Comparing offers: price, structure and handover
The headline number is only part of an offer. How to compare offers on what really matters to you: certainty, timing, your role afterwards and the total outcome.
By This article covers legal, financial and tax matters. It's general information to help you ask better questions, not advice for your situation. Velaro isn't a law firm, registered tax agent or licensed financial adviser. Please check anything important with a qualified adviser before you act.
In short
- Compare offers on certainty, timing and your role, not only the headline.
- Structure can bridge the gap between what you'd like and what the business supports today.
- Any later payments need clear, documented, secured terms.
When an owner receives an offer, the first thing they look at is the number. That's natural. But the best offer for you depends on more than the headline figure. How and when the price is paid, what you'll do after the sale and how certain the deal is all shape the real outcome. Understanding these parts helps you compare offers with confidence and ask for what you actually want.
Look at the whole picture
An offer usually covers the price, what's included, when payment happens, any conditions, your role after the sale and the handover. Lay each offer out side by side under those headings.
Often the offer that best fits your goals isn't simply the one with the biggest number on page one.
Structure is a tool for bridging gaps
Sometimes what an owner would like for the business and what the business supports on today's numbers aren't quite the same. Rather than walking away, thoughtful structure can bridge that gap.
For example, part of the price might be paid over an agreed period, or linked to the business continuing to perform after the sale. Done well, this lets the owner achieve a higher overall result and share in the success they helped create, while the buyer takes on the business with confidence.
Make sure the structure is clear and secure
Any part of the price paid later should be clearly documented: how much, when, what it depends on and how it's protected. Your solicitor can advise on appropriate security, and your accountant can explain the tax effect.
Clear terms protect both sides and keep the relationship strong after completion.
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Design the handover you want
Some owners want a clean exit after a few weeks. Others enjoy staying on part-time for a while to mentor the team and introduce customers.
Agree the length, hours, responsibilities and any pay for your role in writing.
A well-planned handover is one of the biggest factors in a business thriving under new ownership.
Compare on what matters to you
Make a simple table for each offer: total amount, amount at completion, timing of later payments, conditions, your role and the handover. Then rank what matters most to you: certainty, total value, speed or continuity for your team.
Your advisers can then help you test each option against your goals.
Your checklist
What to do next
- List each offer's components side by side
- Note what's paid at completion and later
- Check what any later payments depend on
- Ask your solicitor about security for later payments
- Agree your handover role in writing
- Rank certainty, total value, speed and continuity
Example
An owner hoped for more than the business's current profit supported. Rather than walk away, the buyer proposed a price paid mostly at completion, with a further amount over two years linked to the business keeping its key contracts. The owner stayed on two days a week for six months, the contracts were retained and the owner achieved the total he'd wanted.
An illustrative example, not a real client or transaction.
Questions owners ask
Is the highest offer always the best?+
Not necessarily. Certainty, timing and your role after the sale can matter as much as the headline figure.
Why would part of the price be paid later?+
It can bridge the gap between an owner's expectations and what the business supports today, and let the owner share in future success. Your advisers should review any such terms.
Who should review an offer?+
Your own accountant and solicitor. A good buyer will welcome it.
Sources and further reading
Information checked against these sources as at October 2026. Rules and thresholds can change, so check the current position with your adviser.
Important
This article is general information only. It doesn't take your personal circumstances into account and isn't financial, legal, tax, employment or valuation advice. Velaro Group is a buyer of businesses. It isn't a business broker, licensed financial adviser, registered tax agent or law firm, and it doesn't act for sellers. Please get advice from your own accountant, solicitor or financial adviser before making any decision. Read the full disclaimer.
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