Ohio businesses for sale offer certain advantages over starting your own business. An established business will have a name that is known to the public, clients and incoming profit.

An established company will also have a business plan, employees who understand how the company works and contracts with vendors. Chances are you'll want to make several changes when you purchase an OH business for sale, but you will not have to start from square one.

Inspect any business for sale in OH you are interested in purchasing. Go through its tax returns and financial statements. Look into how much each employee is paid, the cost for utility bills and insurance expenditures. Compare these expenses with the monthly sales records for the business.

Before you buy a business for sale in Ohio, there are some questions you should stop and ask:

1. Does the business have a lot of local competition?

2. Is the industry you are planning to buy into growing, shrinking or stagnant?

3. What overhead costs does the commercial business for sale in Ohio have each month?

4. How much inventory does the company have on hand?

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

Find a CPA to help you understand the process of purchasing an OH business for sale

A certified public accountant analyzes the financial records of any Ohio business for sale and ensures you have filed all the required legal documents.

I recommend: The Ohio Society of CPAs helps you find a certified public accountant in any county within the state. CPAdirectory provides a search engine to locate a CPA in any municipality of each state.

Hire a broker to assist you in the buying process of a business for sale in Ohio

Brokers help you to buy Ohio business opportunities by screening the business and reviewing their financial disclosures from the last few years. They will negotiate a fair price with businesses for sale in Ohio and make sure you obtain the necessary licenses and permits for the transaction.

I recommend: The Ohio Business Brokers Association allows you to search for brokers throughout the state. Business Book Press offers a list of brokers in Ohio.

Locate a business for sale in OH

Visit websites that show lists of businesses for sale in Ohio. These lists include where the companies are located, the price and other information.

I recommend: Review the listings of Ohio companies for sale at BusinessMart.com or BizQuest.

Obtain financing for a business for sale in Ohio

After reviewing the companies for sale Ohio has to offer and determining which one(s) you want to purchase, find a lender to get the money you need. A business acquisition loan will provide the capital you require.

I recommend: Noble Funding provides business acquisition loans. The BuyerZone offers a list of companies that provide business loans.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking for an Ohio business for sale by owner, find out why it's being sold. The owner may have valid financial reasons for selling.
• •  Make sure the office equipment, fixtures and machinery actually work.
• •  Review the marketing strategy for the Ohio businesses for sale you are interested in to determine what changes might need to be made for a proper advertising plan.
• •  Examine the employee turnover rate for the businesses you are considering.
• •  Find out if the building is up to code with the state's health and safety requirements.