bill. By the time a Florida business sale closes, the seller has usually paid five or six different parties, and owners who did not see those costs coming feel blindsided at the closing table.

I’m Ryan C. Winter, a licensed business broker with Truforte Business Group in St. Augustine, working with sellers across Florida. Here is the complete, honest cost picture, every line item I see in real deals, with typical ranges and the ways to keep each one down.

1. Broker Commission: The Big One

Florida business brokers work on success fees paid at closing, typically 10 to 15 percent of the sale price for main street businesses. My standard range is 12 to 15 percent, and larger transactions use the Lehman scale, a sliding structure where the percentage steps down as deal size climbs. There should be no upfront fees on a main street engagement. The commission covers valuation, confidential marketing, buyer screening, negotiation, and deal management through closing; my full guide to Florida broker fees breaks down exactly what you get for it.

2. Attorney Fees

You want your own attorney reviewing the purchase agreement, and for most main street deals that legal work runs somewhere in the low thousands of dollars, rising with deal complexity, stock sales, real estate, or heavy negotiation over reps and warranties. It is real money that buys real protection; the clauses in a Florida purchase agreement follow you for years after closing.

3. CPA and Financial Preparation

Buyers and their lenders will want clean statements and tax returns, and many owners need CPA help getting there: catching up bookkeeping, preparing interim statements, and supporting recast financials during due diligence. Owners with tidy books spend little here; owners who ran personal expenses through the business for a decade spend more, and the cleanup is worth every dollar because it directly supports your price. Your CPA also earns their fee planning the tax side before you sign anything.

4. Landlord and Lease Assignment Costs

If you lease your location, your landlord’s consent to assign the lease usually comes with costs: an assignment fee, the landlord’s attorney and processing charges, and sometimes demands negotiated into the consent. Review your lease’s assignment clause before listing so this is a known number, not a surprise; my guide to lease assignment in Florida sales covers the mechanics.

5. Closing and Escrow Costs

Florida business closings typically run through a closing attorney or escrow agent, with costs for document preparation, lien and UCC searches, and filing fees, commonly split between buyer and seller by agreement. These are hundreds to a few thousand dollars depending on the deal, and who pays what is negotiable in the purchase agreement.

6. Paying Off What the Business Owes

Not a fee, but the item that most changes your net: loans, lines of credit, and equipment leases secured by business assets generally must be paid off or assumed at closing, because the buyer takes the assets free and clear. Sellers sometimes forget that the SBA loan balance or the financed truck fleet comes out of the proceeds. My post on what happens to business debt when you sell walks through it.

7. Prorations and True-Ups at Closing

Rent, utilities, payroll, prepaid expenses, and sometimes inventory adjustments get prorated between buyer and seller as of the closing date. Individually small, collectively worth attention, and all of it is spelled out on the closing statement you should review line by line before closing day.

8. Taxes: The Cost That Dwarfs the Others

Nothing on this page moves your net like taxes. How the price is allocated across assets, whether the deal is structured as an asset or stock sale, and whether you use an installment sale can swing your after-tax proceeds by more than every fee above combined. Florida has no state income tax, which helps, but federal capital gains and recapture rules apply in full. Start with my guides on the tax implications of selling a Florida business and minimizing capital gains, then get your CPA involved before you sign a letter of intent, not after.

What It Adds Up To: A Realistic Example

Item	Typical Range on a $500K Main Street Sale
Broker commission (12 to 15%)	$60,000 to $75,000
Your attorney	Low thousands, deal-dependent
CPA and financial prep	Hundreds to a few thousand
Lease assignment costs	Often under $2,500, lease-dependent
Closing, escrow, lien searches	Hundreds to a few thousand
Debt and equipment lease payoffs	Whatever the business owes
Taxes	The biggest variable: structure-dependent

Rule of thumb: on a well-run main street sale, professional costs beyond the commission usually total a low single-digit percentage of the price. The commission is the headline, the taxes are the real story, and everything else is manageable with preparation.

