Buying a WA business for sale can represent a great opportunity for investment. Buying an established business usually is much safer financially and more profitable than starting a new business because an existing business already has 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 businesses for sale in WA 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 Washington:

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

2. Examine the current profits for small businesses for sale. Washington 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. Companies for sale in Washington may have obsolete inventory, dissatisfied employees or outdated distribution methods.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 Washington business for sale

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

I recommend: The advanced search option at BizQuest.com will let you select the type of business, city and length of time on the listing, among other parameters. 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 Washington to assist you in the purchase process

A Washington business broker 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 Washington requires.

I recommend: ASG Partners in Bellevue specializes in the sale of manufacturing, distribution and service companies. Bridgeview Brokers in Newcastle manages the sale and acquisition of small and medium-sized businesses.

Hire a Certified Public Accountant when buying a Washington business for sale

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

I recommend: Dawson & Gerbic is in Seattle and offers a range of accounting services to its clients that includes business valuations. Shannon & Associates in Kent provides business valuation and succession planning services in addition to standard accounting services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Determine the owner's reason for selling before buying a Washington business for sale. The owner may no longer be interested in running the business or there may be legitimate financial reasons for putting it up for sale. You also will want to review the marketing strategy for the business because many lagging businesses can be revived with proper advertising.