Business Brokers in Palm Springs, CA

Start with the local numbers. There are nine business brokers listed for the Palm Springs area, mostly in Riverside County with others in San Bernardino County. That is a workable number, so you can compare firms side by side without much trouble before settling on one. A few advisors operate from Yucca Valley and Desert Hot Springs and appear here too.

On the services side, the brokers most often point to Main Street and small-business sales (2 of 9), a named industry focus (2 of 9) and general business brokerage or M&A work (1 of 9). Every one of the nine is a member of CABB, IBBA, or M&A Source, a useful signal, though membership is not a license or a government credential. The brokers have 6 Google reviews between them, averaging 5.0 stars, but most belong to one broker, so look at how many reviews sit behind each rating.

On your first call, have the broker explain how the firm is paid, and what happens to the fee if you end the agreement early. Since word of a sale can spread fast, find out when a nondisclosure agreement is signed, and who at the firm will see your information. Before anyone starts marketing your company, get a written engagement agreement covering the services, the length of the commitment, and what happens if you part ways.

Verify the license before you sign: the state treats paid business sales as licensed work, and the Department of Real Estate's public lookup shows whether a given license is current. If the person you meet is a salesperson, ask for the name of the licensed broker they work under, and look that broker's license up as well. The directory also has pages for Palm Desert (9 brokers), Riverside (15) and San Marcos (6), which are worth a look if you want to compare more firms.