Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about marina valuations, buying, selling, and the deal market.
Valuation
How do you value a marina?
There are three primary methods: the income approach (Net Operating Income divided by cap rate), comparable sales (price per slip benchmarking against recent transactions), and replacement cost (what it would cost to build from scratch). Most institutional buyers use a combination of all three. Our comparable sales tool lets you benchmark against 127 tracked transactions.
What is a typical cap rate for a marina?
Marina cap rates in 2025-2026 typically range from 6% to 10%. Well-located coastal marinas with waitlists and strong ancillary revenue trade at 6-7%, while value-add or secondary-market properties may trade at 8-10%. Cap rates have compressed over the past five years due to increased institutional demand.
What is price per slip and why does it matter?
Price per slip is the marina industry's equivalent of "price per square foot." It divides the total transaction price by the number of slips to create a comparable benchmark. Based on our deal database, prices range from $10K/slip for distressed freshwater properties to over $400K/slip for ultra-premium coastal facilities.
Buying
Who are the biggest marina buyers?
The top acquirers include Safe Harbor Marinas (Sun Communities, 130+ properties), Suntex Marinas (50+ properties), and BlueWater/Bowline Capital. Private equity firms, family offices, and regional operators are also active. See the full rankings on our acquirer leaderboard.
How do I find a marina for sale?
We track 40 marina listings across the US on our listings page, updated weekly. You can also filter by state to find marinas in specific markets. Many marinas trade off-market — subscribe to our newsletter to hear about deals before they hit public listings.
What should I look for when buying a marina?
Key factors include: slip occupancy and waitlist depth, condition of docks and seawalls, environmental liabilities, lease vs. fee simple ownership, ancillary revenue streams (fuel, storage, repair), zoning and permitting, storm exposure, and the local boating market. Our seller's guide covers these from the other side of the table.
Selling
How long does it take to sell a marina?
A typical marina sale takes 6-12 months from listing to closing. This includes 1-2 months of preparation, 2-3 months of marketing, 1-2 months for LOI and negotiation, and 2-3 months for due diligence and closing. Well-priced marinas with clean financials sell faster. Read our full seller's guide for the complete timeline.
What is my marina worth?
Marina values depend on location, revenue, slip count, condition, and market demand. The average transaction in our database is $164M. Use our comparable sales tool to benchmark your marina against similar recent deals. For a professional opinion, work with a marina-specialized broker.
Market
Why is private equity buying marinas?
Marinas have characteristics PE firms love: recurring revenue (annual slip leases with 90%+ retention), supply constraints (near-impossible to build new marinas in coastal markets), pricing power (demand exceeds supply), and operational upside through platform scale. Read our full analysis on the consolidation tracker.
Which states have the most marina transactions?
Florida leads by a wide margin, followed by the Chesapeake states (Maryland, Virginia), New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut), and the Gulf Coast. Browse all markets on our markets page.
Is the marina market consolidating?
Yes, rapidly. The top 5 operators still control less than 5% of the estimated 12,000 US marinas, meaning the consolidation cycle has years to run. Track the pace on our consolidation tracker and leaderboard.
Newsletter
What is Marina Deal Flow?
Marina Deal Flow is the first dedicated newsletter covering marina transactions, listings, and deal flow in the United States. We publish every Tuesday and Thursday with new deals, active listings, market intel, and industry analysis. It's free — subscribe here.
How do you source your data?
We aggregate data from public records, SEC filings, brokerage listings, press coverage, and a network of industry contacts. If you have a tip or know about a deal, submit it here or reply to any newsletter.
What is Marina Deal Flow Pro?
Pro members get access to buyer and seller names, exact pricing, cap rates, broker data, and comparable analysis on every transaction. It's designed for active participants in the marina market. Learn more about Pro.
Still have questions?
Reply to any newsletter or email us at hello@marinadealflow.com