A buyer who goes looking this week finds a market that is bigger than most people assume. 9,064 businesses were listed in our price band across 12 states, averaging $306,154, and only 5,407 of them published both price and profit. We took in and scored 5,216, and 4,151 survived our credibility screen. That is the pool where the numbers actually hold up, and Florida was the biggest source of listings in it. For the professional watching a role get quietly automated away, a steady supply of small, owner-run businesses with real financials is a better backstop than another round of résumé tweaks. Our examples assume 10% down, which is an assumption we model, not a promise of what any lender will approve. The point is just that this week's listings are worth a close look.
THIS WEEK'S TOP DEALS
7 deals cleared our filters. Ranked by score.
Deal #1: ESTABLISHED DISASTER RESTORATION FRANCHISE SEMI-ABSENTEE OPERATION
NJ
Asking: $525,000 | Revenue: $558,000 | Cash Flow: $192,000 Rev Multiple: 0.94x | CF Multiple: 2.73x | Score: 8.1/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 2.56x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.0x over, self-financing at current rates
34% cash flow margin — 34% of every revenue dollar reaches the owner
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
Semi-absentee per the listing — owner involvement is part-time; confirm the hours on the first call
Disaster restoration franchise covering Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean and Mercer counties in New Jersey, with permission to work across the state and into parts of Pennsylvania. Revenue runs about 90% residential and 10% commercial, so water, mold, fire and storm jobs are the core, and the 24/7 emergency line with a roughly 60-minute response is what the brand is really selling. At $525,000 and 2.73x cash flow, with a project manager already running the work, this fits a buyer who can manage a crew by phone and a CRM. Commercial accounts and referral partnerships are the growth levers the seller points to, and the first diligence call is how semi-absentee the owner's week really is.
Deal #2: ABSENTEE-RUN BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FRANCHISE — SBA PRE-QUALIFIED
FL · 4 years in operation
Asking: $499,000 | Revenue: $755,742 | Cash Flow: $181,000 Rev Multiple: 0.66x | CF Multiple: 2.76x | Score: 8.0/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 2.54x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.0x over, self-financing at current rates
24% cash margin — healthy for this price range
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
Operates without owner's daily presence — lower key-person risk at transition
Breakfast-and-lunch franchise in Pinellas County, minutes from the Gulf beaches, with daytime-only hours and a general manager already running the floor. Seller SDE climbed from $133,000 in 2022 to $181,000 in 2024 while sales settled at $755,742 after a $782,101 peak in 2023, so ask whether the margin gain is durable or manager-driven. The listing claims occupancy at roughly 6-7% of sales, which is worth verifying against the lease, and the listing says the business has been established for 4 years, so the three years of results shown are most of its history. For a corporate refugee, the appeal is a no-dinner-service schedule and a franchisor playbook instead of a blank page.
Deal #3: GIFT SHOP
TX · Retail · 22 years in operation
Asking: $520,000 | Revenue: $727,012 | Cash Flow: $201,035 Rev Multiple: 0.72x | CF Multiple: 2.59x | Score: 8.0/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 2.71x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.2x over, self-financing at current rates
28% cash margin — healthy for a Retail business in this price range
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
Semi-absentee per the listing — owner involvement is part-time; confirm the hours on the first call
A Dallas-suburb strip-mall franchise resale that sells dipped fruit, flowers and gifts, with delivery, pick-up and walk-in sales all feeding the same 1,200 sq ft store. The current owners bought in 2023 and now sell for personal family reasons, so the first diligence question is what the store did under them versus before. $201,035 in cash flow on $727,012 of revenue at $520,000 is 2.59x, and the listing's own financing note is 25% cash down with SBA financing for qualified buyers with industry experience, which is more cash at close than the 10% down our modeled figures assume, so confirm the real down payment and the experience requirement; any lender will also want the franchise agreement, the lease and the franchisor's transfer approval.
