What is the Best Way To Sell My Cell Tower Lease?

“I’m getting ready to accept a cell tower lease buyout offer, and my attorney said that I should probably get a second opinion, can your company help us evaluate our cell tower and buyout offer?” Glad you asked! At Tower Genius LLC, we receive questions such as this every week, and we have a passion for helping cell site landlords avoid getting taken advantage of by “Big Wireless” when selling a cell tower lease or selling a cell site lease rental stream, and it’s why we do what we do. We provide you with multiple cell site lease buyout selling options that help cell site property owners like you, to maximize their cell tower sale transactions, and not only get top dollar, but get the terms that protect them in the buyout transaction. We can help answer your Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, AT&T, US Cellular, DISH Wireless, American Tower, Crown Castle , SBA Communications and Vertical Bridge cell tower lease buyout questions. What’s the best and most efficient way to expedite your lease buyout transaction, perpetual easement or cell tower sale?

By calling Tower Genius of course, anytime at 1-888-313-9750.

We’ll guide you through every step of selling your cell tower lease easement.

Sell Your Cell Tower Lease Perpetual Easement With Zero Conflicts of Interest.

Selling your cell tower lease on your own will force you to swim with the Cell Tower Sharks of the Lease Buyout Industry. It’s our job at Tower Genius to make sure that you don’t become their next meal!

Tap Into Kevin & Steve’s 50+ Years Of Wireless Lease Negotiating Experience.

Have peace of mind of knowing that the Partners of Tower Genius have done this hundreds & hundreds of times, while leveraging our knowledge and rolodex. It’s like having an uncle in the lease buyout business!

Sell Your Cell Tower Lease Like A Pro, For The Highest Amount and Best Terms.

A client came to us for a lease buyout “second opinion” on the recommendation of their attorney. We helped turn their very good buyout offer of $2 million into an amazing lease buyout deal of $2.7 million. We have your back.

Cell tower lease buyout experts Kevin Donohue and Steve Kazella have been quoted in the media for decades.

Selling your cell tower lease rental stream is a significant financial decision, so you need to be organized, and pay attention to all the moving parts in the transaction. For many, besides buying or selling their house, it’s going to be the biggest financial transaction and decision of your life, so you want to get it right. To ensure that you don’t get taken advantage of, follow these steps basic steps before you sell your cell tower lease to anyone. Here’s the basic checklist…

Make sure that you understand your cell site lease agreement, because the company that is ready to buyout your cell tower rent payments is not going to explain it to you. Have your cell tower lease or leases all together, including every single cell tower amendment that you have signed. Keep them in order, make sure that the files are labeled or in separate folders sorted by carrier or tower company. It’s amazing how many cell tower landlords don’t have all signed documents saved in an organized way. If you have a cell tower lease that is paying you additional “revenue share” rental payment, know who the additional subtenants or co-locators are (such as US Cellular, DISH Wireless, Verizon Wireless, AT&T or T-Mobile).

Tower Genius can answer any questions that you have about your cell site lease and amendments. We have assisted thousands of cell tower landlords and their attorneys with cell tower information that they were seeking. Cell tower investors are always looking for deals with “upside”. Do you really want to give them the “extra meat” on the bone, or would you rather keep it for yourself? You need to understand where you stand with your cell tower leases before you put them out to bid with potential buyers. Depending on how much time is remaining until the final lease expiration, you might have an opportunity to renegotiate your cell tower lease agreement, and get even more money for your buyout transaction. Next, you need to determine the value or get a precise cell tower lease buyout valuation of your asset. As a cell tower landlord considering monetizing your rental stream, you will do much better if you consult independent lease buyout subject matter experts, like Tower Genius, and also research who are the likely and best buyers of these cell tower cash flows. If you want to maximize your cell phone tower lease sale, make sure that you get multiple lease buyout offers, and that you negotiate carefully, without tanking the deal. Obviously, if you want to save time and money and eliminate the cell tower buyout learning curve, we recommend that you simply hire us to do this for you.

What’s the #1 Killer of Cell Tower Lease Buyout Deals?

