Learn · Buying

Buying a business, step by step

Nine steps between getting ready to buy and signing at closing. Open any step to see what happens there and what to read first.

Phase 1 of 4

Before you look

Buyers who do this part first move faster when the right business appears.

A buy box is a short description of the business you want: the trade, the size, where it is, how involved you plan to be and how you'll pay for it. Brokers and owners answer buyers who have one.
What to read
1. 1.1Your buy box: what you are actually looking forAudio
2. 1.2What goes in a buy boxAudio
Done here? Next: Step 2. Get ready to buy →

Phase 2 of 4

Phase 3 of 4

Steps 7 and 8 run in parallel.

Phase 4 of 4

Owners here read buyer profiles before they read offers. Build a profile owners can say yes to.