Guides
Buying and selling a business: guides.
Plain-English answers to the questions Texas owners and buyers actually ask, from valuation and deal structure to confidentiality and SBA financing, plus closing-risk guides for licensed and border businesses.
Seller guides by industry
Sell your business, by industry
Free guides for Rio Grande Valley owners, one per industry: who buys, what raises and lowers your price, how deals are priced, the licenses that decide whether a sale closes, a prep checklist and a sale-readiness scorecard. Last reviewed November 12, 2026.
Healthcare
Home health and hospice
How to sell a home health, hospice or PAS agency in the Rio Grande Valley
ABA and pediatric therapy
How to sell an ABA, behavioral health or pediatric therapy practice in the Rio Grande Valley
Dental practices
How to sell your dental practice to a DSO in the Rio Grande Valley
Home and building services
Pest control
How to sell a pest control business in the Rio Grande Valley
Commercial HVAC and mechanical
How to sell a commercial HVAC or mechanical contractor in the Rio Grande Valley
HVAC, plumbing and electrical
How to sell a residential HVAC, plumbing or electrical company in the Rio Grande Valley
Professional services
Insurance agencies
How to sell an insurance agency in the Rio Grande Valley
CPA and accounting firms
How to sell a CPA or accounting firm in the Rio Grande Valley
Cross-border logistics
Trucking and drayage
How to Sell a Cross-Border Trucking or Drayage Company in the Rio Grande Valley
Customs brokers and forwarders
How to Sell a Customs Brokerage or Freight Forwarder in the Rio Grande Valley
Warehousing, 3PL and cold storage
How to Sell a Warehouse, 3PL or Cold Storage Business in the Rio Grande Valley
Distribution, ag and auto
Produce importers and distributors
How to Sell a Fresh Produce Importer or Distributor in the Rio Grande Valley
Propane and fuel distribution
How to Sell a Propane or Fuel Distribution Business in the Rio Grande Valley
Farms, citrus, grain and irrigation
How to Sell a Citrus, Farming, Grain or Irrigation Business in the Rio Grande Valley
Building products and lumber
How to Sell a Building Products Distributor or Lumber Yard in the Rio Grande Valley
Tire and auto repair
How to Sell a Tire Shop or Auto Repair Business in the Rio Grande Valley
Closing-risk guides
Closing-risk guides for licensed and border businesses
Some businesses cannot simply change hands. A license has to be reissued, a federal number does not move, or the buyer's lender has rules that knock out half the buyer pool. These guides walk through the rules that most often delay or kill a closing in South Texas, each cited to the agency text and reviewed on a set date. Last reviewed November 12, 2026.
Home health and hospice
Selling a home health or hospice agency in Texas
How to sell a Texas home health or hospice agency: the HHSC change of ownership (CHOW), keeping the seller's license active, Medicare enrollment changes, and the 36-month rule in 42 CFR 424.550(b).
Pharmacies
Selling a pharmacy in Texas
How to sell a Texas pharmacy: why the buyer needs a new TSBP license, the DEA transfer and inventory rules for controlled substances, Medicaid re-enrollment, PBM contracts, and prescription files.
Customs brokerages
Selling a customs brokerage on the Texas border
How to sell a customs brokerage: what transfers and what does not under 19 CFR Part 111, the national permit, the 120-day licensed officer rule, filer codes, powers of attorney and bonds, with Laredo, Hidalgo, Pharr and Brownsville context.
Cross-border trucking
Selling a cross-border trucking company
How to sell a Texas cross-border trucking company: why a USDOT number cannot be sold, stock sale vs. asset sale, MC authority transfers, Mexico-domiciled authority, BOC-3, MCS-90, CTPAT and FAST, drivers, and safety ratings.
SBA citizenship rule
The SBA citizenship rule and your buyer
Since March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) and 504 loans require 100 percent of owners to be U.S. citizens or nationals living in the U.S., and green card holders no longer qualify. What SOP 50 10 8.1 means for Rio Grande Valley sellers and the alternative structures.
Guide
How much is my business worth?
How business value is calculated in Texas: SDE and EBITDA multiples, what raises or lowers your multiple, and how to get an opinion of value.
Guide
Asset sale vs. stock sale: what’s the difference?
Asset sale vs. stock sale explained for Texas business owners: what transfers, tax and liability differences, and which buyers prefer.
Guide
Buying a business with the real estate included
How deals that include the real property work: valuing the business and the building, financing, and why owner-operators love mixed-use.
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SBA-financeable businesses: what it means
What makes a business SBA-financeable, how much a buyer typically needs down, and why SBA pre-qualification helps sellers too.
