Buy a Business in Los Angeles, CA | Martin Navarro
Buyer Representation

Buy a Business in Los Angeles, CA

Martin Navarro represents buyers acquiring businesses of every type in Los Angeles, from a first main street purchase to a lower middle market platform. He helps you define what to buy, find on and off market opportunities, value them, arrange financing, and get to a clean closing.

California DRE #02372118 CABB · IBBA · M&A Source SBA Financing Guidance On and Off Market Deals

Why Work With a Buyer Side Broker in Los Angeles

Los Angeles has more small businesses for sale than anywhere else in the country, which sounds like an advantage until you start looking. Many listings are overpriced, some of the best businesses never hit a public marketplace, and sorting the real opportunities from the noise takes time and judgment. As your Los Angeles business broker, Martin helps you buy the right business at the right price rather than the first one you find.

Martin represents buyers acquiring businesses of every type across the city, from Downtown and the Arts District to Hollywood, Koreatown, the Westside, and the harbor area. He works with buyers acquiring companies up to 50 million dollars, handles every engagement personally, and serves Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County, and throughout Southern California.

How Buying a Business in Los Angeles Works

A Los Angeles acquisition follows a clear path. Working the steps in order protects your money and keeps the deal on schedule.

1. Define your criteria and budget

We start by mapping what you actually want: industry, size, cash flow, location within Los Angeles, and how much you can invest. A focused search beats a scattered one.

2. Get your financing ready

Most Los Angeles acquisitions use an SBA 7(a) loan, which can fund up to 90 percent of the purchase price for a qualified buyer and business. Getting pre qualified early tells sellers you are serious and sets your real budget.

3. Source on and off market businesses

Martin surfaces listed businesses and quietly checks his network for owners open to selling who are not yet on the market, which is where some of the best Los Angeles deals come from.

4. Value the target and make an offer

We analyze the seller's financials, lease, and customer base, set a defensible value, and structure a letter of intent with price and terms that protect you.

5. Due diligence

Under a signed letter of intent, we verify the numbers, contracts, permits, and operations. This is where a disciplined buyer avoids a bad purchase, and it usually runs 30 to 60 days.

6. Escrow, license transfer, and closing

The deal moves through a California bulk sale escrow. We coordinate the City of Los Angeles Business Tax Registration Certificate, any state ABC alcohol license, Los Angeles County health permits, and lender funding through to the close.

Financing Your Los Angeles Acquisition

Financing is where many first time buyers get stuck, so it is worth understanding early. The SBA 7(a) loan is the workhorse of Los Angeles business acquisitions because it lets a qualified buyer purchase an established, cash flowing business with a manageable down payment.

Los Angeles Businesses You Can Buy

Martin helps buyers across every sector of the Los Angeles economy, from main street to the lower middle market.

Restaurants, Bars and Retail

Independent restaurants, bars, cafes, and specialty retail across the city.

Home and Commercial Services

HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, and B2B service companies with recurring revenue.

Manufacturing and Distribution

Light manufacturers, food producers, and distribution firms near the ports and industrial belt.

Healthcare and Professional Practices

Medical, dental, and professional service firms with established, transferable clients.

Ecommerce, Media and Creative

Online brands and creative studios that reach customers beyond Los Angeles.

Franchise Resales

Established franchise locations with brand support and a proven operating model.

A Los Angeles Buyer Example

Example: a buyer acquired a Los Angeles home services business with about 600,000 dollars in Seller's Discretionary Earnings using an SBA 7(a) loan, a modest down payment, and a small seller note. Because the business had recurring customers and a working manager, the lender approved it and the buyer stepped into cash flow from day one. This example is anonymized and illustrative.

The pattern that makes a Los Angeles acquisition work is consistent: verifiable earnings, recurring revenue, a transferable team, and a lease that carries to the new owner.

Working With Martin Navarro

Martin Navarro is a Los Angeles business broker and M&A advisor who represents both buyers and sellers in the confidential purchase and sale of businesses of every type, from main street through the lower middle market. He works every engagement personally.

Buying a Business in Los Angeles, Common Questions

How much money do I need to buy a business in Los Angeles?

For most main street Los Angeles acquisitions with SBA financing, buyers put down about 10 to 20 percent of the purchase price plus working capital and closing costs.

On a 1 million dollar business that is roughly 100,000 to 200,000 dollars down, though the exact figure depends on the lender, the deal structure, and how much seller financing is involved.

Can I buy a business in Los Angeles with an SBA loan?

Yes. The SBA 7(a) program is the most common way to finance a Los Angeles business acquisition, typically funding up to 90 percent of the purchase price for a qualified buyer and business.

Martin helps you target businesses that are financeable and connects you with SBA lenders who fund California deals.

Can I buy a business in Los Angeles with no money down?

True no money down deals are rare, but you can lower your cash outlay by combining an SBA loan with seller financing and a seller note.

Most lenders still require the buyer to contribute some equity, so plan for a down payment even in a heavily financed deal.

How long does it take to buy a business in Los Angeles?

Most Los Angeles acquisitions take 3 to 6 months from serious search to closing, and longer if SBA financing is involved.

Finding the right business is the variable part, while due diligence and escrow usually run 60 to 90 days once you are under a signed letter of intent.

Do I need a broker to buy a business in Los Angeles?

You are not required to, but a broker helps you define criteria, source on and off market businesses, value targets, structure the offer, and manage due diligence and escrow.

Buyer representation is especially useful in a market as large and competitive as Los Angeles, where sorting real opportunities from overpriced listings takes experience.

What should I look for when buying a business in Los Angeles?

Focus on clean, verifiable financials, recurring revenue, a transferable customer base, an assignable lease at a fair rent, and a business that does not depend entirely on the current owner.

In a high rent market like Los Angeles, the lease terms alone can make or break an otherwise good deal.

What types of businesses can I buy in Los Angeles?

Martin helps buyers acquire businesses of every type across Los Angeles, from restaurants, retail, and home services to manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, professional practices, and franchises.

He works from main street through the lower middle market.

Ready to buy a business in Los Angeles?

Tell Martin what you are looking for. The first conversation is confidential and comes with no obligation, and it will save you months of looking in the wrong places.

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