Follow-Up On My Last Post Regarding Business Sales

I received several comments regarding my last post on business sales. In response to those comments, please read this informative article by Peter Seigel of California Business For Sale which is the premier site for business sales in California. If you would like more information about selling your business,, please visit our website at www.empiresandiego.com.

Fewer Small California Businesses Changed Hands In August

Sale of small California businesses in August showed a decline to 1,722, from the 1,779 deals completed the prior month.

The month's major events, such as the Olympics and pre-election activities of the national parties, served as a distraction for some of the principals involved in business sales. And Many Californians took late-summer vacations this year, which delayed their business plans. These factors contributed to the decline.

While many of the state's counties recorded fewer completed sales compared to July 2008, there were notable exceptions such as Los Angeles County with a total 433 transactions concluded in August, compared to July's 407 tally; San Diego County where there were 185 closed deals in August compared to 179 in July; Imperial County, with 12 closed escrows in August and only 4 in July; San Joaquin, showing an increase to 36 from 23 completed escrows the prior month; and Contra Costa, where 35 transactions were closed in August, up from 27 in July.

Business sales declines in some of Northern California's "Wine Country" communities included Sonoma County's 3 recorded deals in August, compared to 9 the prior month, a drop off for Napa County to August's 3 completed escrows (there were 18 closings in July), and the slowdown in Solano County from 12 July deals to just 5 last month.

The number of small business sales completed in August 2008, shown by California county, as follows:

Alameda 93, Amador 1, Calaveras 3, Contra Costa 35, El Dorado 14, Fresno 30, Imperial 12, Kern 45, Kings 5, Los Angeles 433, Madera 2, Marin 13, Mendocino 1, Merced 12, Modoc 1, Mono 1, Monterey 31, Napa 3, Nevada 2, Orange 189, Placer 7, Riverside 56, Sacramento 66, San Bernardino 84, San Diego 185, San Francisco 100, San Joaquin 36, San Luis Obispo 15, San Mateo 19, Santa Barbara 23, Santa Clara 86, Santa Cruz 10, Solano 5, Sonoma 3, Stanislaus 31, Sutter 3, Tulare 10, Tuolumne 1, Ventura 52, Yolo 3, Yuba 1.