Deal #4: SEMI-ABSENTEE 3-UNIT FRANCHISE PACKAGE — $316K OWNER EARNINGS
NY
Asking: $735,000 | Revenue: $1,473,000 | Cash Flow: $316,000 Rev Multiple: 0.50x | CF Multiple: 2.33x | Score: 8.0/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 3.01x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.4x over, self-financing at current rates
21% cash margin — healthy for this price range
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
Semi-absentee per the listing — owner involvement is part-time; confirm the hours on the first call
Three healthy fast-casual franchise units across Nassau County, offered as one package at $735,000 against $1,473,000 in revenue and $316,000 in owner earnings, about 2.33x cash flow. The listing describes three separate Long Island markets (an affluent Nassau corridor, a dense walkable South Shore beach community, and a second South Shore corridor), so a single slow location doesn't sink the package, which is the real appeal over buying one unit. All three are franchise resales subject to franchisor approval, and that approval is the gate to clear before anything else. The seller pitches semi-absentee ownership, but this is food service with three staffed kitchens, so get the manager structure in writing before you believe the hours.
Deal #5: RECURRING REVENUE HAIR SALON IN EASTERN GEORGIA
GA · Health & Wellness · 8 years in operation
Asking: $350,000 | Revenue: $700,000 | Cash Flow: $162,000 Rev Multiple: 0.50x | CF Multiple: 2.16x | Score: 8.0/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 3.24x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.6x over, self-financing at current rates
23% cash margin — healthy for a Health & Wellness business in this price range
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Repeat or recurring clientele reported — demand that returns without a sales push; verify it isn't one relationship
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
Hair salon franchise resale in eastern Georgia with 11 employees, a 1,400 sq ft leased space, and a recurring-revenue model the seller says has produced steady year-over-year growth. At $350,000 against $162,000 in cash flow, the debt service on a 10% down structure leaves a DSCR of 3.24x, and the listing carries an SBA pre-qualified note. The first diligence item is the lease: the listing shows an expiration of 08/31/2026, which has already passed as of this issue, so confirm whether the space is now on a renewal, a holdover or month-to-month, and whether the $37,730 annual rent still applies, before relying on anything in the P&L. The owner works full time in the business, so ask exactly which chair and client relationships leave with them.
Deal #6: NASSAU COUNTY HIGH VOLUME FRANCHISE GYM
NY · Health & Wellness
Asking: $649,000 | Revenue: $1,184,384 | Cash Flow: $220,000 Rev Multiple: 0.55x | CF Multiple: 2.95x | Score: 7.9/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 2.38x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 1.9x over, self-financing at current rates
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Repeat or recurring clientele reported — demand that returns without a sales push; verify it isn't one relationship
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
Operates without owner's daily presence — lower key-person risk at transition
A 27,000 SF franchise gym in Nassau County with over 3,100 recurring members and roughly $76,000 a month in membership collections, run by a full-time manager while the owner stays absentee. The part worth pricing is the rent: $21,880 a month on a new five-year lease with a five-year option, so confirm the $220,000 cash flow is stated after that rent. At $649,000 and 2.95x, the listing says about $1,000,000 of equipment is included and owned free and clear; get it appraised before you count it as value.
Deal #7: PRICE REDUCTION - FRANCHISE DOG TRAINING 🆕 NEW THIS WEEK
MO · Education · 4 years in operation
Asking: $799,000 | Revenue: $755,948 | Cash Flow: $368,567 Rev Multiple: 1.06x | CF Multiple: 2.17x | Score: 7.7/10
Green Flags:
DSCR 3.23x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.6x over, self-financing at current rates
49% cash flow margin — 49% of every revenue dollar reaches the owner
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Franchise system — proven operations playbook, national brand recognition, lender-friendly structure
A franchise dog training resale in Missouri, working out of an 1,800 sq ft brick-and-mortar facility that the listing states comes with the real property in the $799,000 (always verify). The listing puts revenue at $755,948 and cash flow at $368,567, a 49% margin that is rare in a service business staffed by only three full-timers working Monday to Friday, 8 to 5. The caveat is age: the listing says the business has been established for four years, so you are underwriting a young operation, and the first diligence job is checking that the 2.17x multiple rests on trailing results rather than a good recent stretch. For a buyer who wants a franchise playbook and a real building, the seller's relocation gives a plain reason for sale and a stated commitment to a smooth handoff.
MARKET PULSE — Week of October 09, 2026
9,064 businesses were listed in our price band across 12 states this week. 5,407 of them (60%) published both price and profit — the only ones that can be scored. We feature 7.
