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Businesses for Sale

Listings and brokers of large and small business for sale. Review companies offering online listings of companies for sale. Search for businesses for sale or list your business for sale.
Businesses for Sale
Buying or selling a business? Access the Internet's Largest Database of Business buyers and sellers. Robust system gets you seen by the right prospect
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www.bizquest.com
Businesses for Sale
Buy or sell a business. Search thousands of businesses for sale. Find business brokers in the US. Browse our franchise opportunities.
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www.businessmart.com
Businesses For Sale
200 New Listings Daily. Buy or Sell California Businesses.
www.BizBen.com
Business For Sell
Sell your midsize or small business with California business brokers.
www.Business-Team.com
We provide a free
professional business valuation for each new business listing.
www.QBSNet.com
Sell Your Business
We Sell Companies with $1 million To $100 million in Annual Sales!
www.BizTrader.com
Companies for Sale
Extremely profitable tile and grout cleaning business. See results, watch video now. Make tens of thousands of dollars per month.
www.tmtbusiness.com
Businesses for Sale
2008 ratings and reviews of today's leading franchise investment opportunities.
Top Rated | Most Popular | By Investment | Financing Options
www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com
Business Opportunities on CityfeetBiz.com
Find buyers for your business and search available opportunities and franchises on CityfeetBiz, the leading online business opportunity network.
www.CityfeetBiz.com
Real Estate Investments
Get Information on Real Estate Investments at RE/MAX.com.
www.remax.com
Businesses For Sale
Search Over 50,000 Businesses For Sale By Business Category & State!
www.BizBuySell.com
Selling my business?
Get the right resources Experienced business brokers
www.SunbeltBayArea.net
Businesses For Sale
Search 1000's Of Businesses For Sale By Industry, Location & Price.
MergerNetwork.com
Listings
Acquisition Experts - Florida Business Brokers
Whether buying or selling a business in Florida, our professional team of business brokers can help. Contact us for a free consultation.
www.acquisitionexperts.net(Paid)
Arizona Businesses For Sale
Provides business brokerage services and listings of small businesses, business opportunities, and franchises for sale in the Phoenix, AZ area.
Buy A Business | Sell A Business | Business Lisings | Biz Valuation
www.azbop.com(Paid)
BizBen.com - Buying or Selling a Business in California
Thousands of businesses, franchises, opportunities for sale, business brokers, articles, blog, resources & tools on how to buy or sell a business.
www.bizben.com(Paid)
Business Opportunities on CityfeetBiz.com
Find buyers for your business and search available opportunities and franchises on CityfeetBiz, the leading online business opportunity network.
www.CityfeetBiz.com (Paid)
Businesses for Sale
Buying or selling a business? Access the Internet's Largest Database of Business buyers and sellers. Robust system gets you seen by the right prospect
Buy a Business | Sell a Business | Find a Broker | Find a Franchise
www.bizquest.com (Paid)
Businesses for Sale
2008 ratings and reviews of today's leading franchise investment opportunities.
Top Rated | Most Popular | By Investment | Financing Options
www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com (Paid)
Businesses for Sale
Buy or sell a business. Search thousands of businesses for sale. Find business brokers in the US. Browse our franchise opportunities.
Buy a Business | Sell a Business | Business Brokers | Franchises
www.businessmart.com (Paid)
Businesses for Sale - Business Brokers in Ontario, Canada
Sell or buy a business in Ontario. Information about the business purchase and sale process. Business for sale listings. Business brokerage services.
www.torontobusinessbroker.com(Paid)
Businesses For Sale - Business Sale Report
Publisher of businesses for sale listings in the UK. Mainly medium to large businesses for sale across all industry sectors. Free to sell a business.
www.business-sale.com(Paid)
Businesses for Sale in Canada
Buying or selling a Canadian business? Post an ad or search our database of active businesses for sale throughout Canada.
www.canadabizmart.com(Paid)
Businesses for Sale in the UK
Offers a wide range of businesses for sale in various areas in UK. With free listings to sell your business.
www.rightbiz.co.uk(Paid)
Businesses for Sale: iBuildBiz.com
Search businesses for sale and business broker listings. Select criteria to receive new business for sale opportunities to save time.
www.ibuildbiz.com(Paid)
BusinessFilter.com
Find businesses for sale. Or sell a business. It's absolutely free to list your business for sale ad! It's about looking for more than just a job.
www.businessfilter.com(Paid)
BusinessMart.com - Businesses For Sale & Franchises
Provides a searchable database of businesses for sale and franchises. In addition, users can search for business brokers in the US and Canad
www.businessmart.com(Paid)
Companies for Sale
Extremely profitable tile and grout cleaning business. See results, watch video now. Make tens of thousands of dollars per month.
www.tmtbusiness.com (Paid)
Real Estate Investments
Get Information on Real Estate Investments at RE/MAX.com.
www.remax.com (Paid)
Sell Your Business OnLine
Leading internet business-for-sale website. Over 250,000 visitors per month. Brokers, for-sale-by owners welcomed. List your business today!
www.businessbroker.net(Paid)
USABizMart.com - Businesses For Sale and Business Brokers
Small businesses, franchises, opportunities for sale. Business brokers, blog, articles on how to buy or sell a business. 200 new listings added daily.
www.usabizmart.com(Paid)
Businesses For Sale
200 New Listings Daily. Buy or Sell California Businesses.
www.BizBen.com
Business For Sell
Sell your midsize or small business with California business brokers.
www.Business-Team.com
We provide a free
professional business valuation for each new business listing.
www.QBSNet.com

