Sell or Buy a Business in Bastrop With Every Choice Spelled Out
Owners come to us to sell, value their business or plan an exit, and buyers come to find and fund an established business or franchise. We put deal structures, financing routes and paperwork next to each other before you commit, so you can see what each choice gives up. Our clients are in Bastrop, Smithville and Elgin.
- No cost to list
- Fee earned only at closing
- Discreet from day one
- First look for registered buyers
Brokerage Help for Owners and Buyers
Nearly everyone who calls us is one of two people: an owner weighing what comes next, or a buyer who wants a business that already makes money. Sellers get business valuation, exit planning and a complete sale, plus business and property sales and partner buyouts and succession. Buyers get help buying a business, with franchise resales and acquisition financing guidance. Bigger or more involved transactions are handled through our mergers and acquisitions work.
Sell a Business
Confidential help selling your company, from valuation and buyer screening to negotiating terms and closing, with nothing paid up front.
Business Valuation
A free, confidential valuation built from your recast financials, asset list and comparable sales, with a written value range and the reasoning behind it.
Buy a Business
Register as a buyer, see new listings first and get help reading the numbers, weighing deal structures and reaching a closing you understand.
Exit Planning
Compare the ways to leave your business, from an outside sale to a family transfer, and prepare a year or more ahead so the exit happens on your terms.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Help for owners combining with, selling to or buying another company, with each deal structure and its trade-offs laid out before you commit.
Franchise Resales
Sell or buy an existing franchise unit with the franchisor's approval, transfer terms and remaining agreement term sorted out before closing.
Business and Property Sales
For owners who hold the real estate too: we compare a combined sale, a lease to the buyer and separate sales, then run the deal you choose.
Acquisition Financing Guidance
We explain how SBA loans, seller financing, bank debt and buyer equity fit together so your offer is one a lender and a seller can both accept.
Partner Buyouts and Succession
Independent valuation and side-by-side deal structures for partners parting ways or owners passing a business to the next generation.
What Working With Us Looks Like
Every business sale comes down to things you can look at: the books, the lease, the equipment and the terms. We go through each one with you and show how it affects your price and your timing.
Structure choices made clear up front
Asset sales and stock sales handle taxes, liabilities and contracts in very different ways. Seller financing, an earnout or an all-cash close each shift who carries the risk once the deal is done. We lay out those trade-offs plainly so the structure you end up with is one you chose.
Your books, seen through a buyer's eyes
We work through tax returns, profit and loss statements and add-backs one line at a time. Anything a buyer or lender is likely to question, we flag first, while you still have time to back it up.
Kept private throughout
Your staff, customers and competitors have no reason to learn about a sale. Each prospect is checked and signs a nondisclosure agreement before finding out which company it is or seeing any financial statement.
We are paid from the sale
There is no up-front cost to list and no retainer. Our pay comes out of a closed sale, so our advice stays focused on a deal that actually closes.
Buyers vetted from the start
Registered buyers learn about a new listing before it goes out more broadly. By then we have already asked about their funds, their industry experience and how they would pay for a purchase, so sellers meet people who can actually close.
The Steps of a Sale
No two deals match, yet the steps come in the same order. This is how a sale with us unfolds.
- 1
A private first talk
We discuss your business, what you want and when, over the phone, on video or at our office. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
- 2
Value and groundwork
We go over your financials, arrive at a realistic value range and note anything to clean up before buyers look. We also talk through structure choices now, so the terms hold no surprises down the road.
- 3
Marketing that keeps your name out
We write a blind listing and a full package for qualified buyers. Registered buyers get the first look, and no one learns which company it is until they sign a nondisclosure agreement with us.
- 4
Offers, diligence and closing
We help you weigh offers on terms and risk as well as price. From there we work with attorneys, accountants and lenders through due diligence and on to closing.
Who We Are at Bastrop Business Broker
We are a business brokerage serving owners and buyers around the area. Many clients spent years building a company, and others are ready to take on one that already has customers and steady cash flow. Either way, they should understand every option before they sign.
You can meet us at our office or talk by phone and video, whichever is easier. We take our time: we explain each part of the deal, lay out the trade-offs and leave the decision to you. How we are paid is simple, since we earn our fee only when a sale closes.
Towns We Serve
Our base is Bastrop, and we work with owners and buyers across the nearby area, including Smithville, Elgin, Cedar Creek, Camp Swift, Wyldwood and Circle D-KC Estates. A lot of our work is done by phone and video, so being farther away seldom gets in the way.
- Bastrop
- Camp Swift
- Circle D-KC Estates
- Wyldwood
- Smithville
- Cedar Creek
- Elgin
If your business is a bit outside these towns, call us and we will give you a straight answer on whether we are a good match.
What Drives a Business's Value
Two businesses with matching revenue can sell for very different prices. Value depends on how solid the earnings are and how easily a new owner can take over. We weigh these factors in every valuation.
Your valuation costs nothing, stays confidential and explains how we reached the figure. We Only Get Paid When The Seller Does, so you owe nothing while your business is listed.
- Earnings backed by records
- Buyers and lenders pay for profit they can confirm on tax returns. Orderly books with clear add-backs earn a better price than figures that need defending.
- How dependent the business is on you
- When customers, vendors and decisions all go through the owner, buyers see risk. A trained team and written procedures make the handover easier.
- The lease or the building
- A lease that is short or cannot be assigned can hold up a sale. If you own the property, selling it with the business and leasing it to the buyer lead to different outcomes.
- Equipment, stock and upkeep
- Maintained equipment and correct inventory counts stand up in due diligence. Neglected upkeep tends to come back as a lower offer.
- Customers and sales direction
- A wide customer base with flat or growing sales signals stability. Leaning on a single client or a recent drop needs more explaining.
- Terms and how buyers pay
- Price and terms go hand in hand. A seller who will carry a note, or a deal a bank will finance, opens the door to more buyers.
Common Questions From Sellers and Buyers
- How much does it cost to list my business?
- Nothing up front. You sign no retainer, and the agreement has no extra charges hidden in it. We are paid a success fee out of the sale proceeds at closing, and we put how it works in writing before you sign.
- How is my sale kept private?
- Your business is marketed without its name. Before a prospect sees your name, location or numbers, we look into their background and they sign a nondisclosure agreement. We also work out with you when and how employees are told, usually near or after closing.
- How can I learn what my business is worth?
- Start with a free, confidential valuation. We review your recent tax returns and financial statements and how the business runs each day. You receive a value range and a plain explanation of how we got there. Whether you list with us afterward is up to you.
- Does my building need to be sold with my business?
- Not always. A combined sale can make things easier for a buyer, and keeping the property and leasing it brings you steady income. Our business and property sales work lays out both routes so you can weigh them.
- How long will selling my business take?
- That turns on the size of the business, how organized the records are and how buyers will pay for it. Preparing, marketing, negotiating and due diligence all take time. Once we have looked at your situation, we give you a realistic estimate instead of a generic one.
- How do I get started buying a business?
- Give us a call to register as a buyer. We will ask about your background, the funds you have and the type of business you are looking for. Registered buyers see new listings first, and we can go over acquisition financing guidance, bank loans and seller financing included.
- Can you help with a franchise resale?
- Yes. A franchise resale has an extra step, because the franchisor typically has to approve the buyer and may call for training or a transfer fee. We make sure both sides know those requirements early so they do not hold up the deal.
Start With a Confidential Conversation
Some owners are weighing a sale a year or more out, and some buyers are looking for a first acquisition. For both, a short call is the easiest first step: we listen, answer your questions and explain your options.