Buying a Business in Ohio

Buying a business can be a worthwhile investment, but whether it is purchased by an individual or another company, the transaction is complicated.

There are specific laws in Ohio and the US that concern negotiations, mergers, acquisitions and securities exchanges. You may need to consider how these laws impact your situation before you buy a business.

What Parts of the Business Am I Buying?

Buying a business in Athens is gaining the right to direct business operations. When a party directs operations as they see fit, their right is called ?control? of the business. Like ownership, control includes the right to all the property of the business as well as the assumption of the business debts. A complete picture of the financial position of the business is important for the buyer to make his decision. This picture is gained through a process called "due diligence". Federal and Ohio guidelines define the process of due diligence, and sometimes legal consequences arise when these procedures are not followed properly. However, due diligence will lead to a better informed decision concerning whether you want to buy the business. Also, it will help the business to transition more smoothly to new ownership.

How Much Will the Business Cost?

The price of a business depends on the value of the ownership stake that is necessary to exert control, and this in turn is decided somewhat by the value of the business property and the type of business. The process for how the right of control can be transferred or modified is defined by specific laws in Ohio. Procedures may make buying a business more or less expensive than simply the market value of its assets.

How Can a Athens Attorney Help?

The laws in Ohio place many unique demands on parties seeking to purchase businesses. An attorney in Athens, Ohio can inform you of the particularities of your investment as it relates to local law, as well as advise you of the least costly route to acquiring control.