Exit Planning Advice By Market

Selling an Antique Furniture and Lighting Business

No one said selling your business in a depressed economy would be easy. Fortunately, a antique furniture and lighting business sale isn't as scary as it seems.

Business-for-sale markets are less dependent on economic conditions than most sellers think they are.

More than a few antique furniture and lighting business sellers sell for a price that is well below market value. With the right strategy, your sale doesn't have to end that way.

Timing the Market

Worried about timing? Believe it or not, this could be an advantageous time to put an antique furniture and lighting business up for sale. A depressed economy means lower interest rates; lower interest rates increase the number of investors willing to take a chance on antique furniture and lighting businesses. As the interest rates rise, it will be more difficult for buyers to make the numbers work in their favor. Market conditions can be intimidating. But your larger concern should be whether or not your business is ready to be presented to qualified sale prospects.

Finding Antique Furniture & Lighting Business Buyers

It's difficult to predict where the buyer of your antique furniture and lighting business will come from. To cover all your bases, you'll need to conduct a broad buyer search process. That means listing your antique furniture and lighting business in trade-specific directories as well as general business-for-sale databases. Sellers should also recognize the value of promoting their sale in trusted business networks, carefully balancing the need for confidentiality with the promotional potential of their contact base.

Brokerage Benefits

A good broker can offer several benefits to business sellers. Right out of the gate, brokers know how to help their clients properly prepare their businesses for a sale. Second, a good business broker is a master at confidentiality locating antique furniture and lighting business sale prospects and guiding sellers through negotiations. Although you will pay a fee for brokerage, it's generally worth it because the end result will be a higher sales prices and more favorable terms.

Share this article


Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs

Lists of Venture Capital and Private Equity Firms

Franchise Opportunities

Contributors

Business Glossary