All FAQs
| Question | Answer |
| Where can I list my business for sale for free? | While there is no shortage of online portals and sites to list residential real estate for free, there are not many for businesses and commercial real estate. Most portals charge a monthly fee.
Here are two that provide a free listing service: |
| Can you tell me the name of the business or its exact location? | For Broker managed Listings (prior to June 2026), we cannot give you either the name nor exact location until such time as you provide us with a Non-Disclosure Agreement and a copy of your local ID or a copy of the front page of your passport (so as we can establish your identity). There are many reasons for this, but the reason that actually prevents us from doing so is that the listing contract we have directly with Sellers to sell for them requires us to maintain confidentiality about the fact that the business is actually being offered for sale (among other things). If we were to give you the name of the business and/or its exact location, we would be breaching our contract with the Seller, and be liable to civil action (and damages).
For Seller managed Listings (from June 2026), we will pass your enquiry to the Seller with your contact details and request that they contact you directly. |
| Can you advertise, but not in the location of my business? | Surprisingly, we get this question A LOT, hence the FAQ. The answer is simple, "Yes, we can advertise in locations other than the business location". The real reason for asking the question though is probably more so that Sellers are concerned that people in their location (notably staff and customers) will learn that their business is for sale and this can mean loss of staff and/or customers while waiting for the business to sell. Not advertising in the business location though, does not strictly address the reason for the question (as asked) as people do not just read advertisements in their own location.
A chef, for example, working in your restaurant in (say) Singapore, could in fact subscribe to international channels (let's say a culinary Facebook group in the USA). Guess what? That chef will most likely see the advertising. To assist you the best we can, and accommodate your requirement to not be known to be selling in your location, we encourage you not state your business name, nor EXACT location in your listings. We also recommend using images that do not divulge your business name nor exact location. There is no hiding (in this example though) that you are a restaurant and you are in Singapore. There is a chance that someone in your local area may recognize this. |
| Can I post my own Listing/s in this website? | Yes! From June 2026, Sellers can enter and maintain their own listings in this website. There are three listing options - 30-Day (renewable), 90-Day (renewable) and Until Sold/Leased. Please click the LIST NOW button to read about the offers and begin the Listing process. |
| Do you offer discounts on Pay-for-Services Listing? | We do not offer any discounts as our standard rates and cost of optional extra services are already comparable or lower than industry standard.
We do, however, offer various promotions from time to time including Loyalty rewards, Incentive offers and Free offers details of which may be seen at our Special Offers page. |
| Will my contact information be in my Listing? | No, for confidentiality purposes, we do not allow contact details in Listings. We don't allow any links or contact information in your listing that will enable a potential buyer to contact you directly (initially). For Sellers who have engaged us to sell on their behalf (Broker managed), we will manage all enquiries on your behalf. For Sellers who listed with us on a Seller managed basis (from June 2026), we will pass all enquiries to you via email for you to deal with directly. Once we pass the enquiry to you, please feel free to communicate directly as needed. |
| What is the Sale/Purchase Value of a Business? | We all know that there are many methods used to determine the value of a business. Different formulae producing different values, so let's be clear right from the outset. We are talking value in terms of how much you should expect to receive when selling, and how much you should expect to pay when buying.
And, we are talking about the 'business' component ONLY. If the sale offer includes property (freehold or strata title), this gets added to the business value. For start-ups and small businesses, typically a multiplier of net profit is used to calculate the sale value. The multiplier changes with changed economic conditions and Buyer trends because it represents what Buyers are willing to pay at that time given the conditions at that time. There can be additional factors which may be added like allowance for recent significant capital acquisitions or recent award of supply/service contracts, or a significant value of stock on hand or other assets. These factors are often applicable to larger businesses and M&A's, but may apply to small business also. We have more information about value in our information sheet Valuing a Business for Sale which you can download from our Downloads page. For the purpose of this FAQ however, the current multiplier for Asia-Pacific is 2 to 3 years ROI (ie, what the business has demonstrated it has made in net profit over the last 2 to 3 years). Updated: 13 May 2026 |
| Do I need to sign a contract to list with Asia Business Brokers? | No, you don't, but you need to comply with our Listing conditions as stated in our Terms and Conditions page. Please read these prior to listing. If you do not agree with our terms and conditions, please do not create an account, or deactivate your account (as the case may be) and cease using this website.
