Exit With Confidence

The entire process is confidential. The relationship between Robbins Pellegrino and the client is protected by a Non Disclosure Agreement, which extends throughout the selling process. While your business may be publicly listed, it will be done so in very general terms and with great discretion. All buyer inquiries will be covered under additional NDAs.

Robbins Pellegrino does not charge upfront fees for prospective sellers that qualify. We will do a free value assessment that will give you a value range that you could expect in the marketplace. We do this before we contract to list your business for sale to make sure your expectations are realistic. Find out if you qualify.

The process can take as long as 6-12+ months depending on the industry, but most of our clients close on their business within 6 months of initial listing. Our close rate at Robbins Pellegrino is greater than 90% as we only list businesses that we are confident we can sell within a calendar year.

There are many reasons, but here are a few dominant ones. 1) Overvaluation. Many sellers want to "test the waters" and overprice the business. Today's buyer is educated and usually business-savvy. There is so much pricing data available. Buyers know when a business is overpriced. 2) Sellers are not willing to finance a portion of the sale price . If the business does not qualify for SBA lending, most buyers are not willing or are unable to pay 100% cash to make the acquisition. In many cases the seller will be called upon to assist in the financing. Studies have shown that sellers who are willing to finance a portion of the purchase price will receive a higher price. 3) Declining business revenues 4) Sellers are not willing to negotiate 5) Inaccurate financial records that don't pass buyer's due diligence. 6) Sellers get cold feet and withdraw from the market. 7) Sellers, too often, listen to well-meaning outside relatives, friends or advisors who really don't have sufficient knowledge of the selling process. Sellers who don't use a professional business broker/intermediary are at a disadvantage. These outside professionals know the marketplace and greatly assist in finding the right buyer. They are a "value-added" service and will more than justify their fee. The seller who represents himself or herself will almost never get the price that a business broker professional will obtain. 8) Landlord issues - After a buyer and seller have “negotiated” a deal is that the landlord cannot come to terms with the seller and/or buyer. 9) Financing is not available

Financial data we review for the initial valuation analysis includes the past three full years of Income statements and Balance sheets. Depending on the time of year, we will likely also ask for Year to Date statements for the current year. Once we have the above documents, we will likely also ask for things like Equipment List, Tax Returns, Lease, Property Appraisal, etc. all where applicable.

Our commission fee is generally 10% of the total transaction value with exceptions for larger deals and other extenuating circumstances.

RFA is generally paid by the seller not the buyer. However, other costs do come into play. Legal and accounting expenses may be incurred during due diligence should you employ professionals to assist you. Closing costs will be incurred at closing. It's important to note that using a business broker when buying a business will result in a better purchase price.

Depending on the complexities of the business, the former owner will offer varying levels of training. On most small businesses the owner will offer training for a predetermined period at no cost to the new owner.

As part of the acquisition process you will have to go through “due diligence.” During this period the seller is required to present documents to verify his profit numbers as well as any other information you request.

In most instances, no... While 100% of the purchase price is sometimes required, sellers will frequently provide owner financing to some extent. Additionally, a bank may be able to loan up to 80% of the purchase price through a loan sponsored the Small Business Administration (SBA). The business must meet certain criteria to qualify for SBA financing and the buyer must meet certain standards as well.

Businesses vary a great deal in price. The higher the amount of down payment, the more likely you will be in finding a business that meets your needs.