How to Keep the Total Down

• Prepare early. Clean books cost less to sell, in CPA hours and in price concessions. Start with cleaning up your financials.
• Fix the lease before listing, while you have leverage.
• Plan taxes before the letter of intent, when structure is still negotiable.
• Hire a broker who earns the fee. The commission stings least when realistic pricing, buyer competition, and a deal that actually closes are what you got for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it cost to sell a business in Florida?

Plan on the broker commission, typically 10 to 15 percent of the price, plus low single-digit percentages for attorneys, accounting, lease assignment, and closing costs, plus whatever the business owes in debt payoffs, plus taxes, which vary most of all. On a $500K sale, out-of-pocket professional costs beyond commission commonly land in the four figures.

Are selling costs tax deductible?

Generally, selling expenses such as commissions and professional fees reduce your taxable gain on the sale rather than acting as ordinary deductions. Confirm the treatment for your situation with your CPA, ideally before closing.

Who pays closing costs when selling a business in Florida?

It is negotiated in the purchase agreement. Commonly each side pays its own attorney, and escrow or closing agent fees are split, but every deal allocates differently and it is a legitimate negotiation point.

Know Your Net Before You List

The number that matters is not the sale price; it is what you keep. Before you list, I will walk you through a realistic valuation and a net proceeds estimate, free and confidential, so the closing table holds no surprises. Call (904) 789-1276 or start with the free valuation calculator.

If you have hesitated to hire a business broker because something about the industry feels off to you, you are not being paranoid. Some of the most common complaints owners have about business brokers are legitimate, and I say that as a licensed business broker myself.

I’m Ryan C. Winter, a broker with Truforte Business Group in St. Augustine, working with sellers across Florida. This article names the real problems in my industry, the ones that cost sellers money and deals. I am not writing it to trash competitors; the majority of Florida brokers are honest professionals. I am writing it because you cannot protect yourself from problems nobody will name, and because a broker who will not discuss his industry’s flaws is showing you one of them.

Problem 1: Inflated Valuations to Win Your Listing

This is the industry’s most expensive problem. You interview three brokers. Two tell you your business is worth around $800K. One says $1.2 million. Guess who gets hired. The inflated number was never real; it was bait. The business sits overpriced for a year, goes stale in front of every serious buyer in the market, and eventually sells, if it sells at all, below what honest pricing would have achieved on day one. Brokers call this “buying the listing,” and it works on sellers constantly because we all want the big number to be true.

Protect yourself: ask every broker to show the math: which comparable sales, which multiple, which earnings figure. A defensible valuation survives questioning. Flattery does not. My guide on setting the right asking price shows what real pricing logic looks like.

Problem 2: Upfront Fees With No Skin in the Game

Some outfits charge thousands of dollars upfront for “valuations,” “marketing packages,” or “buyer matching,” then have little financial reason to actually sell your business, because they already got paid. To be fair, some legitimate M&A firms charge engagement fees on larger deals, and that is a defensible model at that level. But for main street businesses, the standard in Florida is success fees paid at closing, and heavy upfront charges deserve hard scrutiny. When the broker only wins if you close, incentives point the same direction.

Protect yourself: get the entire fee structure in writing before signing, and read my breakdown of how Florida broker fees actually work.

Problem 3: List It and Forget It

A broker carrying thirty or forty listings is running a lottery: post everything, wait for inquiries, and work whichever deals move on their own. Your business gets a listing page, not representation. Weeks pass without updates, buyer inquiries go stale, and momentum, which is everything in a business sale, dies quietly.

Protect yourself: ask any broker two questions. How many active listings do you personally carry? And what, specifically, will you do to market mine in the first thirty days? Vague answers to the second question predict your next six months.

Problem 4: Sloppy Confidentiality

A careless listing description that identifies your business, NDAs collected but never enforced, buyers who were never financially screened walking your floor: confidentiality failures cost sellers employees, customers, and negotiating leverage, and the damage cannot be undone. This is a process problem, and processes vary wildly between brokers.

Protect yourself: ask exactly how the blind listing will be written, what buyers must provide before learning your name, and who physically attends showings. My post on keeping a Florida sale confidential describes what a real process looks like.

