Reddit Q&A: “For those buying a business—how’s your search and deal process going? What challenges are you running into in this market?”

Posted by u/AcquisitionCurious:

“Would love to hear what your business buying journey is like. How’s your search going? What are the biggest challenges you’re running into in this market?”

Answer from the Clearly Acquired Deal Team
Signed by Samson Jagoras, CEO & CIO

Great question—and the answer is: it’s both easier and harder than ever.

The barriers to entry for business buying have never been lower. With SBA financing, better online marketplaces, and more retiring business owners, there's a historic wave of opportunity. But that opportunity comes with some real headwinds—especially in sourcing deals, standing out as a buyer, and closing in today's rate and valuation environment.

Here's a breakdown of what we’re seeing on the ground, every day, across our buyer network:

🔎 The State of the Search Process (2025 Edition)

✅ What’s Working:

• Off-market deal sourcing is surging thanks to outreach tools, letter campaigns, and smarter targeting
• SBA 7(a) financing is still a dominant force—despite rising rates, lenders are active and deals are getting done
• Buyers with real operator experience (not just financial backgrounds) are winning more deals
• AI tools + structured search workflows are accelerating due diligence, outreach, and screening

⚠️ What’s Challenging:

• High competition on quality listings—especially in the $500K–$3M SDE range
• Broker relationships can be hit-or-miss: Some are gatekeepers, others add real value
• Seller expectations remain inflated in many industries, despite macro headwinds
• Deal fatigue—buying a business is still a full-time job, and it can feel like a slog
• Rising interest rates reduce affordability and increase deal scrutiny, especially from lenders

🧠 Key Challenges (And How to Overcome Them)

1. Too Few Good Deals (or Too Many Bad Ones)

Most online listings are incomplete, overpriced, or stale. Relying solely on marketplaces? You’ll compete with 100 other buyers.

Solution: Build a custom, proactive pipeline. Use direct outreach, off-market search engines (like ours), and leverage tools that consolidate listings + flag deals with strong financials.

2. Standing Out as a Buyer

If you look like every other first-time buyer with a Gmail and no capital plan, brokers and sellers will ghost you.

Solution: Package yourself professionally. Have a bio, a financing prequal, and a deal thesis. Sellers want to know their business is in good hands—and will actually close.

3. Slow Lenders or Dead Ends in Financing

Buyers often waste weeks with lenders who aren’t a fit for their deal type or industry.

Solution: Use a lender match tool (like the Clearly Acquired Marketplace) to filter by credit box and SBA appetite. Know your deal's "lendability" before wasting time.

4. Fatigue from Repeating the Same Work

Tracking listings, screening financials, sending NDAs, vetting brokers—rinse, repeat.

Solution: Automate your deal flow and use a CRM or deal pipeline tool that centralizes everything in one place. Time is your most valuable asset.

5. Valuation Gaps and Seller Emotion

Many sellers still want 4–5× SDE multiples—regardless of team dependency, market comps, or capital needs.

Solution: Be patient, but ready. Bring comps, show your math, and focus on alignment, not confrontation. Education is part of the game.

📈 What the Best Buyers Are Doing in 2025

• Building relationships before a business hits the market
• Using real-time lender data to shape offers and structure terms
• Staying disciplined on price and walk-away points
• Partnering with advisors (or platforms like ours) to speed up diligence and funding
• Focusing on specific industries they understand—rather than chasing shiny objects

🏁 Final Take

The market is active. There are more tools, more capital, and more sellers than ever. But buying a business still requires clarity, consistency, and a willingness to grind through the noise.

At Clearly Acquired, we’ve helped thousands of buyers streamline their search, evaluate deals, and secure funding with confidence. Whether you're just getting started or stuck in analysis paralysis, we’ve built the infrastructure for you to win—without burning out.

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Onward,

Samson Jagoras
CEO & Chief Investment Officer
Clearly Acquired

P.S. Want to see real deals that match your criteria and get prequalified for financing in one click? Join our platform—it’s built for serious buyers.

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