Elaine Grant writes Inc.’s column on small businesses for sale

Guide to Evaluating a Small Business for Sale

Buying a business? Make sure you're striking a good deal


 
 

Scope a Small Business for Sale

  • Check prices of comparable small businesses for sale
  • Get advice from a broker who specializes in small businesses for sale
  • Use cash-flow or revenue multiples to determine value of the business for sale
 
 
Determining the value of a privately held small business for sale is far trickier than figuring out the value of a new home. One reason why: Business owners have every reason to keep profits looking low at tax time and many reasons to inflate the value when it comes time to sell. Here are a few keys to valuing a small business for sale:
  1. Know the selling prices of similar businesses that have been purchased in the last year or two.
  2. Know the key value drivers for businesses in the industry you're considering. For instance, if you want to buy a bowling center, you should know that league play brings in about 60 percent of revenue for the average bowling business. If the center you've fallen in love with relies mainly on kids' birthday parties, buying it may be a dicey proposition.
  3. Many business brokers specialize in specific kinds of businesses: Some only sell restaurants, funeral homes or bowling alleys. An industry expert can be helpful.
  4. Rule-of-thumb formulas can help you value a small business for sale, such as multiples of revenue or of "EBITDA" — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Be cautious about relying solely on formulas, though — every business is unique.


Action Steps to Shop for Small Businesses for Sale

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Small Business for Sale Action Step Do your homework In the real estate business, 'comps' are recent sales of comparable houses in the same area; they tell you a ballpark figure for the value of a house. When you're evaluating a business, consider both what similar businesses have sold for and the typical 'multiple' by which companies like it are evaluated. A multiple means, for instance, 'six times cash flow' or 'two times revenue.'

I recommend:  Ask your business broker for comps and multiples. (To find a broker, visit BizBuySell's Broker Pages or BusinessBroker.net.) If you're on your own or want to double-check the broker's numbers, look up the SIC code on the U.S. Department of Labor's SIC search page, or check the NAICS code. Once you know the industry code, search Pratt's Stats database of private company sales for comps and multiples.

Small Business for Sale Action Step Try a different formula for small businesses for sale in emerging industries For businesses in new industries, evaluate the maturity of the business — does it have a lot of growth potential or has it had unchanging profits for the last several years?

I recommend:  For expertise, turn to a business appraiser or CPA. To find one, follow the association links on Valuation Resources.com, or search the directories of the Institute of Business Appraisers or the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts or find business valuation software and services on Business.com.

Small Business for Sale Action Step Turn to an industry-specific business broker A specialist can tell you the 'inside scoop' on industry trends and the dramatic effects they can have on business valuation. They can also tell you how much of a deposit you'll need to come up with; money 'down' varies by industry and also by whether a potential owner has industry expertise. Keep in mind, though, that the broker works for the seller.

I recommend:  The International Business Brokers Association (IBBA) offers a directory searchable by Zip code. Call the IBBA directly for help finding a specialty broker. Check Business.com for a listing of brokers of businesses for sale.

Small Business for Sale Action Step Know your demographics, the real estate market and the business climate If you're buying a business whose customers are mostly local, learn as much as you can about the area's demographics.

I recommend:  Check 2004 county business patterns and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey for trends. Looking for a local economic development agency? Visit the Economic Development Directory for a list of links by state and province. Find vendors of demographic information, including site analysis for businesses for sale, at Business.com.

Small Business for Sale Action Step Interview the sellers In addition to evaluating the numbers, you should evaluate the company's prospects for growth and any obstacles — including lifestyle issues — you may encounter. To do so, interview the owners extensively. Don't just ask them why they're selling; ask them how many hours they've worked weekly and how many hours a new owner would need to work to be successful. Do they know if any competitors are moving in? What are their ideas about how a new owner could grow the business?

I recommend:  Get another evaluation of a small business for sale with a $39 customizable pricing report from BizBuySell.

Tips & Tactics for Closing the Deal on a Small Business for Sale

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
  • Numerous factors can dramatically affect prices of small businesses for sale, including customer relationships and the owner's perception of the company's growth potential. If you're new to the industry, discuss the industry's future with neutral, expert parties.
  • Talk to employees of a small business for sale. Are they willing to stay? Would you want them to?
  • Ask the owners what it would cost for them to train you — or new managers — during the transition period.
  • Before you sign on the dotted line, ask whether the business will require any capital improvements soon.
  • Some owners will finance a portion of the sale. Don't hesitate to ask.
  • An immature business with no debt should earn a rate of return of 40 percent; look for a 26 percent rate of return on a mature business. Divide the company's net profits by 0.26 or 0.40 for its estimated value.

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How-To Guide from WORK.COM

Guide author
By Elaine Grant
Buying a business? Make sure you're striking a good deal.
Determining the value of a privately held small business for sale is far trickier than figuring out the value of a new home. One reason why: Business owners have every reason to keep profits looking low at tax time and many reasons to inflate the ... Read more
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