If you have engaged another Broker to assist you to sell under an EXCLUSIVE Agreement, please consult with that Broker before listing with Asia Business Brokers to avoid breaching your agreement. |
| Why list with Asia Business Brokers? | Asia Business Brokers is a specialist business and M&A brokerage offering exceptional advertising exposure to sell and/or lease your business, business partnership, franchise, commercial property or land. We have been selling and leasing businesses and commercial properties for over 10 years. With hundreds of sales under our belt, we offer excellent advertising options online, in social media and through our email database and newsletter.
Arguably, the most important aspect of selling a business is actually finding a Buyer and this is where we excel as our website, social media channels and entire client database consists only of people looking to buy and sell businesses, commercial property and land, and only in the Asia-Pacific region. Our database consists of over 40,000 regular email clients and over 800,000 social media clients spread over 200 social media platforms and accounts. We have an enviable reputation of being able to pitch our Listings to the right people very quickly. We understand that your primary goal is to sell and because of this, all of our listings are non-exclusive and you just pay for the advertising services you want. Unlike many other commercial real estate brokerages who seek to obtain exclusivity, we do not. We actually encourage you to list yourself also and/or list with other brokers as you choose. It's all about finding you a Buyer and this is our primary goal. |
| How Long does it take to sell a business? | This question is not one that can be reliably answered as a 'one answer fits all' because businesses vary considerably in terms of location, viability, desirability, etc. Many Sellers think it's all about price, but this is not true. Price is important, but is just one of the many considerations which will affect how long it takes to sell.
Regardless, to provide an answer that may be of assistance to you - assuming you get your marketing and advertising right, you present a viable option at a realistic price, our data shows us that a sale will occur between six months to two years after advertising commences. |
| Can I submit a Blog to this Site? | Sorry, you can't. Our blogs are written by management, staff, franchisees and brokers in the Asia Business Brokers' network. If you have a subject you would like us to cover, please let us know. |
| Sole Trader or Company? | How you buy a business (the structure of it - sole trader, partnership, company, family trust) is more of a question for your Accountant than your Business Broker. It depends upon your personal and taxation situation and there are many other issues that may apply specifically to you but not to other people (risk, need for residency, purpose of the business, etc).
For a more detailed explanation of business structures please see our blog titled Common Business Structures in Thailand |
| Can I phone or chat with you? | Yes of course. Our contact details are on our Contact page along with a contact form that you may wish to use after hours or instead of phoning or chatting.
Sellers are allocated an Account Manager, with direct contact details provided at the time of listing with us. Please note, when contacting us by phone or chat, our business hours are between 10am and 5pm (UTC +07:00) Monday to Friday excluding public holidays gazetted for Thailand. |
| What is the difference between FOR SALE and FOR SALE AND RENT? | 'For Sale' is reasonably well-known as it is used extensively in the real estate industry to advertise property for 'freehold' sale. That is to say, you will be buying the title to the land (and any improvements on that land), or in the case of strata property, the title to that level of the building. Commercial real estate is the same when it comes to 'for sale' advertisements.
When talking businesses, partnerships, franchises and commercial properties though, there is another category that (generally) does not apply with residential real estate - 'For Sale and Rent' (not 'For Sale OR Rent' - this is very simply saying it is available for sale or for rent). 'For Sale and Rent' is where you buy the business component of the listing (this is the 'for sale' part) and then you rent the business premises (the rent part). Typically, in for sale and rent offers, the 'for sale' component includes assets like:
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| Can I sell/lease my business if it is not trading? | Yes, you can. It is best to advertise it quickly after closing and the advertisement should state that the business is closed and the reason why. Buyers will understand this and if interested (many will see it being recently closed as a good opportunity) they will still show interest.
If a Buyer attends an inspection expecting an operational business and finds the business closed because it was not stated in the advertisement, they will (quite rightly) think you are hiding information and will be easily turned off buying your business. If you cease trading after you begin advertising, or indeed change any aspect of your business offer which makes the advertisement inaccurate, you need to amend the advertisement immediately. |
| How much does it cost to put a listing in the Business Assistance section of the website? | It is totally free. We hope you use it and we hope it helps your business. You just need to be logged in to use it and comply with our Terms and Conditions
If you choose to use any of the Business Assistance services listed in this website, please understand that they are not necessarily endorsed in any way by Asia Business Brokers and you will be doing so at your own discretion. We provide this business assistance directory listing only because the services offered are stated by their contributors as being related to buying and selling businesses and so, may be of assistance to you. |
