Selling a Business in Highlands County, Florida

Understanding the Highlands County Business Market

Highlands County sits in the geographic heart of Florida — far enough from the coastal metros to have its own identity, close enough to benefit from the state's broader growth. The county seat, Sebring, anchors the local economy alongside Avon Park and Lake Placid. If you own a business here and you're thinking about selling, the first thing you need to understand is that this market operates differently from Sarasota or Orlando. That's not a disadvantage — it's just a reality that shapes how you price, position, and sell your business.

Highlands County has a population of roughly 105,000 residents, with a demographic profile that skews older than the state average. Retirees and snowbirds make up a significant portion of the consumer base, which creates consistent, year-round demand for certain business types — particularly service businesses like HVAC, lawn care, auto repair, and healthcare-adjacent services. That stable demand is one of the things that makes well-run service businesses here genuinely attractive to buyers.

What Types of Businesses Sell Well in Highlands County

HVAC and Skilled Trades

HVAC businesses in Central Florida are among the most consistently sought-after acquisitions in the state. In a county where summer heat is relentless and the population includes a large share of older homeowners who aren't doing DIY repairs, a licensed HVAC company with recurring maintenance contracts is a high-value asset. Buyers — including private equity-backed roll-up groups — are actively acquiring trades businesses throughout Central Florida. A well-documented HVAC business in Highlands County with $300,000–$500,000 in Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) can realistically command 3.0x–4.5x SDE, particularly if it has transferable service agreements, trained technicians in place, and established supplier relationships. Plumbing and electrical businesses trade in similar ranges.

Landscaping and Lawn Care

The combination of a year-round growing season and a homeowner-heavy population makes landscaping routes and lawn care businesses consistently liquid in this market. Buyers love these businesses because the revenue is recurring, the overhead is predictable, and the barrier to entry — while low — is offset by the value of an established customer base. Expect landscaping businesses with documented routes to sell for 1.5x–2.5x SDE depending on contract concentration, equipment condition, and whether the owner is operationally dependent. If the business runs without the owner present on every job, that multiple moves up.

Auto Services

Auto repair shops, tire shops, and detailing businesses in Sebring and Avon Park benefit from a population that relies heavily on personal vehicles — public transit options in Highlands County are limited. A profitable auto service business with a loyal customer base and clean books typically sells for 2.0x–3.0x SDE. Buyers in this category are often owner-operators looking to acquire an existing shop rather than build from scratch. The presence of a real property lease with favorable terms (or the option to purchase the real estate separately) can meaningfully affect the transaction structure and final price.

Restaurants and Food Service

Restaurants are the most emotionally charged business to sell, and Highlands County is no exception. The local market supports a mix of casual dining, fast food franchises, and lake-area establishments that serve both residents and visitors — Sebring's racing heritage through the 12 Hours of Sebring draws significant out-of-county traffic annually. Independent restaurants here typically trade at 1.5x–2.5x SDE when they're profitable, though many restaurant sellers overestimate value because they're calculating based on gross sales rather than actual cash flow. Franchise resales follow their own rules and are governed heavily by the franchisor's approval process. The key to getting top dollar on a restaurant sale is at least 24 months of clean, well-organized financials — ideally showing stable or growing margins.

Retail Stores

Retail is the most market-dependent category in Highlands County. Standalone gift shops and tourist-adjacent retail in Lake Placid (which has built a small identity around murals and arts tourism) can attract buyers looking for lifestyle businesses. Specialty retail with defensible niche positioning — hunting and outdoor supply, agricultural supply, pet supply — tends to hold value better than general merchandise. Retail businesses in this county typically sell at 1.5x–2.5x SDE, with the lower end reserved for businesses that are heavily owner-dependent or located in declining strip centers.

What Drives Business Value in This Market

Several factors are specific to Highlands County that influence what your business is worth to a buyer. First, the buyer pool is real but narrower than in larger metros. You're not going to get 40 inquiries in the first week the way a business in Tampa might. That means your marketing reach, confidentiality management, and buyer qualification process matter more — not less. Second, many buyers in this market are financing the purchase through SBA 7(a) loans, which means the business needs to be bankable: clean tax returns, documented cash flow, and a business structure that a lender can get comfortable with. If your last two years of tax returns dramatically understate your actual earnings, that's a problem that needs to be addressed before going to market. Third, real estate often intersects with business sales here — many small business owners own their building. Whether to sell the real estate with the business or retain it as an income-producing asset is a decision worth spending real time on. Barrett Henry's real estate background is directly relevant to this conversation.

The Florida Business Selling Process

Florida does not require a real estate license to broker the sale of a business if no real estate is included in the transaction, but working with a licensed Florida broker adds a layer of accountability and legal framework that protects sellers. The process typically runs 4–9 months from engagement to closing, depending on business complexity and buyer financing timelines. Here's how it generally unfolds:

• Valuation and preparation: Recast financials to reflect true owner earnings, identify value drivers and risks, and establish a defensible asking price.
• Confidential marketing: Business is listed on broker networks and business-for-sale platforms under a blind profile. Buyers sign NDAs before receiving details.
• Buyer qualification: Financial capacity, relevant experience, and intent are screened before any substantive information is shared.
• Letter of Intent (LOI): A non-binding agreement that locks in price, terms, and deal structure before due diligence begins.
• Due diligence: Buyer verifies financials, contracts, leases, licenses, equipment condition, and employee matters. This is where unprepared sellers lose deals.
• Closing: Handled through a title company or attorney, with Florida requiring an asset purchase agreement, bill of sale, and non-compete agreement as standard components.

Florida's documentary stamp tax applies to certain business sale documents when real property is involved, and buyers with SBA financing will add several weeks to the closing timeline. None of this is a dealbreaker — it's just the process, and knowing what's coming lets you prepare for it rather than react to it.

Why Work with a Broker Who Knows This Market

Highlands County isn't Broward County. A broker who spends all their time in South Florida doesn't understand the buyer demographics, the economic rhythms of a smaller Central Florida market, or the way that service-based businesses in retirement-heavy communities are valued and transitioned. Barrett Henry works this market with direct knowledge of the Central Florida business landscape and handles Florida transactions personally — not through a hand-off to an unknown affiliate. If you're ready to have a real conversation about what your business is worth and what selling it would actually look like, that conversation starts here.