Two most important things.

The 2 most important things for any transaction are the Price and the Terms. Most sellers want the maximum value for their business and they want it all at the time of closing. Or in other words, they want a an all cash deal for the highest price possible.

I am going on the record to say that is impossible to name both your price and your terms. Nothing new here, right?

I recently heard a statistic from the International Business Brokers Association suggesting that sellers receive a 26% higher price when offering seller financing as part of the terms of the deal. That number does not include the interest earned on the seller financing.

So if you need money now, lower your price and hope you stumble across a generous, or naive, buyer that is willing to pay all cash.

If you can wait a little longer, offer seller financing with reasonable terms and you will make approximately 26% more money on the sell of your business plus interest.

-Trevin Rasmussen