🏠 “Selling a Business? It’s Just Like Selling a House…”

Sure—if your house came with employees, legal traps, and a buyer who wants to rip apart your life’s work. Spoiler: It’s not.

You’ve heard the line before. Maybe you’ve even said it:

“Selling your business? It’s just like selling a house. Get a valuation, stick it online, find a buyer—job done.”

Right. And I’m basically Ryan Gosling if you squint hard enough and ignore the facts.

Let’s get real. Comparing a business sale to a house sale is like saying raising kids is the same as owning a cat. On paper, they both need feeding. In practice, one can bankrupt you and sue you for wrongful dismissal.

Time to bust the myth, pint by pint.

🍺 1. Valuing the Thing

House: An estate agent checks the postcode, has a nose around, and pulls a number from Rightmove.

Business: You’ll be asked for three years of accounts, profit margins, cash flow, contracts, customer concentration, staff structure, market conditions, goodwill, and how dependent the business is on you personally. And even then, the answer is still:

“It’s worth what someone will pay for it.”

💡 Myth-Bust:There’s no Zoopla for businesses. Buyers look for return on investment, not curb appeal.

🍺 2. Getting it Ready for Sale

House: Paint the hallway. Hide the cat. Light a scented candle.

Business: You’ll need to:

• Resolve shareholder disputes

• Clean up financials

• Formalise contracts

• Document processes

• Prepare staff communications

• Possibly delay firing Gary (again)

💡 Myth-Bust:You’re not fluffing cushions. You’re proving the business can survive without you.

🍺 3. Dealing with Buyers

House Buyer: Wants somewhere to live. Might ask about the boiler.

Business Buyer: Wants access to every detail of your business. Think tax returns, customer lists, employment contracts, compliance records—and they’ll want warranties to back it all up.

💡 Myth-Bust:This isn’t a friendly handshake. It’s forensic due diligence with legal teeth.

🍺 4. The Legal Bit

House: Conveyancing. Exchange. Completion. Job done.

Business: Welcome to:

• Heads of Terms

• Share Purchase Agreement

• Tax Warranties

• Disclosure Letter

• TUPE Regulations

• Completion Accounts

• Earn-Outs

• Retentions

• And enough small print to make your eyes bleed

💡 Myth-Bust:This isn’t red tape—it’s a legal minefield. Get it wrong, and you could be paying for it years after you “sold”.

🍺 5. Life After the Sale

House: You move out. They move in. End of.

Business: You might be tied in for a year or more—helping with the handover, hitting your earn-out targets, and praying the buyer doesn’t allege a warranty breach.

💡 Myth-Bust:You don’t just walk into the sunset. Often, you ride shotgun for a while—and hope the new driver doesn’t crash.

🍻 The Pub Verdict

Selling a business is not like selling a house.

It’s complex, confidential, and personal. It’s your legacy, your retirement, and your reputation wrapped up in one high-stakes deal. It requires strategy, preparation, and experienced guidance to get right.

So next time your mate down the pub says:

“Just list it and see what you get…”

Smile politely, and say:

“You can sell your shed that way. I’ll speak to someone who actually knows what they’re doing.”