You can find great opportunities for investments in an established New Jersey business for sale. New Jersey businesses that are active have an established customer base, source of revenue and business operations. An existing business also may own valuable patents or copyrights.

It is often more expensive to buy a NJ business for sale than to start a new one, although it is generally easier to obtain financing for an existing business. Investors tend to be more comfortable with a business that has a proven performance.

There are three primary actions to perform before buying businesses for sale in NJ:

1. Review the tax returns and financial statements over the last few years for businesses for sale. New Jersey businesses can measure their growth potential with actual experience rather than conjecture.

2. Examine the current profits for small businesses for sale. New Jersey businesses will have expenditures such as employees’ salaries, utilities and insurance that you must deduct from the sales revenue.

3. Inspect the operations of prospective business opportunities. New Jersey businesses may have obsolete inventory, dissatisfied employees or outdated distribution methods.

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

Locate a New Jersey business for sale

Many websites offer listings of New Jersey businesses for sale. These listings should show the location, asking price and cash flow, among other details.

I recommend: MergerNetwork has an extensive database of businesses for sale in New Jersey and provides a summary of each listing. You can search BusinessMart.com for businesses by state and you can further refine your search by specifying the type of business you seek.

Find business brokers in New Jersey to assist you in the purchase process of a business

NJ business brokers can identify businesses that are clearly undesirable and help negotiate a price on the best candidates. A business broker also will help you obtain any licenses and permits that New Jersey requires.

I recommend: Sun Mergers and Acquisitions in Hasbrouck Heights specializes in preparing mid-market companies for acquisition. Route Brokers in Great Neck specializes in the purchase and sale of distribution and routing businesses.

Hire a Certified Public Accountant before purchasing a business for sale in New Jersey

A CPA will need to review the financial records of any companies for sale in New Jersey in which you are interested. Additionally, a CPA can ensure that you file any required legal documents.

I recommend: Arthur J. Laurent in Ramsey specializes in business consulting services for its clients. Thomas Vastardis is in East Brunswick and provides a range of accounting services, including consulting for mergers and acquisitions.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Review the physical assets of the New Jersey business for sale. You will need to know if the office equipment, machinery and other property is actually in working order. You will also want to inspect the building itself to know if it meets the health and safety standards that New Jersey requires.