Problem 5: The Wrong Broker for Your Deal Size or Industry

A broker who mostly sells $150K restaurants will struggle to run a $4 million manufacturing sale, and a lower middle market specialist will underserve a small main street listing they took out of politeness. Neither broker is bad; both are miscast. The industry rarely says “I am not the right fit,” because saying it costs a commission.

Protect yourself: ask for the broker’s last five closed deals: size, industry, and how long they took. Pattern-match against your business. My honest guides to the best brokers in Florida map who fits what, including my competitors.

Problem 6: Pressure to Take a Bad Deal

Here is the quiet conflict at the end of every brokered sale: the broker gets paid when you close, not when you close well. The difference between a clean offer and one loaded with earnouts, holdbacks, and thin deposits might change your life, but it changes the broker’s commission very little. Most brokers navigate this honestly. Some push the close.

Protect yourself: keep your own deal team, a CPA and an attorney who answer only to you, and treat any broker who discourages that as a walking red flag.

The Honest Other Side: When a Broker Is Genuinely Worth It

After all that, here is the balance. A good broker prices realistically, packages the business professionally, runs confidentiality tightly, screens buyers so you never waste a day on a dreamer, creates competition among real buyers, and holds deals together through due diligence, which is where most sales die. Sellers with businesses above a few hundred thousand dollars in value, or with any confidentiality risk, usually net more with good representation even after the commission. And for the smallest, simplest businesses, I will say what the industry usually will not: selling without a broker can be rational, and that article explains when.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are business brokers worth it?

For most established businesses, yes, if you hire well: realistic pricing, tight confidentiality, and buyer screening typically return more than the commission costs. For very small businesses with an obvious buyer already at the table, sometimes no. The honest answer depends on your deal, which is exactly what a first conversation should establish.

How do I spot a bad business broker before signing?

The five fastest tells: a valuation noticeably higher than everyone else’s with no math behind it, significant upfront fees on a main street deal, vague answers about marketing plans, no clear confidentiality process, and resistance to your attorney reviewing the listing agreement. Any two together should end the conversation. Bring these ten questions to every interview.

Judge Me by the Same Standards

Everything in this article applies to me too. So here is my standing offer: a free, confidential valuation with the math shown, my fee structure in writing with nothing upfront, and honest answers about whether I am the right fit for your deal, including the times I am not. Call (904) 789-1276 or start with the free valuation calculator.

If you search for the best business broker in Florida, nearly every result was written by a brokerage ranking itself first. That is simply how this industry markets itself, but it does not answer your real question: who should you trust with the sale of your business?

So let me be upfront. I’m Ryan C. Winter, a licensed business broker with Truforte Business Group, based in St. Augustine and serving all of Florida. I compete with every firm on this list, and I would love to earn your business. But several of these firms are genuinely excellent, and depending on your business, one of them might be your best fit. What follows is an honest review of Florida’s most established brokers, drawn from their own websites, published track records, and client reviews.

First, Understand This: You Hire a Person, Not a Logo

Here is the most important thing this list will tell you, and something the other lists will not. Some of the names below are individual brokers. Most are companies, and several are franchise networks where each office is independently owned. A brand does not sell your business. A person does. The same national logo can hide both the best broker in your county and the least experienced one.

So whichever direction you go, insist on knowing exactly who will personally run your deal: who answers the buyer calls, who negotiates your price, and how many other listings compete for that person’s attention. The best outcomes in this industry come from a committed individual broker backed by a strong platform, not from a logo alone.

How This List Was Built

• Every firm here is an established, licensed Florida operation with a real track record. Florida business brokers operate under DBPR real estate licensure, so you can and should verify any broker’s license.
• Descriptions come from each firm’s own website, published numbers, and client reviews. Where a statistic is self-reported, I say so.
• I have noted whether each entry is an individual broker or a company, because that distinction should shape how you interview them.

