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.
To buy a gas station, evaluate both businesses inside it, fuel and the convenience store, plus the real estate. Verify monthly fuel gallons and cents-per-gallon margin, inside sales by category, the fuel supply agreement and its transfer terms, tank and environmental records, and licenses. Most Texas station purchases include the land and are financed with SBA or conventional loans after an environmental site assessment.
Fuel vs. inside sales
Fuel brings traffic, but inside sales (beverages, tobacco, food service, grocery, lottery commissions) usually drive most of the profit. Ask for monthly gallons, margin per gallon, and inside sales and margins by category for at least two years, and reconcile them to tax returns and supplier statements.
The supply agreement
Branded stations operate under a fuel supply agreement with minimum volumes, rebates or incentives, a remaining term, and rules for assignment to a new owner. Unbranded stations have more pricing freedom and more supply risk. Read the agreement before you make an offer; it can change the deal.
Environmental and tanks
Expect your lender to order an environmental site assessment. Review tank age, registration, compliance and inspection records, and any history of leaks or remediation. Environmental issues are the most common reason gas station deals fall through or get repriced.
Financing and real estate
Gas stations with real estate are common SBA 7(a) and 504 loans, often with longer amortization on the property. Investors from Northern Mexico are also active buyers in Texas. See buying a business with real estate, SBA financing, and our gas station page, or register a buy-side mandate.