Miami & South Florida Commercial Real Estate

Commercial Real Estate in Miami and South Florida, With the Financing Figured Out Early

Here’s something we’ve learned after decades of commercial deals in South Florida: the property is usually the easy part. What trips people up is the financing. A building that looks like a great buy can fall apart when the lender’s appraisal comes in short, the rents don’t cover the debt the way the bank wants, or the insurance quote on a 1970s roof wipes out the cash flow.

Southeast Real Estate Advisors helps investors, business owners and developers buy, sell and lease commercial property across Miami-Dade and Broward. Our team includes a licensed real estate broker and a licensed mortgage loan originator who has been in the lending business since 1998. So when we look at a deal with you, we look at it the way a lender will, before you put money on the table.

Why It Helps to Have Financing in the Room

A lot of brokers can find you a building. Fewer can tell you, before you sign a letter of intent, how much a bank will actually lend on it. Here’s what that means for you:

• You know your real buying power. We size the loan the way lenders do, using the property’s income, the loan-to-value and your experience, so you don’t chase deals you can’t finance.
• Your offer holds up. Sellers and listing brokers pay attention when a buyer’s financing has been reviewed by someone who knows commercial underwriting.
• You see the right loan for the deal. An owner-user buying a warehouse, an investor buying a strip center and a developer buying land all need different financing. Our partner, Southeast Funding Group, works with SBA, conventional commercial, DSCR, bridge and foreign national programs.
• Fewer surprises at closing. We line up the appraisal, environmental report, survey, insurance and lender requirements early, so the closing date you agree to is one you can actually hit.

How Lenders Look at a Commercial Property

Buying a commercial building isn’t like buying a house. Lenders care less about your paycheck and more about whether the property can pay for itself. These are the numbers they look at first:

• Debt service coverage ratio (DSCR). The property’s net operating income divided by its annual loan payments. Many lenders want to see roughly 1.20 to 1.25 or higher, which means the building earns 20% to 25% more than the mortgage costs.
• Loan-to-value (LTV). How much the lender will loan compared with the appraised value. Depending on the property type and the loan program, it often lands somewhere between 65% and 80%. SBA loans for owner-occupied buildings can go higher.
• Net operating income (NOI). Rent and other income minus operating expenses like taxes, insurance, maintenance and management. Lenders build their own version of this number, and it’s often lower than the one on the seller’s flyer.
• The leases. Who the tenants are, how long their leases run, and whether the leases are triple net (NNN) or gross. A building with a strong tenant on a long lease gets very different terms than one with month-to-month tenants.

Ratios and loan-to-value ranges vary by lender, property type and market conditions. These are general guidelines, not a loan offer.

Which Commercial Loan Fits Your Deal?

Program availability, terms and eligibility depend on the property, your financials and current lender guidelines. Not a commitment to lend.

South Florida Due Diligence: What to Check Before You Commit

South Florida has its own set of risks that don’t show up in a national market report. Before you go hard on a deposit, we’ll help you work through these:

1. Flood zone and elevation. Check the FEMA flood map and the building’s elevation. Flood insurance can be required by the lender and can change your numbers more than you’d expect.
2. Windstorm and property insurance. Get real quotes early. Roof age, impact windows and wind mitigation features make a big difference in South Florida premiums.
3. Building recertification. Miami-Dade and Broward require older buildings to be inspected and recertified. Ask for the status and any repairs it called for.
4. Zoning and permitted use. Confirm your intended use is allowed. In the City of Miami that means checking Miami 21; other cities have their own codes. Open permits and code violations come up more often than you’d think.
5. Environmental report. Most lenders require a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment, especially for industrial sites, gas stations, dry cleaners and auto uses.
6. Leases, rent roll and estoppels. Read every lease, compare it with the rent roll and get signed tenant estoppel certificates so there are no surprises about rent, deposits or renewal options.
7. Property taxes after the sale. The property is reassessed after you buy it, so budget taxes on your purchase price. Starting in 2027, Amendment 3 lowers the yearly assessment increase cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5% for non-school taxes, which helps long-term projections.

