A buyer reached out. They know your market, they move fast, and they mention that going direct saves everyone the hassle of a process. It sounds reasonable. It isn't. In two behavioral health transactions — one that went from $7.5M to $15M, another from $37M to $52M — the seller's preferred buyer paid significantly more simply because they knew others were at the table. Same buyer. Same company. Same diligence. The only difference was competition.
A home care agency was approached directly by a well-capitalized buyer. Their offer was $6 million. The seller engaged us instead of signing. Same buyer. Same company. $2.2 million more at close — a 44% increase — and better terms.
That's one deal. In another, seven qualified buyers submitted IOIs ranging from $14.5 million to $25 million. The deal closed at $30 million, all cash. The seller's original estimate of value: $14 million.
The spread in both cases didn't come from
