Investor Services
Hospitality Real Estate Investors — Orlando & Central Florida
Hotels, vacation rentals, and theme park corridor retail for tourism-economy investors
Orlando's 75 million annual visitors create one of the world's most resilient hospitality investment markets. MaxLife Commercial works with hospitality investors across the full asset spectrum — value-add motel conversions targeting 15–25% IRR, stabilized brand hotels with 4.5–6% entry caps, STR portfolios generating 12–18% annual returns, and NNN retail leased to national credit tenants on I-Drive and theme park corridors. Whether you're deploying $500K into your first vacation rental or $30M into a stabilized hotel portfolio, we source, underwrite, and close hospitality opportunities across Central Florida.
Typical Investment
$500K – $30M+
Target Returns
4.5–8% cap (stabilized) / 15–25% IRR (value-add)
Timeline
3–7 year hold, depending on strategy
What You Need
- •Hotels, motels, and hospitality properties in Orlando's tourism corridors
- •Short-term rental and vacation rental portfolios near Disney and Universal
- •NNN retail leased to national restaurant/dining tenants near theme parks
- •Value-add motel conversions with repositioning upside (15–25% IRR target)
- •Stabilized brand hotel acquisitions with predictable cash flows
- •Honest cap rate and DSCR analysis — no numbers-shopping
What We Offer
- Off-market access to hotel, motel, and STR opportunities across Orlando
- Full underwriting: cap rate, DSCR, occupancy modeling, leverage analysis
- Submarket intelligence — I-Drive, Kirkman, Sand Lake, US-192, downtown
- Connections to DSCR lenders, portfolio lenders, and SBA-hotel specialists
- Deal analysis comparing value-add vs. stabilized acquisition paths
- Exit strategy modeling: stabilize-and-hold vs. reposition-and-sell
Preferred Asset Types
Why Work With MaxLife
Hospitality investing in Orlando requires local submarket knowledge most brokers don't have. We know which corridors support which nightly rates, which STR zones are tightening regulations, and which value-add motels have been mismanaged vs. structurally challenged. We run real underwriting — DSCR at conservative occupancy, not OM assumptions — so you see the true cash flow before you make an offer.
Common Questions
What cap rates should I expect for Orlando hotel investments?
Stabilized brand hotels near theme parks (I-Drive, Kirkman, Sand Lake) trade at 4.5–6.0%. Value-add motels in secondary markets (downtown, airport corridor, US-192) trade at 6.5–8.0%. STR/vacation rental portfolios yield 6–10%+ depending on location and management model. Run DSCR at conservative occupancy — not just cap rate — before committing.
How does short-term rental regulation work in Orlando?
STR regulations vary dramatically by city. Kissimmee (near Disney) and parts of Osceola County have historically been STR-friendly. City of Orlando and Orange County have tightening licensing. Orange County Convention area has mixed regulations. Always verify current STR licenses available and zoning before purchase — never assume.
What is the typical IRR on a value-add motel conversion?
Well-executed value-add motel conversions in Orlando target 15–25% IRR over a 5-year hold. Entry: 6.5–7% cap rate on current NOI. Renovation investment: $8–15K per room. Exit: property re-rates to 5.5–6% cap post-stabilization as occupancy and nightly rates lift. Execution risk is real — budget overruns and operational complexity are the key risk factors.
Can I finance a vacation rental or short-term rental investment?
Traditional lenders avoid STRs. Better options: portfolio lenders (hold loans in-house), DSCR loans (qualify on property NOI, not personal income), or seller financing. Expect 7–8.5% rates and 25–30% down. Some investors purchase cash and refinance once occupancy is established.
What locations near Disney are best for hospitality investment?
Poinciana Boulevard (US-192 corridor) and the Kissimmee area offer the best balance of proximity to Disney and reasonable acquisition prices. I-Drive and Kirkman have premium pricing but proven occupancy. Sand Lake Road is high-rent retail corridor with national credit dining tenants. Each location has different cap rate, occupancy, and tenant-mix profiles.
Recommended Investor Tools
Free tools to help you analyze deals, plan exchanges, and underwrite acquisitions.
Other Investor Profiles
1031 Exchange Buyers
Replacement properties sourced and closed within 45 days
Family Offices
Institutional-quality deal flow, private-level attention
International / Foreign Investors
Florida CRE access for international investors
Passive Income Investors
Mailbox money — institutional quality, zero landlord headaches
Ready to Get Started?
Tell us about your investment goals and we'll share curated opportunities that match your criteria.