Whether you already call yourself a hotelier or you're just thinking about getting into the hotel business, it can help immensely to take a look at news and trends of the business. Some information may tip you off to foreclosed motel properties, for example, while other listings of hotel properties for sale may prompt you to start looking for another job.

With all the competition among hotels and motels for guests, it's imperative that you stay in the know about trends that affect your business, and lodging property lists can yield valuable information. Relying on a hotel news source can let you know your competition's quarterly earnings report and alert you to potential lodging property opportunities.

1. Learn as much as you can about the industry, whether you're a new hotel operator or a longtime chain owner.

2. Spend time tuned into the news to find the best deals on hotels and motels for sale.

3. Get the whole story. You not only need to know what hotel is for sale, but answering the why question is also important.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Trust bona fide news sources for lodging property lists

If you need to know whether an international hotel chain is changing hands or who's selling in the local motel market, you could rely on word-of-mouth for sketchy, partial or skewed information. Alternatively, you can place your trust in a news source dedicated to the hotel industry to find hotels and motels for sale.

I recommend: Hotel News Resource gives the latest in hotel news. Hotels is a great source for news and trends for hotel industry decision makers, such as chains of motels for sale.

Learn the right way to buy a hotel for sale

Perhaps owning a hotel is a dream you still want to realize, but you're not sure how to go about the process. Spend time reading success stories and learn as much as you can from others in the business.

I recommend: Hotel Online offers the steps you should consider when looking for lodging properties for sale. Inn Consulting Partners posts articles helpful to aspiring innkeepers, and hosts regional seminars on purchasing bed-and-breakfast inns for sale.

Look for news items to help in your search for hotels for sale

A little bit of gossip never hurt anyone, and it can certainly help you in making the most of lodging property listings news and trends. While there are only so many hours in a day, an hour catching up on valuable tidbits can be time well spent.

I recommend: Halogen's Real Estate Guide tells about happenings about the luxury vacation market. You can get news from Hotel Chatter delivered right to your e-mail.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget about checking local news sources for hotel opportunities. Independent owners may start out advertising locally for their lodging property for sale.
• •  Don't forget about checking local news sources for hotel opportunities. Independent owners may start out advertising locally for their lodging property for sale.

Real estate is an investment that can offer a great return on your money if managed properly. Lodging properties are hot commodities in the real estate market due to the demand for nice and affordable places to stay. Knowing when, where and how to buy hotels and motels for sale are the keys to success.

Listings of hotels and motels for sale can easily be found using the Internet. Lodging property lists categorized by location, type of lodging and price make it easy to find the right lodging properties for sale that fit your needs and budget.

Using the Internet to locate hotels for sale can:

1. Produce extensive lodging property lists for your area

2. Help you search through foreclosed motel properties

3. Connect you to professionals that can assist you in your search for hotels and motels for sale

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search the Internet for hotels for sale using specific criteria

Focus your search for lodging properties for sale. Use a website with advanced search options to zone in on the lodging property lists that fit your needs and budget.

I recommend: Use LoopNet.com to locate lodging property listings. Whether you want to buy hotels for sale, foreclosed motel properties or bed-and-breakfast inns for sale, LoopNet.com has the capability to tailor a search to fit your needs. Sign up for a free membership to access listings of hotels and motels for sale.

Find a real estate broker

Lodging property listings that are up-to-date can be supplied by an experienced broker in your area. Find a broker who can work with you to find the motels for sale that interest you.

I recommend: Search on the website for Hotel Brokers International to find a reputable broker in your area. National Hotel Realty offers experienced professional consultations on the national level for perspective buyers of lodging properties for sale. NHR can locate the properties that fit your specifications and work with you through the purchase process.

Search for foreclosed lodging properties for sale

Hotels and motels for sale that are foreclosures are a cost-effective way to purchase commercial properties. Use the Internet to perform a broad search for foreclosed motel properties.

I recommend: ForeclosureNet.net offers users free searching of foreclosed lodging property listings by state. Sign up to receive email alerts for new foreclosed lodging property listings in your area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Post a classified advertisement for free on Craigslist.com to broadcast your search for a hotel for sale or search the realty ads for other lodging properties such as motels for sale in your area.

