Businesses are just like any other type of investing.You have to buy right or you can lose money.A few places I look.www.bizilla.comwww.sellbiztoday.comwww.businessbroker.netwww.bizbuysell.comwww.ibba.orgI look in other places and some of the business brokers have off market deals as well.Don't get scared off by list prices.When sellers get desperate enough and want out for whatever reason they will reduce and offer some owner finance to sell.You have to pay special attention to franchise transfer fees,any re-imaging fixing to happen that you will be responsible for,machines at the end of life expectancy etc.Usually offer them a higher price to get under contract and then tear part their books during due diligence and reduce your offer or back out.At that point most are emotionally committed to the process and do not want to start over unless they have multiple offers which isn't likely in today's market.

On dec 11, the owner of the janitorial franchise I managed came to visit me.

Annette,I am a commercial principal broker.I don't think you should feel guilty.I would feel guilty if you were dishonest upfront and drew them in under false pretenses and expectations.150,000 is not that low of a price point.In Atlanta there are trash properties for 10,000 where the commission is 600 bucks to 1,000 and that's if you are the broker owner and do not have to pay franchise fees and broker splits.I only do commercial and do not waste my time with those low pay properties.So you are an investor.Did you and the agent talk about how you were going to finance these properties?

There is separate bank account to oversee, regular state filings to be made, rules to follow, etc.If I only had one rental (and for a long time that's all I had), I'm not sure I would still set up an LLC, at least not in California, because the $800 annual franchise tax would take a huge bite out of my cash flow (it still does now, but at least I have a few more rentals to help pay it).

The 90's were the great years of the franchise and when the year 200 hit this team just went south.

To me it means going from a realtor to a broker to a franchise owner.

franchise tax on the LLC. .

For CA, I understand that entails paying the $800 annual franchise fee.I would argue paying an attorney to do the filings for an LLC is a waste of money.

for no particular reason I was curious if there is a publication/company or whatever that grades and compares franchise opportunities among different trades.

The company was Environment Control and they had 70 franchises.