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How to sell a business confidentially
Why confidentiality matters when selling a business, how no-names marketing and NDAs work, and how to protect employees and customers.
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Why recurring-revenue businesses sell for more
Recurring and recession-resistant businesses command higher multiples. Here is why buyers pay up for predictable cash flow.
Guide
How much do business brokers charge in Texas?
Typical Texas business broker fees explained: success-fee percentages, minimum fees, upfront retainers, buy-side fees, and how to compare brokers before you sign.
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How to Prepare Your Business to Sell
A practical 6 to 12 month roadmap to prepare your business to sell: clean books, less owner dependence, durable revenue, and a buyer-ready financial package.
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Seller Financing and Earnouts Explained
How seller notes, earnouts, and holdbacks structure real business sales: who each one helps, the risks a seller carries, and why they pair with SBA loans.
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How Long Does It Take to Sell a Business?
A realistic timeline for selling a well-run lower-middle-market business: the stages, typical durations, and the factors that speed a deal up or slow it down.
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Selling Your Business to Cross-Border and Mexican Buyers
How Rio Grande Valley owners sell to cross-border and Mexican buyers: why border businesses draw them, and how a bilingual, confidential process works.
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How to Buy a Business in Texas: A First-Time Buyer Guide
A plain-English guide for first-time business buyers in Texas and the Rio Grande Valley: define your mandate, find deal flow, read a listing, and finance it.
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The Due Diligence Checklist for Buying a Business
A buyer's due diligence checklist for acquiring a business: verify the financials, operations, legal standing, and transition before you close the deal.
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SDE vs. EBITDA, and how to calculate SDE
The difference between seller’s discretionary earnings (SDE) and EBITDA, which one buyers use for your business, and a worked example of how to calculate SDE with add-backs.
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Broker’s opinion of value vs. a formal appraisal
What a broker’s opinion of value (BOV) is, how it differs from a certified business appraisal, and which one you need to price a business for sale in Texas.
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Selling a business yourself vs. using a broker
Can you sell a business without a broker? An honest look at FSBO business sales in Texas: what owners do well on their own, where deals break, and what a broker actually does.
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Why businesses don’t sell, and how to fix it
The most common reasons businesses fail to sell in Texas: price, books, owner dependence, concentration, lease problems, and how to fix each one before going to market.
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Franchise network or independent local broker?
How national franchise business brokerage networks compare with independent local brokers in Texas, and the questions to ask any broker before you sign a listing agreement.
Guide
Lower-middle-market M&A in South Texas
How mergers and acquisitions work for South Texas companies with roughly $1M to $5M of earnings: buyers, process, valuation, and when you need an M&A advisor instead of a Main Street broker.
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Exit planning for business owners
How Texas business owners plan an exit three to five years out: choosing an exit path, building value, preparing financials, and timing the sale.
Guide
How to value a restaurant
How restaurants are valued when they sell: SDE multiples, the lease, equipment, and why sales trends and food and labor costs move the price.
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How to value a trucking company
How trucking, freight, and logistics companies are valued for sale, including asset value vs. earnings, customer and lane concentration, equipment age, and cross-border operations.
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How to sell a business in Texas
How to sell a small business in Texas, step by step: valuation, preparation, confidential marketing, buyers, letter of intent, due diligence, financing, and closing.
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What does a business broker do?
What a business broker does for sellers and buyers, how brokers are paid, how they differ from M&A advisors, and how to choose one in Texas.
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Capital gains tax on the sale of a business
How the sale of a business is taxed: capital gains vs. ordinary income, purchase price allocation, asset vs. stock sales, installment sales, and Texas’s lack of a state income tax.
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How to sell a gas station
How to sell a gas station in Texas: valuing fuel and inside sales, the fuel supply agreement, environmental records, real estate, financing, and finding buyers.
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How to sell a landscaping business
How to sell a landscaping or lawn care business: what buyers pay for, recurring maintenance contracts, crews and equipment, private equity roll-ups, and preparation steps.
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How to buy a car wash
How to buy a car wash in Texas: express tunnel vs. self-serve, membership revenue, equipment and real estate, SBA financing, and the due diligence checklist.
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How to buy a laundromat
How to buy a laundromat: verifying cash revenue, machine age, the lease, utility costs, wash-and-fold and delivery revenue, SBA financing, and red flags.
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How to buy a gas station
How to buy a gas station or convenience store in Texas: fuel volume and margin, inside sales, the supply agreement, environmental review, real estate, and SBA financing.