Unfortunately we’ve seen more lawyers tank cell tower lease buyout deals for sellers because they just didn’t know better. We’re not saying that you shouldn’t have an attorney to represent you. But why on earth would anyone allow an attorney to actually negotiate a cell tower lease buyout deal is beyond us. The number one killer of cell tower lease buyout transactions are lawyers. Look, it’s always a good idea to have a legal review of the cell tower easement purchase and sales agreements and other paperwork. If you need help we can recommend very good cell tower industry attorneys who understand these lease buyout transactions. Just make sure that if you already have an attorney, that your “well-intentioned” lawyer who feels they need to add value, doesn’t negotiate you out of the deal or kill the transaction with excessive unreasonable contract modifications, as happens so often. Always consult a CPA about the tax implications of selling a cell tower lease, and if you are selling the cell phone tower lease and using the lease buyout funds to purchase a 1031-exchange property, have your Q.I. (qualified intermediary) and commercial real estate broker vetted and lined up, and talking to your attorney and to your cell tower lease buyout consultant at Tower Genius. Have your underwriting paperwork organized and ready so the cell tower buyers can perform their due diligence. If your cell site property has a mortgage, you will need your lender to provide the buyer with an SNDA (Subordination and Non-Disturbance Agreement). Have rent payment statements, cell tower rent payment check stubs or other proof of rental payment available. If you are selling a cell tower lease and you are a corporation, have your operating agreement and by-laws ready, especially if you are a church. By making these preparations and by seeking sound professional guidance, you can make an informed decision that maximizes the value of your asset and safeguards your interests throughout the cell tower lease buyout process. Yes! I’m ready to sell my cell tower lease!

Forget the Cell Tower Lease Buyout Calculator and Activate Genius Mode.

When it is time to sell your cell tower rental stream, lease buyout calculators mean nothing. Cell tower rent rate calculators are essentially useless. All cell site lease buyout valuations are determined on a case by case, lease by lease, site by site basis. If you are concerned that you are uncertain about the true value of your cellular tower lease, a calculator is not the answer. Picking up the phone and calling 888-313-9750 is the key. Tower Genius can unlock the “mystery” behind these lease buyout transactions when you hire us and activate what our team member David likes to call, “Genius Mode.” When it comes to cellular tower lease buyout rate valuations, there’s more to it than just plugging numbers into a calculator. In fact, we have never done that. So what are the key factors that determine cell tower lease buyout rate values?

First and foremost, your monthly Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, US Cellular, American Tower, Crown Castle or SBA Communications rent payment and rent escalator are critical factors in determining the value of a cell tower lease buyout. More rent is always better and higher rental increases annually are better.

Who is the cell tower tenant? Is it Verizon Wireless, AT&T or is it Mrs. McGillicuddy’s broadband?

Does your cell site lease contain a very harsh and limiting “Confidentiality” provision? Does your cell tower lease contain Right of First Refusal (ROFR) language? A ROFR is like a baseball bat that cell tower management companies use to beat down the prices and values of cell tower lease buyouts, and reduce or eliminate competition from swooping in and buyout their steel.

A hefty 200′ rural cell tower with American Tower, Crown Castle or SBA, with 3 carriers, out in the middle of nowhere Texas, Ohio or Colorado, that does not have a ROFR provision, and has 5 or 10 years remaining on its lease until expiration, and is making less than $1,500 monthly with a 10% term escalator, is actually more attractive than a $4,500 per month Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T rooftop lease in Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles or New York City to a potential buyer, due to the growth potential and lowered risk of obsolescence.

What About Tax Implications When I Sell My Cell Tower Lease Income?

So first of all, the Tower Genius DISCLAIMER… We love the IRS 🙂 and we DO NOT offer tax advice. We are telecommunications consultants who have happened to see thousands of these lease buyout offers cross our desks over the years, and after assisting hundreds of cell tower landlords who sold their leases, we have observed certain tax implications for anyone in the USA selling a cell tower easement or completing a lease buyout transaction. ALWAYS speak to your CPA, financial advisor, attorney, priest, rabbi, guru or hairdresser before finalizing one of these transactions.

You should assume that the sale of a cell tower easement or a lease buyout transaction can have significant tax implications for you. These lease buyout deals involve assigning your interest in the lease securing the cell tower on your property, in exchange for compensation that is generally in the 6 to 7 figure range. Ask your CPA or Tax Attorney about:

1. Capital Gains Tax: The primary tax implication of selling a cell tower easement or lease buyout is capital gains tax. When you sell an easement or lease, any profit made over the original cost basis of the property may be and probably is subject to this tax. But don’t rely on Tower Genius for this information, ask a CPA 🙂.
2. Ordinary Income: In some cases, a portion of the sale proceeds may be treated as ordinary income, especially if the income is related to the lease buyout and is considered rent or lease payments. This income is typically taxed at your ordinary income tax rates. Again, talk to your CPA, especially if you live in a “Blue State” where you can expect to pay more 🙂🙂.

If you plan on selling a cell tower easement it really pays to get professional financial guidance. Our rule of thumb is that you should overpay for a good CPA to spend an hour or more with you before you sell your cell tower lease.

Can I Sell My Cell Tower Lease for a 1031 Exchange? Do Lease Buyouts qualify?