The inventory:
Average asking price: $306,154 | Median: $250,999
Scanned 5,216 of the 5,407 scoreable listings (96%); the credibility screen then removed 1,065 — 396 missing a required financial, 207 implausible financials, 198 byte-identical financials (whole cluster dropped), 159 licensure-locked, 55 no stated asking price (band only), 35 near-duplicate relistings, 10 sold/unavailable listings, 5 non-acquisition (franchise-development & recruitment ads)
Price distribution: 39% under $200K · 34% $200–400K · 16% $400–600K · 11% over $600K
Where the deals are:
Florida led with 1,518 listings, followed by Texas (762), New York (664)
Geographic spread was broad this week, with inventory across multiple regions. Sun Belt markets remain the most active, but deals are surfacing in secondary markets that are often less competitive for qualified buyers.
Deal quality this week:
Best multiple among featured deals with fully disclosed financials: 2.16x (meaning about 2.2 years to pay back the purchase price from cash flow alone)
Strong week for deal quality — the top 7 averaged 8.0/10 on our scoring model. A high score flags a candidate worth a first call, not a confirmed buy — verify each one's numbers before you move.
One thing to watch: Every one of this week's seven featured deals is a franchise. That is the pattern to watch, and it matters because a franchise resale is a different purchase from an independent business: the franchisor typically holds approval rights, and the transfer comes with fees and training requirements that independent sellers do not have. Several of these listings lean on 'absentee' or 'semi-absentee' language, but the franchise agreement, not the seller's pitch, decides what you can change about how the unit runs. Before you write an LOI on any of them, ask for the current Franchise Disclosure Document, the transfer fee schedule, and written confirmation of the franchisor's approval process and timeline. Then ask each seller why they are selling; in a franchise system, the answer may be about the franchisor relationship rather than the owner's plans. If the transfer terms are murky, treat that as a reason to walk away rather than a detail to sort out after closing.
THE WATCHLIST
What's become of the deals we've featured before.
⚠️ Established Residential And Commercial Custom Glass Business — no longer appears in our latest scan; it may have sold, been delisted, or gone off-market (first featured #003).
⚠️ Pennsylvania Franklin Smoke Shop C Store and Arcade — no longer appears in our latest scan; it may have sold, been delisted, or gone off-market (first featured #009).
⚠️ Leading Hurricane Shutter, Window And Door Company — no longer appears in our latest scan; it may have sold, been delisted, or gone off-market (first featured #013).
💰 Recurring Revenue Lawn And Landscape Services Business — asking reduced to $179,999 (from $239,999) since we featured it (#001).
⏳ High-Volume National Brand Auto Repair Center — still listed 12 weeks after we first featured it (#002).
THE DEAL BREAKDOWN
Established Electrical Contractor
FL · Home Services · 55 years in operation
This week we dissect one deal in depth — chosen for what it teaches, not its rank in this week's list — Score: 7.5/10. Here's everything you need to decide if it's worth pursuing: the numbers, the financing structure, what to verify in due diligence, and the bull and bear cases.
The numbers at a glance:
Asking price: $650,000
Revenue: $835,737
Cash flow: $239,230
The SBA financing structure:
Down payment (10%): $65,000 — what you need out of pocket at close
SBA 7(a) loan: $585,000 at ~10% (assumed), 10-year term
Monthly debt service: $7,731
Monthly take-home after debt service: $12,205
Annual take-home: $146,460
Cash-on-cash return: 225%
Screening criteria:
Criterion | Target | Actual | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
CF multiple | <3.0x | 2.72x | Pass |
Revenue multiple | <2.5x | 0.78x | Pass |
DSCR (SBA 1.25x floor) | ≥1.25x | 2.58x | Pass |
Cash margin | ≥15% | 29% | Pass |
Years in business | ≥5 | 55 | Pass |
Financials disclosed | Full | Full | Pass |
Verdict: Worth the First Call — financials hold up and the lender math works; a high score flags a candidate, not a confirmed buy.
What's working for this deal:
DSCR 2.58x — clears the 1.25x lender floor 2.1x over, self-financing at current rates
29% cash margin — healthy for a Home Services business in this price range
Full revenue and cash flow disclosed — financials available to underwrite
Repeat or recurring clientele reported — demand that returns without a sales push; verify it isn't one relationship
Quality of earnings — normalize before you trust the number:
[ ] Owner compensation: is market-rate replacement salary already subtracted from SDE?