Individual Brokers Worth Knowing

Ryan C. Winter, Truforte Business Group (St. Augustine, serving all of Florida)

Individual broker. This is me, so weigh it accordingly. I am a licensed business broker (BK3362329) based in St. Augustine, working with owners across Florida through Truforte Business Group, a statewide brokerage that has been selling Florida businesses since 1994 and markets listings from $100K to $25M through the BBF MLS and national networks. My practice is built on preparation and honesty: every engagement starts with a free, confidential valuation, I keep a deliberately small book of clients so each deal gets my full attention, and I will tell you if the right answer is to wait a year and fix the numbers first. Standard commissions are success-based, 12 to 15 percent for main street deals, with the Lehman scale on larger transactions, and there are no upfront fees.

Michael Shea, P.A., Transworld Business Advisors (Orlando, Tampa Bay, Melbourne)

Individual broker operating within the Transworld network. Michael Shea has brokered Central Florida businesses since 2005 and, per his site, has presided over more than 400 transactions totaling over $1 billion in sold business volume. He holds CBI and CMAP credentials and was inducted into Transworld’s Hall of Fame in 2025. If your business is in Central Florida or the I-4 corridor and you want a high-volume operator with a long closing record, Shea belongs on your interview list. He is a genuine example of what I mean about individuals: his results are his own, built inside a franchise brand.

Established Florida Brokerage Firms and Networks

Transworld Business Advisors

Company: franchise network. Transworld is the largest business brokerage brand operating in Florida, with more than 40 years in the industry and hundreds of offices worldwide. Its Florida offices list a large share of the businesses on the market at any given time, which means real buyer traffic. Because each office is independently owned, your experience depends on the specific agent, so interview the person, not the brand. The strongest Transworld operators, like Michael Shea above, are among the best in the state.

Murphy Business & Financial

Company: franchise network, Florida headquartered. Founded in Clearwater in 1994 by Roger Murphy, Murphy Business grew into one of the largest brokerage networks in North America and still runs its corporate office in Florida. Murphy offices offer brokerage plus valuation and consulting, and the firm’s long history shows in its process discipline. As with any network, results vary by office, so ask about your local operator’s personal closing record.

Sunbelt Business Brokers

Company: franchise network. Sunbelt is one of the most recognized brokerage names in the country, and its first Florida franchise opened in Orlando back in 1993. Sunbelt offices handle high volumes of main street listings, and the brand’s visibility with buyers helps listing exposure. The same franchise caveat applies: the office and agent matter more than the sign on the door.

Viking Mergers & Acquisitions

Company. Viking has operated across the Southeast since 1996 and serves Florida from offices in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, focusing on businesses roughly in the $1 million to $150 million range. The firm reports selling 85 percent of the businesses it lists, far above industry averages, at an average of 96 percent or more of asking price, with over 950 closed deals firm-wide. Those are self-reported numbers, but they reflect a real strength: Viking is selective about the listings it takes, which is a good sign in a broker. If your business has seven-figure earnings, Viking deserves a call.

Green & Co. Business Brokers

Company: independent team. Based in the Sarasota area, Green & Co. covers Tampa Bay, Southwest Florida, Central Florida, the Space Coast, and Jacksonville. Client reviews consistently describe the team as professional, ethical, and strong communicators, and as an independent firm they avoid the franchise variability problem. A solid choice on the Gulf Coast in particular.

KMF Business Advisors

Company. KMF is a Boca Raton based brokerage serving South Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, with about two decades of experience and, per the firm, more than $850 million in closed transactions. KMF markets through the BBF MLS and BizBuySell and aligns its practice with IBBA standards. If your business is in the Miami to Palm Beach corridor, KMF is a credible local specialist.

Florida Business Exchange (FBX)

Company: independent firm. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, with offices in Lake Mary, Jacksonville, and Tampa, FBX is one of Florida’s largest non-franchised brokerages. The firm reports more than 1,500 businesses sold totaling over $500 million, and it has particular experience guiding international buyers through E-2 visa acquisitions. For sellers on the East Coast and Central Florida who prefer an established independent over a franchise, FBX has earned its longevity.