Since the cell tower lease buyout typically results in a large lump-sum payment from a lease buyout company, you need to pay Uncle Sam his share of capital gains taxes. However, at Tower Genius we have observed cell tower landlords who over the years have completed a 1031 exchange after selling their cell tower cash flows.

The same disclaimer applies to 1031-exchanges as above talking about “tax implications” — because this is discussing IRS code 1031, and we are not offering tax advice, just sharing what we have seen when cell tower lease sellers combine their cell tower lease buyout and use the proceeds of the sale to buy a like-kind commercial property with this method. Before you consider this 1031 exchange strategy with your cell tower lease buyout, talk to a commercial real estate agent, ask your CPA if they know a qualified 1031 exchange intermediary that they would recommend, and then start qualifying your team of experts. Tower Genius can also point you to experienced QI’s who understand cell tower buyout transactions. Regarding the 1031’s, there are property owners who look to reduce tax liabilities and try to maximize their lease buyout transaction and combine a cell tower lease buyout with a 1031 like kind property exchange. The idea behind this is to defer capital gains taxes on the sale of a cell tower lease and potentially reinvest the proceeds into another like-kind property, all under the provisions of Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Here’s a quick summary of how 1031s work with cell phone tower lease buyouts.

1. Identify a Replacement Property: After the cell tower lease buyout is finalized, property owners have a limited window, typically 45 days, to identify up to 4 potential replacement properties of equal or greater value than the cell tower lease proceeds.

2. Acquire Replacement Property: Within 180 days of the cell tower lease buyout, property owners must close on the acquisition of the identified replacement property. This property can be any real estate asset considered “like-kind” — this is why you need a good qualified intermediary and commercial real estate broker who are specialized in these kinds of transactions.

3. Defer Capital Gains Taxes: Because you did your homework and discussed deferring capital gains taxes on the cell tower lease buyout with your CPA 🙂, the 1031 exchange allows the funds to be reinvested into the new property.

It’s crucial to adhere to strict IRS regulations regarding 1031 exchanges. Seek the guidance of a qualified attorney, CPA, tax advisor, commercial broker and qualified 1031 intermediary to ensure compliance, minimize your risk, and maximize the benefits of this strategy. Seek advice!

We Offer A Better, Smarter, and Lower-Cost Way To Help You Sell Your Cell Tower Lease Easement In The United States.

What’s The Best Way To Sell My Cell Tower Lease Quickly?

Yes, I’m ready to sell my cell tower lease quickly! Maybe you have recently been divorced, or inherited a cell phone tower lease after the death of a family member, you are retiring and selling off some commercial or industrial rental property with a cell site on the rooftop, and you need to sell your cell site lease quickly. But consider this… Property owners should NEVER tell the cell tower buyout companies that they want a fast sale under any circumstance. When the buyer knows that you want or need to sell a cell tower’s lease quickly and need a fast deal, you are always putting yourself at a disadvantage. The wireless lease buyout sales consultants that you will talk to are generally very nice, professional and personable people. They have to be. We know many of them. But don’t forget that they are the “cell tower sharks” that we talk about who will eat your lunch if you let them.

The best way to sell a cell tower easement quickly if you want or need a fast sale of your cell tower rental income stream, is to talk to the lease buyout experts at Tower Genius, who are a buffer between you and the lease buyout industry. Calling us toll free at 1-888-313-9750, Option 2 won’t cost you a dime. Not calling us might cost you a small fortune. 🙂

What have others said about working with Tower Genius on their cell tower lease buyout transactions?

I will be calling again when I decide to liquidate my other tower.

They are experts at what they do and you need them by your side when negotiating your lease or buyout.

They are experts at what they do and you need them by your side when negotiating your lease or buyout.

What Does It Cost To Help Me Sell My Cell Tower Lease?

We get calls from cell tower landlords on a daily basis seeking assistance with their cell tower lease buyout offers. Not everyone wants to sell their cell site leases, but regardless we area always happy to speak with you. One of the questions that we get is what do we charge for our lease buyout coaching and transactional consulting services. Short answer is, we don’t post our consulting fee schedule and once we evaluate your situation we can come up with pricing. Our consulting fees are competitive and the value add we provide is exceptional, well worth every penny.

Okay Tower Genius, I’m Ready To Sell My Cell Tower Lease!
Great! Let’s Talk!!

Our goal at Tower Genius and Sell My Cell Tower Lease .com is to help make your life less stressful by helping you with the sale of your cell tower lease rental income, making sure that you are not leaving any money on the table, and not getting taken advantage of by “big wireless” cell tower sharks. We are your advocates helping guide you and your attorney through the often complicated steps of the cell tower lease buyout transaction. If you’re looking to maximize the amount you can get for your cell tower lease, we’ve got you covered!