Own It · Buy Boring. Live Rich.
Cash-flowing service businesses change hands every day. This page shows how those deals are priced, what the financing usually looks like, and what you need in hand before an SBA lender takes you seriously.
Deal profiles
Each profile below reflects typical listing ranges for small businesses in these categories: revenue, seller’s discretionary earnings (SDE), asking price, and the multiple that connects them. These are teaching examples, not live listings, offers, or solicitations to buy or sell any business.
Home services · Midwest metro
Recurring maintenance agreements, licensed technicians in place, owner works in sales and estimating.
Watch for: Technician retention, license transfer, seasonality of cash flow, deferred fleet maintenance.
Facilities · Upper Midwest
Multi-year contracts with property managers, equipment included, working foreman stays.
Watch for: Contract assignability, weather-driven revenue swings, equipment replacement schedule.
Consumer services · Southeast
Semi-absentee operation, card systems installed, long remaining lease terms.
Watch for: Lease renewal risk, machine age, utility cost increases, cash reporting quality.
B2B distribution · Texas
Twenty-year operating history, diversified account base, experienced inside sales team.
Watch for: Customer concentration, inventory valuation, supplier agreements, receivable aging.
Facilities · Pacific Northwest
Nightly recurring contracts, low equipment needs, stable route structure.
Watch for: Labor turnover, worker classification, wage pressure, thin gross margins.
Automotive · Mountain West
Owned reputation in one vehicle brand, certified technicians, strong online reviews.
Watch for: Owner-dependent customer relationships, real estate lease, equipment obsolescence.
Financing
Program terms, eligibility, and lender overlays change and vary by lender and borrower. Confirm every item with an SBA-preferred lender before relying on it.
Ask about SDE add-backs, debt service coverage, or seller financing in the conversation, then verify with your lender, CPA, and attorney.
Educational content only — not financial, investment, tax, legal, insurance, lending, or brokerage advice. Investing and business ownership involve substantial risk, including loss of your entire investment. Read the full disclaimer.
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