{
  "title": "Questions to Ask Before Buying a Business: 12 Beginner Answers",
  "url": "https://acquisitions.com/blog/buying-a-business-12-questions-beginners-ask/",
  "author": "Moran Pober",
  "publisher": "Acquisitions.com",
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "updated": "2026-10-22",
  "section": "From the videos",
  "keyword": "questions to ask before buying a business",
  "short_answer": "Pick a sector where your passion, experience, knowledge and network overlap. Look for motivated sellers, often owners near retirement, with $1M to $10M in revenue. Fund the deal with debt, a small equity piece and seller financing. Do diligence in two phases, negotiate on terms not just price, and plan what you will do with the business after you close.",
  "facts": {
    "Debt": [
      "60% to 80%",
      "SBA lenders, conventional banks, cash-flow lenders"
    ],
    "Equity down": [
      "5% to 10%",
      "Your own cash, or investors who join the deal"
    ],
    "The rest": [
      "Varies",
      "Seller financing or an earn-out"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    "https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/7a-loans"
  ],
  "license": "Facts may be quoted with attribution to Acquisitions.com and a link to the url above."
}