[ ] One-time items: any non-recurring revenue (PPP, insurance claim, one-off contract) inflating the figure?
[ ] Personal expenses: vehicle, phone, travel, family payroll run through the business?
[ ] Capex: is equipment aged and likely to need replacement in years 1-3?
[ ] Working capital: what's the normalized WC requirement at closing?
The bull case: Revenue of $835,737 turns into $239,230 of cash flow, a 29% margin, and the 2.58x DSCR against $92,770 of annual debt service leaves a real cushion even before any growth. The listing describes recurring revenue and a technical workforce that runs with minimal owner involvement, so a buyer who keeps the crew intact inherits a functioning operation. The seller also offers two weeks of no-charge training, and an existing electrical contractor could fold this book of business into its own operation and cover more of Lee County. At 2.72x cash flow, a 10% down structure leaves roughly $12,205 a month in take-home after debt service.
The bear case: A business founded in 1971 with only three employees likely depends on a handful of people, probably including the retiring owner, for its reputation and its customer relationships. Electrical work is licensed, so the first diligence item is who holds the qualifying license and whether that person stays after closing; if it is the owner, the business may not be transferable on day one. Ask for a customer list showing how much revenue comes from repeat relationships versus a few contractors or property managers, and build an extended transition or consulting agreement into the deal, since two weeks of training is thin for a business this old. The listing calls the business owner operated while also claiming minimal owner involvement, so ask the broker to reconcile the two before relying on the stated cash flow.
Key questions for the first call:
What's included in the stated cash flow — are owner salary, personal expenses, and one-time items already normalized out of SDE?
What's the customer concentration? Does any single client represent >20% of revenue, and are contracts transferable to a new owner?
Will key staff stay post-acquisition, and are any of them critical to operations or customer relationships?
What does the trailing 3-year revenue trend look like — growing, flat, or declining — and what drove any significant year-over-year changes?
Next steps if you're interested:
Request 3 years of tax returns and P&Ls — match them against the stated SDE
Get a Preferred SBA Lender on the phone before submitting an LOI
Schedule a call with the seller to work through the key questions above
Sign the LOI only after financials verify and seller motivation is confirmed
Valuation Clinic: Why Seven Franchise and Service Deals Ask Roughly 2.2x to 3.0x
Every multiple below is an asking multiple: asking price over the seller's stated cash flow. It is what the seller hopes to collect, not what anyone paid. Read the spread as seven sellers' bets and ask what each bet requires you to believe.
The slate, side by side
Deal | Asking | Cash flow | Multiple | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hair salon, Georgia | $350,000 | $162,000 | 2.16x | 23% |
Dog training franchise, Missouri | $799,000 | $368,567 | 2.17x | 49% |
3-unit franchise package, Nassau County | $735,000 | $316,000 | 2.33x | 21% |
Gift shop, Collin County | $520,000 | $201,035 | 2.59x | 28% |
Restoration franchise, Middlesex County | $525,000 | $192,000 | 2.73x | 34% |
Breakfast and lunch franchise, Pinellas County | $499,000 | $181,000 | 2.76x | 24% |
Franchise gym, Nassau County | $649,000 | $220,000 | 2.95x | 19% |
Why the multiples differ
Margin does not explain the order. The dog training franchise has the highest margin on the slate (49%) and one of the lowest asks, 2.17x. The gym has the lowest margin (19%) and the highest ask, 2.95x. If sellers priced margin, those two would sit at opposite ends in the other direction.
Two other factors fit the data better:
What the seller is betting on. The gym's ask is the premium bet. Its higher multiple has to be earned by something you can verify: membership retention, the rent burden, how much cash flow survives a lease renewal. The listing shows rent of $21,880 per month, so ask what that does to the cash flow after a rent step-up.
Who gets to keep the cash flow. The salon and the 3-unit package are among the cheaper asks per dollar of cash flow, but both lean on who runs the day-to-day. A multiple that looks cheap because the owner's labor is baked into the number is not cheap.
