BizBuySell Q3 2025 Insight Report Summarized - With Insights From Your Southwest Florida Business Broker

The newest "BizBuySell Insight Report" for Q3 2025 (see the full report here: Click Here) paints a clear picture of a market that is active and competitive, yet adjusting to cost pressure and tariff uncertainty. Closed deals climbed to 2,599, up 8% year over year and 11% quarter over quarter, with total deal value reaching $2.13B. At the same time, median sale price eased to $320,044 and time to close fell to a swift 149 days, the fastest pace since 2017.

Below I break down what mattered nationally and how it translates to Florida and Southwest Florida owners in Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, and Sarasota who are considering a sale or acquisition.

National snapshot

• Owners are moving sooner. 55% believe they can achieve their desired price today, and 60% worry waiting a year could mean the same or a lower price. Deals are moving faster at 149 median days on market.

• Financials softened modestly. Median sale price fell 2% YoY and 9% QoQ to $320,044. Median revenue dipped to $674,500 and median cash flow also declined slightly. Margin compression from inflation and tariffs is the key culprit.

• Sector mix shifted. Service transactions rose 11% YoY and Retail rose 14% YoY, while Restaurants held steady on price with stronger cash flow and Manufacturing stalled with transactions down 11% and median sale price off 37%.

• Operations are evolving. 55% of small businesses report using AI in areas like marketing, analytics, and customer service, and 76% say AI has improved performance.

What this means for Florida and Southwest Florida

Florida continues to stand out for volume and variety, especially in service, home improvement, property services, light manufacturing, logistics, retail, and food. The big takeaway for our region is simple: buyers are active and selective, and well prepared sellers are winning. That shows up in the numbers and in the pace of deals.

Here is a quick Q3 2025 listing snapshot for four major Florida metros. These are listing metrics, which are helpful indicators of pricing and buyer screens at the top of the funnel.

Florida listing metrics, Q3 2025

Market	# of Listings	Median Asking Price	Median Revenue	Ask Price to Revenue (avg)	Median Cash Flow	Ask Price to Cash Flow (avg)
Miami–Fort Lauderdale	1,757	$385,000	$623,021	0.88	$157,700	3.27
Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater	1,093	$350,000	$620,482	0.93	$150,000	3.11
Orlando–Kissimmee	674	$390,000	$673,309	0.80	$160,889	3.10
Jacksonville	276	$302,500	$626,365	0.85	$143,872	3.15
Source: BizBuySell Insight Report Data Tables, Q3 2025 listing metrics. BizBuySell

National deal performance, Q3 2025

Metric	Q3 2025	Direction vs. Q3 2024
Closed deals	2,599	Up 8%
Median sale price	$320,044	Down 2%
Median days to close	149	Faster than 164
Median revenue	$674,500	Down 2%
Service transactions	—	Up 11%
Retail transactions	—	Up 14%
Manufacturing transactions	—	Down 11%
Source: BizBuySell Insight Report Q3 2025.

Guidance Locally from a Southwest Florida business broker

1. Lean into documentation - Clean, current financials remain the top value driver. With margins tighter for many categories, your ability to show accurate add-backs, stable cash flow, and customer concentration that is not excessive will directly support price and speed. The report’s price softening is tied to margin pressure, not buyer leverage. Strong documentation helps you defend value.

2. Price to the market you actually have In a market where deals are closing faster, buyers quickly pass on listings that are mispriced or poorly packaged. Use current comps and realistic multiples by sector. Service companies in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, landscaping, property services, and business services remain in strong demand statewide, including Lee and Collier counties.

3. De-risk for buyers - If you rely on tariff-affected inputs or discretionary demand, address that head on. Diversify suppliers where possible, demonstrate stable gross margins, and be ready to discuss how you have managed inflationary inputs. The report links weaker financials to cost pressure and tariff uncertainty, so prepare your narrative and evidence.

4. Adopt simple AI wins - Buyers love operational leverage. The majority of owners now report AI is improving outcomes in marketing and analytics. Document any process improvements, cost savings, or customer service upgrades you have achieved. It signals a modern, transferable operation.

5. Time the exit to readiness, not headlines - Owner motivation remains the biggest driver of sell decisions nationwide. The data shows many owners are choosing to exit now rather than risk lower pricing later. If your business is ready and your personal timeline aligns, the current pipeline of qualified buyers in Florida is deep so contact a Southwest Florida business broker.

Guidance for Florida buyers

• Expect competition for quality - There are more buyers than sellers in key service categories. Come prequalified, with proof of funds and a focused search thesis. Be ready to move when the right fit appears.

• Target resilient cash flows - In sectors where costs are volatile, underwrite conservatively. Focus on operators that have preserved gross margin and customer retention through the last two years. The report’s sector breakdown shows why.

Bottom line for Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, and Sarasota

The Q3 2025 BizBuySell Insight Report confirms a healthy, fast-moving market with modest price pressure and strong demand for essential service businesses. If you are a Southwest Florida business owner, you can still capture a premium by packaging your financials, pricing to current multiples, and demonstrating repeatable operations buyers can step into. If you are a Florida business buyer, have your debt, down payment, and diligence discipline lined up. The right deals are going quickly.

Attribution: BizBuySell Insight Report Q3 2025, Insight Interactive, and Insight Report Data Tables.