If your favorite game has always been Monopoly, you may have dreamed of someday snatching up a hotel for sale. With the tools available on the Internet, it's easier than ever to find hotels and motels for sale.

The Internet has opened up plenty of real estate opportunities for real estate experts and regular investors. Finding lodging property listings for locations around the world is as easy as a mouse-click. But before you start collecting hotels like game pieces, you'll still need to do some old-fashioned legwork first.

Here are some tips to help you when searching for lodging properties for sale:

1. Know what you can afford to spend up front, and share that information with a broker, which will help narrow the field of choices.

2. Decide how much renovation you're prepared to complete on the hotel, motel or inn. Some properties may seem like a steal on paper, but when you get inside you find out why no one would steal anything from that place.

3. Get sound advice from a real estate lawyer before you commit to buying a hotel or motel for sale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Establish guidelines before researching lodging property listings

Before you dive in to a real property search on the Internet, set some guidelines for yourself. Limit yourself to markets that you understand well in terms of hotel supply and demand, local economy and attractions and, of course, price. If there are no markets you truly understand well, do more homework first to learn the ins and outs.

I recommend: Loopnet is the number one site for researching commercial property listings including lodging property. You can find U.S. hotel properties by specifying the state you're interested in through USA Biz Mart.

Work with brokers to find suitable hotels and motels for sale

Allow commercial real estate brokers to do the heavy lifting for you when searching through lodging property lists. If your Internet research comes up short, they can clue you in to newly listed or confidential lodging properties for sale that might suit your needs.

I recommend: HotelBuySell.com strives to be the premier website for the hospitality real estate market. Viviun International Property Listings includes listings of hotels and motels for sale around the world.

Get background information on hotels for sale

Once you've zeroed in on a hotel for sale that might suit your needs, do some research down at the county courthouse. If you can, find out why it's for sale, who owns it and the original purchase price, which will help you figure out the best price to offer.

I recommend: Inn Marketing is a great resource for listings of bed-and breakfast-inns for sale. Business Nation lists hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns for sale around the country.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't jump into a decision to purchase a hotel for sale. Remember that fools rush in, and you could wind up with a property that's more of a headache than a dream. By proceeding with caution, you will be making the most of lodging property listings.

Lodging property listings key terms should enable you to find your way to the listings that interest you most. Lodging property can be an investment, a second career or a dream come true. A first step to finding the real estate you want is to use lodging property listings. With key terms at your side, you won't waste time on your search. Lodging properties constitute a wide category, covering everything from campsites to fifty-room villas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Lodging property and hospitality property

Lodging property is defined as any property that is built to house customers at least overnight. This definition is broad enough to include camp grounds, RV parks, boarding and rooming houses, in addition to hotels, motels, inns and B&Bs.

I recommend: The U.S. Bureau of Statistics explores all the different types of properties that fall under the umbrella of lodging property.

Hotel and motel brokers

Hotel brokers are the 'middlemen' between buyer and seller. Hotel and motel brokers have lodging listings. You also can look for lodging brokers by state or region.

I recommend: American Hotel Motel Brokers Association is an example of a country-wide brokerage house.

Lodging franchise

The word franchise, as it pertains to the lodging industry, is similar to a dealership. With a lodging franchise, usually the lodging will have the same name as the franchise, basically the same building design, even the same make of linens, sheets and towels -- all the amenities will be the same from lodging to lodging.

I recommend: Lodging Franchise Review explains lodging franchises, both high end and low end.

Bed and breakfast, B&B, inn realty, or inn real estate

When going into business as an innkeeper or B&B operator, the right property is important to make the business model viable.

I recommend: Sage Blossom Consulting offers advice on choosing inn real estate.

Motel real estate

Motel properties have one story buildings with parking space outside the rooms. It isn't often used as a search term on its own; instead, you will see motels listed with hotels.

I recommend: This advertisement for a Virginia motel is part of Merger Network, which has a database of hotels and motels for sale.

Fractional ownership

Fractional ownership is more for the serious vacationer than the budding hotel mogul. Much like a time share, it guarantees the owner a period of time on a resort or property, often at a discounted price.

I recommend: Frias sells fractional ownership in Aspen properties.