Why is seller financing so important when selling a business?

Why is seller financing so important when selling a business?

Surveys have shown that a seller who asks for all cash, receives on average only 70 percent of his or her asking price, while sellers who accept terms receive on average 86 percent of their asking price. That’s a difference of 16 percent! In many cases, businesses that are listed for all cash just don’t sell. With reasonable terms, however, the chances of selling increase dramatically and the time period from listing to sale greatly decreases. Most sellers are unaware of how much interest they can receive by financing the sale of their business. In some cases it can greatly increase the amount received. When the seller allows for financing the purchase of an existing business, it also tells the buyer that the seller has enough confidence that the business can, indeed, pay for itself.