Sailfish Business Brokers

Company. Sailfish has operated in Florida for more than 25 years and, per the firm, has guided over 1,000 successful exits in that time. The firm maintains a presence on both Florida coasts and pairs long tenure with a straightforward, seller-focused process. A credible option for main street and lower middle market sellers, particularly in South and Southwest Florida.

Crowne Atlantic Business Brokers

Company: independent firm. Based in Maitland and focused on Orlando and Central Florida, Crowne Atlantic handles business sales typically at $10 million and under. A distinctive strength: every broker at the firm has owned and operated a business themselves, and the firm is consistently recognized within Business Brokers of Florida rankings. For Central Florida sellers who want an independent alternative to the franchise networks, Crowne Atlantic is a strong interview.

Website Closers

Company: online business specialist. If your business is primarily digital, an e-commerce brand, Amazon store, SaaS product, or agency, Tampa-based Website Closers is the specialist on this list. The firm runs deals from the low seven figures up to very large transactions and understands digital due diligence, traffic verification, and platform risk in a way generalist brokers usually do not. For a brick-and-mortar Florida business, a local generalist will typically serve you better.

Quick Comparison

Broker	Individual or Company	Home Base	Best Fit
Ryan C. Winter (Truforte)	Individual	St. Augustine, statewide	Main street to lower middle market sellers who want one dedicated broker
Michael Shea, P.A. (Transworld)	Individual	Orlando / Tampa Bay	Central Florida sellers, high-volume experience
Transworld	Franchise network	Offices statewide	Maximum listing exposure; vet the individual agent
Murphy Business	Franchise network	Clearwater HQ	Process-driven sales plus valuations
Sunbelt	Franchise network	Offices statewide	Main street listings, brand recognition
Viking M&A	Company	Tampa / Fort Lauderdale	Businesses with $1M+ value
Green & Co.	Independent team	Sarasota area	Gulf Coast and Central Florida sellers
KMF Business Advisors	Company	Boca Raton	South Florida sellers
Florida Business Exchange	Independent firm	Daytona Beach	East Coast sellers, international buyers
Sailfish Business Brokers	Company	Both coasts	Main street sellers in South and Southwest Florida
Crowne Atlantic	Independent firm	Maitland / Orlando	Central Florida sellers, deals $10M and under
Website Closers	Online specialist	Tampa	E-commerce, SaaS, and digital businesses

How to Choose Among Them

1. Interview at least two brokers, and make sure you are interviewing the individual who will run your deal, not a company salesperson.
2. Verify the license on the Florida DBPR portal and confirm BBF membership.
3. Ask for a real valuation with the reasoning behind it. Be wary of the broker who quotes the highest number; that is often a tactic to win the listing.
4. Get the fee structure in writing. Success fees at closing are the industry standard. Large upfront fees are a caution flag.
5. Ask these ten questions before you sign anything.

Looking for a local shortlist? I have written companion guides to the best business brokers in St. Augustine and the best business brokers in Jacksonville, with the individual brokers behind each brand named and compared.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the best business broker in Florida?

There is no single answer, and any broker who claims the title unconditionally is marketing to you. The best broker for you depends on your region, your business size, and the individual who will personally handle your sale. Use the comparison above to build a short interview list of two or three, and choose the person whose process, honesty, and attention convince you.

What do the best Florida business brokers charge?

Success fees paid at closing, typically 10 to 15 percent for main street businesses. My standard range is 12 to 15 percent, with the Lehman scale on larger transactions. Details in my guide to business broker fees in Florida.

Should I choose a franchise brokerage or an independent broker?

Either can be excellent. Franchises offer brand reach; independents offer consistency. What actually decides your outcome is the individual broker’s skill, honesty, and workload. That is why my strongest advice is to hire a person, not a logo, whichever structure they work within.

Start With an Honest Number

Whichever broker you interview, walk in knowing what your business is actually worth. I offer every Florida owner a free, confidential opinion of value with no obligation, even if you end up choosing another name on this list. Call (904) 789-1276 or start with the free valuation calculator.

\n

Not sure how to weigh the firms above against each other? Use my seven-point checklist for choosing a business broker in Florida; it works on any of them, including me.

\n\n\n