Sell Your Business in Melbourne and Victoria

By Michael White, Director and licensed estate agent · Updated September 2026

Selling a business is usually a once-in-a-lifetime transaction. Vic Brokers has been helping Victorian owners do it since 2017. We've sold IGA supermarkets, Subway franchises, sports centres, NDIS providers, child care centres, insulation businesses and boarding kennels, along with many cafés, restaurants, manufacturers and service businesses. We handle the sale from the first appraisal to settlement, and keep it confidential throughout.

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Vic Brokers at a glance

Businesses we've sold

We sell businesses across almost every industry. Some of the types we've sold:

• Supermarkets and grocery: IGA supermarkets and independent grocers
• Franchises: Subway stores, juice bars, gelato and sports retail franchises
• Sport and fitness: sports centres, Pilates and wellness studios
• Health and community services: NDIS providers and allied health businesses. Read about selling an NDIS, child care, health or fitness business
• Education: child care centres
• Trades and building services: insulation businesses, arborists and construction services
• Pet businesses: boarding kennels and doggy daycare
• Food and hospitality: cafés, restaurants, takeaway and bars. Read about selling a hospitality business
• Industrial and manufacturing: CNC engineering, injection moulding and plastics. Read about selling a manufacturing or industrial business
• Retail and services: fashion boutiques, florists, trailer hire, caravan repair and more

How selling your business works

Every sale is different, but most follow these steps.

Overall: most sales take 3 to 9 months from appraisal to settlement. Well-prepared, fairly priced businesses sell faster.

Worried about staff or customers finding out? Read how we keep a sale confidential.

What affects your business's value, and how we appraise it

Buyers pay for the profit they'll take home, so our appraisal starts with your adjusted net profit. That's your profit with the owner's wage and one-off or personal expenses added back. We then look at:

• Industry pricing: how buyers typically price businesses like yours, using industry pricing data and comparable businesses on the market
• The lease: years remaining, options to renew, and rent relative to turnover
• Owner reliance: how well the business runs without you
• Customer spread: whether revenue depends on a few key clients
• Trading trend: steady or growing results in recent years
• What's included: goodwill, plant and equipment, with stock usually added at settlement

Read more in our guide: What Is My Business Worth? How Business Valuations Work in Victoria

Recently sold by Vic Brokers

A selection of businesses we've sold. Names are withheld for confidentiality.

• Subway franchise store
• CNC machining and engineering
• Arborist with council contract
• Regional juice bar franchise
• Insulation business
• Pilates studio
• Software business
• Trailer hire business
• Injection moulding manufacturer (B2B)
• Florist
• IGA supermarket
• Boarding kennels with lifestyle property
• NDIS provider

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to sell a business in Melbourne?

Most businesses receive an acceptable offer within 2 to 6 months of going to market. Due diligence, lease transfer and settlement usually take another 1 to 3 months, so most sales take 3 to 9 months from appraisal to settlement. Businesses with clean financials, a secure lease and realistic pricing tend to sell faster.

What size businesses do you sell?

Small, medium and large businesses, from small owner-operated businesses to multi-million-dollar companies. Businesses we've sold range from cafés and trade businesses to IGA supermarkets, manufacturers and child care centres.

Should I use a business broker or sell my business myself?

You can sell privately, but most owners find it hard to reach enough qualified buyers, keep the sale confidential and negotiate objectively while still running the business. A broker prices the business realistically, markets it without revealing its name, screens buyers before they see your figures, and manages the negotiation and paperwork through to settlement.

When is the best time to sell my business?

Ideally when trading is steady or growing, your financial records are up to date, and your lease has a good amount of time left. Selling after a strong year gives buyers confidence in the numbers. Start planning 12 to 24 months ahead, because fixing the things that lift value, like tidy financials, a secured lease and less reliance on you, takes time.

How do you work out what my business is worth?

We start with your adjusted net profit, meaning your profit with the owner's wage and any one-off or personal costs added back. We then apply industry pricing data and compare your business with similar ones on the market. The final range depends on your lease, how much the business relies on you, your customer base and your trading trend. The appraisal is free and confidential.

Will my staff, customers or suppliers find out I'm selling?

Not from us. We advertise without naming your business and only release its identity and financials to buyers who have signed a confidentiality agreement and been screened. You decide when to tell your staff, and most owners wait until the sale is close to settlement.

Is the appraisal really free, and am I obliged to sell?

Yes, it’s free and there’s no obligation. Many owners get an appraisal years before they plan to sell, so they know where they stand and what to improve. Everything you share with us is kept confidential.

Can you sell a franchise business?

Yes. We've sold franchises including Subway stores, juice bars and sports retail. Franchise sales usually need the franchisor to approve the buyer and the transfer, so we work with the franchisor from the start to avoid delays.

What documents do I need to sell my business?

Usually your profit and loss statements and tax returns for the last two to three financial years, recent BAS statements, your lease, a list of plant and equipment, and key supplier or customer contracts. We'll give you a checklist at the appraisal stage.

Do I need my landlord's permission to sell?

If your business trades from leased premises, the lease normally has to be assigned to the buyer, and that requires the landlord's consent. The time left on the lease and any renewal options also affect your price, so we review the lease at the start.

Is stock included in the sale price?

Usually not. The asking price normally covers goodwill and the plant and equipment needed to trade. Stock is counted at settlement and paid for on top of the price.

Will I need to stay on after the sale?

Usually for a short handover. Most sales include a training period so the new owner can learn the systems and meet key suppliers and customers. The length is agreed in the contract. It’s often a few weeks for a small business, and longer for businesses that rely heavily on the owner.

Do you sell businesses outside Melbourne?

Yes. We sell businesses across regional Victoria as well as Melbourne.

Thinking of selling?

Start with a free, confidential appraisal. You'll get a realistic price range and a clear view of what's pushing your value up or down, whether you plan to sell next month or in a few years.

Call (03) 9918 6739 or fill in the form below.   

What's my business worth?