The problem is that one of the guy that was living on the property was renting the garage to a friend for him to use as a shop to fix that car.

I've set up equipment lease financing, car dealers, even a pawn shop and jewelry dealer's operations.         

@Stephen Masek yes there are shops that sell cabinets with plywood sides, at least in the SF Bay Area.

Shop around with an independent agent.

We meet up several times a week at coffee shops to teach each other about what we've learned; let me know if you ever want to join us or if you want to borrow any of the books that we've picked up.

I've seen the property and it looks a lot nicer than the other places I visited, plus it's near a bunch of shops yet is on a lot that has good privacy.

Then trying to do commercial real estate, like a shopping center without any retail knowledge will likely get that new investor nowhere, worse, you may damage your reputation from screwing something up so badly that others avoid you for several years!

As I am a non resident, I will need the services of property management companies with a "öne stop shop" concept.

You could buy something in FL but without being thurough you may very well end up with something regretful.Here is my suggestion for you: Being from Canada as well, we run a successful Hard Money Lending shop in Ontario.

So I was at Menards yesterday shopping for some vinyl tiles.