Saturday, October 23, 2010

Buying a Business ... What You Should Know

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR BUYERS

I.                Thou Shall Not Be Greedy!

Sellers deserve a fair price for the years they have spent developing

the business.  Be prepared to pay for the goodwill of the business.

II.              Thou Shall Have A Good Reason For Buying!

Buying a business is hard work! It takes commitment! Spend time

deciding why you want the responsibility of owning a business.

III.            Thou Shall Provide Background Information!

Be prepared with a resume and financial statement.  Remember, the

seller will most likely be your banker and will want to know that you
you can run the business successfully.

IV.            Thou Shall Keep An Open Mind!

There are no perfect businesses.

V.              Thou Shall Keep In Mind Tax Benefits!

Remember tax benefits are realized from intangible as well as tangible

assets.

VI.            Thou Shall Offer A Reasonable Down Payment!

A low down payment indicates a lack of commitment. When sellers

question commitment, serious negotiations are in jeopardy.

VII.         Thou Shall Realize Businesses Are Priced on Profits!

A business making huge profits with few assets could save you

money later in capital outlay for expansion.

VIII.       Thou Shall Remember Time Is Of The Essence!

After all parties have agreed upon price and terms it is

important to quickly proceed toward closing.

IX.            Thou Shall Be Prepared To Meet The Landlord!
Landlords usually have little to gain by cooperation.  Therefore,
come to meetings armed with resume and financial statement.

X.              Thou Shall Avoid Surprises!

Disclose pertinent information early and avoid surprises that

            might destroy your credibility.

Chris Savage    813-784-4457     cesavage@verizon.net       

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