The below links provide some of the basic forms used in business brokerage.

The NDA, Non-Disclosure (Confidentiality) Agreement binds you to confidentiality on the businesses for which you make inquiries. This is extremely important as the employees of the businesses are not aware they are for sale in almost all cases. Key employees may panic and seek other employment upon finding out. This could have a very detrimental effect on the Seller's business. The reality is the employees generally have excellent job security in an acquisition as the new Buyer is very dependent on their knowledge of the business, product, customer base, services provided, etc. Generally, the employees are introduced to the Buyer shortly after they close the sale and the employees are reassured that they are needed and valuable. Once a business location has been disclosed to a Buyer, they many times want to go by as a customer or sit in the parking lot and watch the businesses daily operations. Everyone understands many Buyers may do this, however it is extremely important to be discreet and be extremely careful what you say to employees of the business. Make an appointment with Landscape Depot Investments to meet with the seller.

The Financial Statement form is a type on document that you can prepare yourself and print out. It is a listing of your personal assets, liabilities and net worth. Many Brokers and Sellers will not provide you information on businesses without first you showing them you have the financial capability to acquire the business. This makes sense and saves everyone time. Buyer's demand lots of proprietary and confidential information about businesses for sale. Before a Broker and Seller spend a lot of time with you revealing the intricacies of their business, they want to know they are dealing with a qualified Buyer. A Letter of Introduction briefly describing your background and current objectives, and/or a Resume are also good tools to let Brokers and Sellers know you are serious and qualified to acquire a business.

Most small business acquisition transactions involve an Asset Purchase Agreement, which essentially allows the buyer to acquire a business, including the company name, telephone number(s), customers, vehicles/equipment, without assuming any of the potential liabilities that may be associated with the corporation. This link is provided for you to review and familiarize yourself with a typical boiler-plate purchase contract to use when making an offer on a business opportunity. Landscape Depot Investments can work with you to customize the agreement to suite the particular transaction.

Buyer Questionnaire - This is a form you can complete and share with your Landscape Depot Investments Broker along with the above referenced materials. Once we know you, your background, your objectives and your financial capabilities, we will be much more capable of matching you to the right business.

Please see the Buying a Business section for additional information of preparing to buy a business.