Week One: Your Request and the First Call
You fill in the two part form or call. Your answers go to one brokerage partner, and a broker calls at the time you chose.
That call is a conversation, not a pitch. Expect questions about sales, profit, staff, customers and why you are thinking about selling. You get a rough range and an honest read on what would move it.
Weeks Two to Six: A Real Valuation
If you want to go further, you share three years of tax returns and financial statements under a confidentiality agreement. The broker recasts the numbers and builds a written valuation.
This is also when you decide on timing. Some owners list right away. Others spend a year fixing records or training a manager first.
Months Two to Four: Marketing Without Your Name
The broker writes a short blind profile and a fuller confidential book about your company. Buyers see the blind profile first and sign a confidentiality agreement before they get the book.
The broker screens buyers for money and experience, so you only meet serious ones. Meetings usually happen after hours or away from the shop.
Months Four to Six: Offers and the Letter of Intent
A buyer who wants the company sends a letter of intent with the price, how it will be paid, and how long you'll stay to help. You negotiate, then sign one and stop talking to other buyers for a set period.
Months Five to Eight: Due Diligence and Financing
The buyer and lender check everything: bank statements, contracts, leases, payroll and equipment. An SBA lender orders its own valuation.
This is the stretch where most deals wobble. Keep sales steady and answer requests quickly. Read how buyers price a business to see what they test.
Closing Month: Documents, Filings and Keys
Attorneys draft the purchase agreement, your note if you carry one, a noncompete and a transition plan. Texas filings happen around now too; our before you close guides list them.
Funds move, you hand over keys and passwords, and you start training the new owner.
What Slows a Sale Down
The usual culprits are records that take weeks to pull together, a lease that can't be assigned, and an owner who stops selling once a buyer shows up. A landlord, franchisor or key customer who must approve the deal can add time too.
Most of these can be spotted on the first call, which is one reason to ask early.
After Closing: The Handoff
Most sellers stay a few weeks to a few months to introduce customers and teach the buyer the work. Then it is the buyer's company.
Seven to nine months is typical from hiring a broker to closing. Start with the valuation request or call (915) 555-0193. If you are still deciding, the selling in El Paso page covers the bigger picture.