Business acquisition finance is lending secured to purchase an existing business, franchise or professional practice. Depending on the business type and security offered, lenders typically fund 50–80% of the purchase price, with approvals structured around the target business's cash flow.
Before you sign anything, we assess the asking price against cash flow and tell you what lenders will actually fund. You provide the information memorandum; we give you a finance-eyes read within 3 business days.
We work alongside your accountant on due diligence — normalised earnings, owner dependence, lease terms — the factors that decide whether a lender says yes.
Deposit size, security mix, and whether a vendor finance component bridges the gap. Structure is where most acquisition applications are won or lost.
One application to the best-fit lender from a 50+ panel. We manage valuations, conditions and the settlement timeline with your solicitor. Typically 4–8 weeks end to end.
Post-settlement, working capital and equipment finance as the business scales under your ownership — one partner across the whole journey.
"Structure is decided before the application is lodged — that's why we start before you've signed the contract." — Pooja
What lenders typically require varies by business type. Ranges are indicative only and subject to lender assessment.
| Purchase type | Typical deposit | Typically funded | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy / medical practice | 10–20% | up to 80–90% | Practice income + goodwill |
| Accredited franchise | 30–40% | 60–70% | Franchise agreement + assets |
| Established independent SME | 30–50% | 50–70% | Business assets ± property |
| With residential property security | from 0% | up to 100% | Property equity |
| Vendor finance component | Can bridge 10–20% of the price when deposit falls short | ||
Even complex situations have solutions — tell us about the business you're looking at and we'll map your options against the lender panel.
The client's bank said no, citing a lack of industry experience. We found a lender prepared to back the strength of the business plan and the operator behind it — 65% funded, unsecured, settled in 5 weeks.
Read complete case study →$1.3M · settled in 4 weeks
50% funded · settled in 3 weeks
$220k · 75% funded · settled in 4 weeks
Client results are individual and not a guarantee of outcomes. Details have been anonymised.
Before founding Probiz, Pooja spent years inside NAB and ANZ. Acquisition applications fail on structure — goodwill valuations, owner dependence, serviceability assumptions — and she's assessed them from the lender's chair. That's the difference between hoping for approval and engineering one.
Seamless equipment finance experience with Probiz Finance - highly recommend!" As a business owner, investing in the .....
We recently had the pleasure of working with Probiz Finance and could not be more satisfied with the experience...
I've relied on Probiz Finance for my business lending needs for quite some time now, and every experience has been...
It depends on the business type and security. Accredited franchises and professional practices can require as little as 10–20%, while independent SMEs typically need 30–50%. If residential property is offered as security, some structures need no cash deposit at all. We map your position against the lender panel before you commit to anything.
Partially, yes. Lenders will take security over the business assets and, for some industries, its goodwill and income stream. Most acquisition loans combine business security with a director's guarantee, and stronger structures add property security to lift the funded percentage.
It's harder but not impossible. Lenders weigh transferable management experience, whether the outgoing owner will stay through a handover, and whether key staff remain. We position your background in the application the way a credit assessor needs to see it.
From application to settlement is typically 4–8 weeks, driven mostly by valuations and lease/contract conditions. Starting the finance conversation before you sign the contract is the single biggest factor in hitting the shorter end of that range.
Vendor finance is when the seller leaves part of the purchase price in the deal, repaid over an agreed term. It can bridge a 10–20% deposit gap and signals the seller's confidence in the business — something lenders read favourably when it's structured properly.
The initial strategy conversation is free with no obligation. In most cases we're paid by the lender on settlement; if a fee ever applies to your specific structure, it's disclosed in writing before you proceed.
No credit checks at this stage, no obligation. We'll come back to you within one business day with a read on how lenders would see the deal.
Either way, the finance conversation should happen before you sign. A strategy session with Pooja — no obligation, no fee.
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