The lender's perspective
Valuation decides what you pay. Financing decides whether you can carry it. For a 7(a) acquisition loan, SBA's current standard operating procedure requires historical debt service coverage of at least 1.25 to 1. It also requires an equity injection of at least 10% of project cost, and seller debt counts toward at most half of that, only if subordinated and on full standby for the life of the loan.
Our examples assume a 10% rate, a 10-year term and 10% down. That is an assumption, not a quoted rate. Under it, the featured deals' modeled coverage runs from 2.38x (the gym) to 3.24x (the salon), all above the 1.25x floor. Coverage tells you whether a deal can carry its debt. It does not tell you the price is right.
What to do with this
Use the multiple as a negotiation opener, not a verdict:
Ask the seller what the premium buys. If a deal asks above its neighbors, make the seller name the reason in writing. A seller who can't is guessing.
Rebuild the cash flow before you argue the multiple. A 2.3x multiple on inflated add-backs is a 3x deal in disguise. Reconstruct the owner's earnings from tax returns first.
Check the lease on every leased deal here. Four of the seven are leased, and only the gym and the salon state their rent. Ask the others for the lease terms and renewal options before you model anything.
Pick the two deals whose multiples surprise you most and ask each seller one question: what has to stay true for this number to hold?
Cross-Border Acquisitions: Looking North: What Stops a US Buyer From Buying in Canada
A US reader scrolling this week's slate sees seven deals that all sit under 3x cash flow. That makes it natural to wonder whether Canada is a better hunting ground. It might be. But the question starts with financing, and the answer is less obvious than most buyers assume.
The financing rule that decides everything
A US buyer looking at a Canadian business should not assume the SBA system will follow. Since March 1, 2026, SBA 7(a) financing is limited to businesses whose owners and required guarantors are U.S. citizens or nationals living in the US. This is an ownership and residency rule. Whether SBA will finance a business located outside the US is a question to put to an SBA lender directly, before you build a plan around the answer.
The Canadian side is clearer. BDC's business-purchase financing requires the target to be Canadian and generating revenue. A Canadian target satisfies that. BDC's other terms, including how it treats non-resident buyers, are your first call to make, not an assumption to carry.
What this changes for your math
Every figure this week, such as the Middlesex County restoration franchise's 2.56x DSCR, assumes SBA-style debt. A Canadian target bought without that debt changes the shape of the deal. You may be looking at a larger cash down payment, a seller note, or a Canadian lender's terms. SBA's 1.25x coverage floor applies to US 7(a) acquisitions, don’t assume a Canadian lender uses the same number. Ask what coverage they require before you take any listing's cash flow at face value.
The questions we cannot answer for you
Several issues matter, and each is a question for your own advisers:
Entity structure: whether to buy through a US entity, a Canadian one, or a holding structure.
Tax treatment: how income earned in Canada is reported and taxed on your US return, and how a treaty applies.
Immigration: what you need to legally run or manage a business across the border.
Currency: a Canadian business earns in Canadian dollars while your debt and living costs may not.
Treat each one as a question for a cross-border lawyer and a cross-border accountant. Do not treat any of them as settled.
What actually stops buyers
The first barrier is usually financing. A US buyer used to SBA terms may find the equivalent in Canada works differently, or requires different documentation. The second is distance: a semi-absentee business, like several on this week's list, is hard to supervise from another country. Hired management has to be real, not assumed, and the wage comes out of cash flow before you model your own take-home. The third is currency and tax complexity, which can erode a thin margin quickly.
Who it can make sense for
The reader who benefits most has a reason to be near the business: family, prior residence, or a plan to relocate. A buyer with Canadian ties who can live there while operating, and who has already sorted out the immigration and tax questions with advisors, faces a much shorter list of unknowns. A buyer drawn to Canada only by the hope of a cheaper multiple should test that against real Canadian listings before acting on it.
One next step this week
Pick one question and call one professional. Call a cross-border accountant and ask how income from a Canadian business is taxed for a US resident, or call a lawyer and ask what entity structure they use for US buyers of Canadian businesses. Then ask any seller you talk to for the last three years of tax filings. That reply tells you far more than the headline multiple.
Disclaimer: Nothing here is financial or legal advice. Always do your own due diligence. Verify all financial data with sellers and your advisors before making any offers.
The Exit Ramp is a weekly deal curation service for professionals exploring small business acquisition. We scan hundreds of listings so you don't have to.
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