FAQs – General

Reputable business brokers leverage their resources and experience in your best interests, adding value to every sale. 

• They professionally and aggressively market businesses, and good brokers have a large pool of pre-existing interested Buyers.
• They interview and educate prospective Buyers, and support them during due diligence, financing, and escrow.
• Brokers provide a buffer between Buyers and Sellers during negotiations, facilitating deals that make sense. This often makes the difference between closing a deal or walking away.
• Experienced brokers spot potential obstacles to a smooth sale early, helping avoid common pitfalls and costly mistakes.
• Reputable brokers guide both parties through every step of the process until the day escrow closes, ensuring Buyers and Sellers prioritize and stay focused. 
• Finally, experienced Agents have good working relationships with a network of professionals (lenders, escrow officers, etc.) and can leverage that network to close deals smoothly.

It's certainly possible to sell a business on your own; some owners do try. However, there are serious disadvantages to consider:

• Business sales are tricky to keep confidential, you run a serious risk that key employees will learn of the potential sale.
• The process is very time consuming, and is a serious distraction from operating your business.
• The process requires a large pool of qualified Buyers to have a reasonable chance of a successful sale. The best Brokers develop this pool over many years.
• First time Sellers are generally at a serious disadvantage during negotiations.
• Finally, laws governing business sales change over time, and practicing brokers have experience meeting these requirements. Trying to sell on your own usually isn't realistic or worth the risk for such an important transaction.

Choose BottomLine because our Brokers have both deep experience and personal integrity. 

Experience: Our team has over 100 years of combined experience buying and selling small businesses and commercial property. Experience handling the nuances of each transaction is the most powerful advantage a client can have! When we're selling your business or you’re buying a business to support your family, you’ll appreciate the peace of mind knowing your details are being handled thoroughly and professionally. 

Integrity: BottomLine transactions are treated with the utmost confidentiality, thorough disclosure of facts, and all transactions are crafted with the best interests of both Buyer and Seller in mind. It’s simply how we’re wired. 

Generally, we are compensated by the Sellers we represent. On rare occasions we are compensated by our Buyers, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

Yes, because it is in our Seller's best interests to do so! We generally co-broker with other experienced Agents whose clients have not already seen the listing details through any of BottomLine's marketing efforts.

If you are an experienced Agent representing a Buyer interested in one of our listings, please reach out directly to the Broker representing the Seller to discuss co-brokering. Be prepared to demonstrate that your client is financially qualified and has the proper experience to successfully acquire and operate the business.

Yes. Any experienced, reputable Broker will insist on an exclusive listing agreement before agreeing to the responsibilities of selling a business. Brokers invest a great deal of time, effort, and marketing dollars upfront to prepare a business for sale (usually at zero cost to the Seller) in exchange for the opportunity to earn a commission.

Employing several Brokers to sell your business may seem like a good idea, but it usually backfires. The same business gets marketed differently, often using different financials or asking prices, causing confusion in the marketplace. Buyers see conflicting ads for the same business, become confused or suspicious, and quickly lose interest.

Consistent, professional, experienced marketing from one source is the fastest way to sell a business. Remember that it takes time, even for experienced Brokers!

We’re passionate about selling businesses, so you’ve come to the right place. The first step is a conversation with one of our business brokers. Click here and one of our agents will reach out to you within 1 business day to learn all about your business. 

When business brokers list a business for sale, they become Agents representing the Seller. The same brokers often work with prospective Buyers, becoming Buyer’s Agents as well. This is known as Dual Agency; it is very common in business brokerage and has significant advantages.

Dual Agents can view the deal from the perspectives of both Buyer and Seller, and have a more complete picture of the transaction than any Agent acting for only one side. This eases communication; Dual Agents can often negotiate fair compromises that wouldn't be possible with competing Agents. Transactions where the Buyer and Seller are represented by different Agents at the same brokerage firm are still technically Dual Agency, because the firm is responsible for both Agents.

Remember that even though you share an Agent, strict guidelines and professional integrity prevent them from sharing confidential or otherwise privileged information from the other party.