Business Exits By Industry
Selling a Cemeteries and Memorial Parks Business
We hear from a lot of business owners who are timid about listing their cemeteries and memorial parks business. Despite the mood of the market, we think there are still opportunities to receive a good price for your cemeteries and memorial parks business. Here's what you need to know . . .
Business sellers are notorious for second-guessing themselves about the right time to put their companies up for sale.
Undaunted by economic conditions, many cemeteries and memorial parks business sellers are achieving their sale goals through deliberate sale strategies.
Working with a Professional Accountant
Professional accountants lend credibility to the financial preparation of a cemeteries and memorial parks business sale. Most cemeteries and memorial parks business have significant tax consequences requiring the input of a qualified accountant. Brokers often advise their clients to have an accountant perform an audit of the business prior to sale. With seller financing becoming common, professional accountants are playing a more central role in negotiations and buyer qualification.
Selling a Cemeteries & Memorial Parks Business to an Employee
There are both benefits and drawbacks to selling a cemeteries and memorial parks business to an employee. A faithful employee may have the motivation and ability to continue to operate the business. The time and expense of locating the right buyer will be nonexistent and you won't have to spend weeks showing the buyer every square inch of the company. Yet most employees lack the means to buy their employer's business at or near the asking price. Most of the time, employees also expect owners to finance a large portion of the sale. So if you aren't willing to finance the sale or need to get top dollar for your cemeteries and memorial parks business, a sale to an employee is probably not a possibility.
Finding Prospects
Many sellers don't realize how many prospective buyers there are for their businesses. We frequently see qualified buyers emerge from the seller's network of business and personal acquaintances. In other cases, sellers take a proactive approach to finding likely buyers and contacting them directly. Competitors may seem like natural prospects and they are. The downside is that they won't pay top dollar and will probably absorb your company into their own.
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