Commercial Property Types We Work With

• Office: from Brickell and Downtown towers to smaller professional buildings in Coral Gables, Doral and Kendall. See our Miami office properties page.
• Retail: street retail, neighborhood strip centers and restaurant space. See our Miami retail properties page.
• Industrial: warehouses, distribution, flex and light manufacturing, especially around the airport, Doral, Medley and Hialeah. See our Miami industrial properties page.
• Multifamily: small apartment buildings through larger communities, for both acquisitions and sales. See our Miami multifamily page.
• Mixed use and special use: medical office, self-storage, car washes, parking and buildings that combine retail with apartments or offices. See our mixed-use page.
• Hotels and hospitality: from boutique Miami Beach properties to business hotels near the airport. See our Miami hotels page.
• Land: commercial and development sites, where zoning, entitlements and timelines matter as much as price. See our commercial land page.
• Businesses for sale: operating businesses, with or without the real estate. See Business Acquisitions and Sales.

How We Work

If you’re buying or investing

1. Start with your goals and your financing. What you want the property to do for you, how long you plan to hold it and how much you can realistically borrow.
2. Find and screen properties. We look at listed properties and opportunities that come through our network, and run the numbers on each one the way a lender would.
3. Negotiate the letter of intent and contract. Price is only part of it. Due diligence time, financing contingencies and deposit terms protect you.
4. Work through due diligence and closing. We coordinate inspections, the appraisal, environmental and survey work, leases and the lender until the deal closes.

If you’re selling or leasing

• Pricing based on real income, not just what nearby buildings asked for.
• A financing-ready offering package with leases, rent roll, operating expenses and building reports, so buyers’ lenders can move quickly.
• Marketing to local and international buyers and tenants, in English and Spanish.
• Help comparing offers on how likely each buyer is to close, not just on price.

Need help with a lease or an existing building? See our Tenant Representation, Landlord Representation, Property Management and Investments services.

South Florida Commercial Submarkets We Know Well

• Doral: our home base and a major center for trade, logistics and company headquarters, close to Miami International Airport.
• Airport corridor, Medley and Hialeah: warehouse, distribution and industrial space serving the airport and the region.
• Brickell and Downtown Miami: office towers, ground-floor retail and mixed-use buildings in the urban core.
• Coral Gables: professional office space and upscale retail.
• Wynwood, Midtown and the Design District: retail, restaurants and creative office.
• Coconut Grove and South Miami: boutique retail and smaller office buildings.
• Miami Beach: hotels, retail and mixed use.
• Fort Lauderdale and Broward County: office, industrial and retail across a wide range of prices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need to put down on a commercial property in Miami?

It depends on the loan and the property. Investors using conventional commercial or DSCR loans often put down 20% to 35%. Business owners buying a building they’ll occupy may qualify for an SBA 504 loan with as little as 10% down. Special-use properties, land and foreign national loans usually require more.

What is a DSCR loan for commercial property?

A DSCR loan qualifies you mainly on the property’s income instead of your personal income. The lender compares the property’s net operating income with the loan payments. If the building earns comfortably more than the debt costs, the loan can work even if your tax returns are complicated.

Can I use an SBA loan to buy a building for my business?

Usually, yes, if your business will occupy the property. SBA rules generally require the business to occupy at least 51% of an existing building. You can lease the rest to other tenants.

How long does it take to close on a commercial property?

Many commercial purchases take 45 to 90 days, depending on the due diligence period, the lender and how quickly the seller provides leases and reports. SBA loans and properties with environmental questions can take longer.

Does Amendment 3 affect commercial property taxes?

Commercial property doesn’t get a homestead exemption. Starting January 1, 2027, the cap on yearly assessment increases for non-homestead property, including commercial buildings, drops from 10% to 5% for non-school taxes. The property is still reassessed after a sale.

Can foreign investors get financing for commercial property in Florida?

Yes. Foreign national commercial loans are available for investors without U.S. credit history. Expect a larger down payment and documentation of income and assets from your home country.

Southeast Real Estate Advisors is a licensed real estate brokerage. Mortgage services are provided by Southeast Funding Group, NMLS #1993986. Lazaro Sosa, NMLS #1177535. Equal Housing Opportunity. This page is for general information only and is not tax, legal or financial advice. All loans are subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Last updated November 2026.