We Need to Sell Our Company

Selling a Yacht Harbor

For the right sellers, the business-for-sale marketplace is a friendly environment for yacht harbor opportunities. Here's what you need to know to get a fair price for your company.

These days, the prospect of selling a yacht harbor is so daunting that many would-be sellers are biding their time, waiting for a break in the economic clouds.

At Gaebler, we think that's a mistake because with adequate preparation and the right sale strategy, this might be the best time to put your yacht harbor on the market.

Preparing for What's Next

So you've decided to sell your yacht harbor. That's great -- but have you considered what's next? Are you moving on to another business venture? Are you retiring? many sellers find themselves ill-equipped to handle life after their business and fail to understand that their future plans can influence the sale process. We frequently encounter business sellers who haven't thought enough about their futures to know whether certain concessions (e.g seller financing) are a real possibility. As a result, they make bad decisions during the sale and experience less-than-optimal outcomes.

Buyer Concessions

Most yacht harbor sellers realize they will need to offer concessions to sell their businesses. But for every concession you grant, there may be an opportunity to obtain a concession from the buyer. Although this scenario frequently plays out around seller financed deals, it's possible to push for a higher sales price or other form of compensation if you agree to mentor the buyer for a specified period of time. Asset exclusions, retained ownership shares and long-term contracts with another of the seller's companies can also be leveraged to extract concessions from buyers.

After the Sale

Due diligence has ended and you're ready to close on the sale of your yacht harbor. All that stands between you and the sale proceeds is a few signatures, right? Not so fast. The transition to the new owner, the distribution of sale proceeds and other issues can weigh heavily on sellers. You, your employees and the buyer all have a stake in making sure the sale ends as smoothly as possible. If possible, work with the buyer to create a transition strategy that minimizes the impact on the business and your workforce.

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