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Commercial Real Estate in Key West & the Florida Keys by RE/MAXCommercial Real Estate in Key West & the Florida Keys by RE/MAX

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Why Do Vacant Buildings Smell Strange And What Can Be Done About It?

All buildings smell. They have their own scents, even if there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them. It certainly doesn’t increase the chances of selling or renting a commercial building to greet tenants or buyers with a strange smell when they check out your Florida Keys commercial building though. So, you need to figure out whether there is a genuine problem in the building or if the weird smell comes from a lack of air circulation from sitting empty.

If you can’t locate an origin for the smell, you might just be battling the typical stale smell of a lack of air circulation. Check the HVAC system to make sure the filter is fresh and new. The longer the building sits empty, the more noticeable this scent will be. Thankfully, there are ways to fight this smell. Virtually none of them should include adding a fragrance to cover the scent up though. Your potential renters and buyers will see through this in a hot second. That’s not to say that you should never use air fresheners, this is only to say that covering up an issue will get called out.

First of all, deep cleaning your building can make a world of difference and should be done regularly, even if it’s been sitting empty. Dust will still settle and it will still need to be cleaned, even if no one is in the building. Hire a professional cleaner to mop floors, wash windows, clean toilets and wipe down surfaces weekly if you can afford it, just as you would hire someone to maintain the lawn. Cleaning with original Pine-sol gives the noticeable clean smell and the pine oil in the product will actually continue to kill surface bacteria for some time.

While your professional cleaners are cleaning, give instructions to open any windows and air the place out. Let them know that you’re not interested in perfuming the area. If your commercial building’s windows don’t open, turn on the air conditioning until to a reasonable temperature to get the air moving.

You can absorb odors a couple of ways. You can leave an open box of baking soda in rooms, cabinets and the refrigerator after you have cleaned the area for starters. If the place has excess moisture in the air, you can purchase or rent a dehumidifier to fix the issue. You could also purchase a product called DampRid, but that isn’t a product you’d want to use all the time. It works better if you are fighting the lingering smell after a bunch of rain or a leak that you have repaired.

You can also purchase box fans and leave them running. This will help keep air moving. Stop in every few days to run the water so that stagnant water isn’t in the pipes and flush and clean the toilets too. Sometimes, sinks are left off for so long that the traps beneath them actually dry up. This can cause sewer gases to escape out! If that’s your culprit, the fix is as easy as remembering to run the water occasionally. This is also a good time to check out the building to make sure there are no issues. After all, if the building is vacant, there will be no one there to notice a problem.

If you must use an air freshener, avoid the artificial fragrances. They scream cover-up and do no actual benefit. If your commercial building really needs to freshen up quickly, use an air freshener that’s natural that can actually fight germs, mold and more. Get one pint of water and add one tablespoon of white vinegar and one ounce of mint, pine, orange or lemon essential oil. Mix these ingredients together and add them to a spray bottler. Then, lightly mist the room, including in cabinets and closets. This will actually help stop the odor, not just mask it.
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Hot Key West Business Opportunities

1 Henry Morgan Road W 1 $38,000,000

1 Henry Morgan Road W 1 OTHER, Florida

99 Beds 119 Baths

1 Infinity Bay Road W 145 $28,000,000

1 Infinity Bay Road W 145 OTHER, Florida

99 Beds 170 Baths

1 Media Luna Resort Road W 126 $26,000,000

1 Media Luna Resort Road W 126 OTHER, Florida

99 Beds 109 Baths

1 SEA GRAPE PLANTATION RESORT Road W $7,999,999

1 SEA GRAPE PLANTATION RESORT Road W OTHER, Florida

30 Beds 33 Baths

27340 Overseas Highway $6,900,000

27340 Overseas Highway Ramrod, Florida

3,969 SqFt

1 Lands End  West End Roatan W $6,750,000

1 Lands End West End Roatan W OTHER, Florida

25 Beds 27 Baths

328 Whitehead Street $4,995,000

328 Whitehead Street KEY WEST, Florida

5 Beds 5 Baths 2,759 SqFt 0.330 Acres

7537 Overseas Highway $3,495,000

7537 Overseas Highway MARATHON, Florida

6,750 SqFt

91865 Overseas Highway $2,300,000

91865 Overseas Highway Tavernier, Florida

15 Beds 10 Baths 10,150 SqFt

100150 Overseas Highway $2,100,000

100150 Overseas Highway KEY LARGO, Florida

58835 Overseas Highway $1,499,000

58835 Overseas Highway MARATHON, Florida

3,414 SqFt

1000 Eaton Street $1,200,000

1000 Eaton Street KEY WEST, Florida

1 Baths 989 SqFt

Pirates Road $799,000

Pirates Road Cudjoe, Florida

Pirates Road $799,000

Pirates Road Cudjoe, Florida

96,547 SqFt

103275 Overseas Highway $675,000

103275 Overseas Highway KEY LARGO, Florida

3 Beds 2 Baths 1,845 SqFt 0.240 Acres

Are You Looking for Commercial Property in the Florida Keys?

Use our site to search commercial real estate in Key West and all of the Florida Keys. Unlike the “big name” sites out there, our site is directly connected to our local MLS and is updated with new properties every HOUR. By creating a Property Manager account you can stay on top of the newest businesses that go up on the market and get Price Change alerts so you can stay ahead of other buyers and beat them to the best deals!

In the meantime, check out these 1-click searches:

  • All Businesses for Sale
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Newest Key West Commercial Properties on the Market

Here is your chance to own a turnkey restaurant property in paradise! Recently updated and renovated, this restaurant property is a staple to the local community.PRIME US1 FRONTAGE, Average daily traffic is over 16,000! Total of 168 seats, qualifies for SRX license, and offers tons of parking on the 20,000sqft lot. This property is ready to go, don't miss this opportunity! $995,000 Active

31044 Avenue B Big Pine, Florida

3,252 SqFt

$15,000 startup grant available to an energetic formally trained chef with innovative ideas & ready for their big break to start their own restaurant.  Key West restaurant/bar location lease for only $5000 mo!  There's an amazing concentration of residential addresses nearby, with several larger ocean front condominium complexes & hotels just a few blocks away, for a lucrative takeout business or to fill your seats. You can't beat the price when comparing to other Key West properties that offer a restaurant/bar opportunity. With a 2600+ sq. ft. building, the location offers high visibility in the cross town area of Key West zoned for a 79 seat restaurant/bar with beer & wine sales. Huge kitchen & prep area, walk in cooler & freezer, large storage room/office/casual area & 3 restrooms. Property must operate as a restaurant with a beer and wine license. Triple net lease with F/L/S. Tenant to verify all information. 
 
To participate in the grant, proof formal culinary arts training and Key West residency (minimum of 2 years) absolutely required.  Grant is for rent payment for the first 3 months rent. 
 
A member of the LLC is a licensed Florida real estate agent. 
$5,000 Active

1500 Bertha Street KEY WEST, Florida

3 Baths 2,646 SqFt

Commercial building for lease, TRAFFIC LIGHT CORNER, location next to main intersection in Big Pine Key on the Overseas Highway in the Lower FL Keys outside of Marathon & Key West. Serving a radius of over 30 miles north & south, SC zoning. Ideal for office or retail with approx.~3251sf of space. Current office buildout has 8 private offices with barn doors, open and bright reception area, conference room, storage, plenty of off-street parking with easy to access and excellent visibility. $4,877 Active

30362 Overseas Highway Big Pine, Florida

1 Baths 3,251 SqFt

507 Olivia and 825 Duval Unit 4 are the same property. 1018 Sq ft with 15 ft ceilings, one parking spot, long term lease preferred. Triple net lease Very light and bright space! $20 Active

507 Olivia Street KEY WEST, Florida

1 Baths 6,682 SqFt


View ALL

Experienced Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Company

RE/MAX Keys Connection’s owner and broker Curtis Skomp is one of South Florida’s top commercial real estate brokers. With over two decades of experience and a CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) designation, Curtis has brokered commercial real estate including industrial properties, shopping centers, strip malls, trailer parks, bars, restaurants, hotels and multi-unit apartment buildings. Unlike many brokers, Curtis isn’t intimidated by bank foreclosures either.

RE/MAX Keys Connection offers clients international exposure with local service.

Posted in: Owning a Business, Renting Commercial Real Estate, Sellers

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410 Caroline St.
Key West, FL 33040

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98880 Overseas Hwy.
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