⚡ TL;DR:

The most expensive deal in a search is often the one you never buy: the deal that consumes three weeks of calls, modeling, and diligence before one buried flaw finally kills it.

Joshua Thacker built Searcher OS to surface that flaw earlier. It brings 350+ deal sources into one pipeline, analyzes CIMs in minutes, and models DSCR on every deal—helping searchers decide which opportunities deserve deeper work and which deserve a faster no.

In this week’s Community Spotlight, Josh explains how he built the platform as a solo founder, how he uses it in his own search, and what strong searchers look for before investing more time. EBIT members also get one month free.

See how Joshua gets to “no” faster →

A Riverside County door and door-hardware company selling and installing across Southern California since 1980. Seventeen employees run the operation, with key staff tenured 8 to 20 years, and installation work produces roughly 43% of revenue. The sale includes the 8,783 sq ft building and secure yard, $300K of FF&E, and $205K of inventory. The owner is retiring and will support and train; the listing notes minimal marketing to date.

Why this deal stands out: This is the issue's real-estate anchor: the building and yard convey inside the price, the deal is pre-qualified for SBA financing, and owner financing is on the table. Forty-six years of operating history with long-tenured staff is the kind of durability lenders underwrite comfortably, and the hard assets meaningfully de-risk the note.

💡 EBIT Take: The page lists SDE as $1M+ with detail on request, so the first ask is the exact recast plus a real-estate appraisal, since both the price and the amortization split ride on them. Confirm the required CSLB classification and whether the current qualifying individual will remain through the transition. If not, line up the replacement early. With minimal marketing historically, a basic demand-gen program is the obvious first-year lever.

Analyze with AI →

At 90% financing, the seven asking prices in this issue imply personal guarantees of roughly $1.5M to $4.3M, before fees, working capital, or other financing.

Ink is building personal guarantee insurance for SBA acquisition buyers. Ahead of public launch, EBIT readers can request a founding-member pricing estimate based on their actual deal and guarantee, not a generic rate table.

Know what protecting yours could cost before you close.

Pricing estimates are non-bindable. Coverage and final pricing are subject to underwriting and product availability.

A Henderson, Nevada chauffeured transportation company with a 20+ year operating history, running 24/7/365 with a diversified fleet of sedans, SUVs, Sprinter-style vans, limos, shuttles, and minibuses. Management, dispatch, accounting, HR, fleet, mechanic, and chauffeur teams are all in place, and management estimates roughly 95% of revenue comes from repeat customers. The sellers are retiring and expect to train and support a smooth transition.

Why this deal stands out: The listing advertises preliminary SBA support at roughly 10% down, the cleanest indicated financing path in this issue, and a 95% repeat-customer base with a full management layer is unusual in transportation at this size. Even on the conservative 3-yr weighted earnings, a full note covers at 1.9x with about $535K of cushion.

💡 EBIT Take: The headline figures are 2026 annualized from January through April results, so underwrite on the $1.1M weighted number and request monthly P&Ls to see whether the run-rate jump is mix, pricing, or one-time events. The fleet schedule sits behind the NDA; age and replacement capex will move your real cash flow. Verify the repeat-customer estimate against actual contracts and account tenure.

Analyze with AI →

An Ulster County, New York stone supply and fabrication business operating since 1981, selling natural stone with custom cutting, consultation, and delivery across the Hudson Valley. Four full-time employees run the operation, and the asking price includes roughly $1M of inventory and $500K of equipment. The seller will train and will assist with relocating inventory and securing permits; the owner intends to retain the current property and offers to lease a separate 24-acre site (5 commercial acres) at $10K per month with a purchase option.

Why this deal stands out: A 3.0x multiple on $1M of owner benefit, a 2.4x DSCR, and $577K after debt make the financing math comfortable, and forty-five years of reputation in a supply niche carries real switching costs. The asking price includes $1.5M of stated inventory and equipment, although appraisal, obsolescence, and working-capital treatment will determine how much value a buyer can actually credit. Some seller financing may be available to a qualified buyer.

💡 EBIT Take: The deal inside the deal is the move: the current yard stays with the seller, so underwrite the offered 24-acre lease at $10K per month (or its purchase option) plus relocation cost before you set your price. Ask which accounts are delivery-radius sensitive and how far the customer base actually travels. The seller-assisted permit and relocation support is worth locking into the purchase agreement with specifics.

Analyze with AI →

A two-partner CPA firm on Long Island with a client book built over decades, generating about $2M of 2025 revenue (with roughly $2.1M projected for 2026) at a stated ~45% cash-to-owner margin. The firm runs on tenured staff plus a recent full-time addition, serves a diversified, referral-driven client base across multiple industries, and does no active marketing. Both partners are retiring; one is willing to work full-time through the next tax season to support the handoff.

Why this deal stands out: Accounting books are annuities when retention holds, and a selling partner staying full-time through an entire tax season is the strongest retention insurance a buyer can get. At roughly 2.8x the derived $900K of cash flow, with a modeled 2.5x DSCR, the economics leave meaningful cushion, and the zero-marketing history means the growth levers are untouched.

💡 EBIT Take: Confirm New York ownership and firm-registration requirements early; the transaction will likely require a licensed CPA partner and a compliant entity structure. The diligence is client economics: fee schedule, realization rates, and how revenue spreads across the top 20 clients. Ask which relationships sit with which partner, then structure the earnout or retention holdback around the season the staying partner works. Advisory and fractional-CFO services are the obvious expansion once the book is secure.

Analyze with AI →

A Coachella Valley valet and parking management company operating since 1983, serving hotels, resorts, restaurants, and events on recurring commercial contracts. The business runs with 2 full-time and 35 part-time employees plus a roster of roughly 400 contract staff for event surges. The owner is retiring, will train for 4 weeks, and has structured the sale with a $1M down payment and seller financing behind it. No special license is required.

Why this deal stands out: Forty-three years of hotel and resort contracts in a resort market is a durable, relationship-driven book, and the seller-financed structure gives a buyer real flexibility on how to capitalize it. It is also the smallest check in this issue, with no license requirement and a relatively asset-light operating model.

💡 EBIT Take: The staffing model is the business, so diligence the seasonal labor pipeline, the workers-comp history, and how the 400-person contract roster is sourced and retained. Read the hotel and resort agreements for term and termination rights before valuing the recurring base. The stated $1M down is roughly 62% of the price, so negotiate the structure or run an SBA path with a smaller injection instead of accepting the sheet terms.

Analyze with AI →

A Northern Arizona full-service landscape company, 17 years in operation with 34 employees, spanning maintenance, design and installation, tree care, hardscapes, irrigation, and synthetic turf. The asking price includes roughly $1.5M of FF&E and $157K of inventory, and the listed cash flow of $1,205,141 is stated from the 2025 tax return, with average monthly operating cash flow of $100K across the trailing 12 months. The owner is pursuing other ventures; 30 days of familiarization is included.

Why this deal stands out: The listing's claim that cash flow ties to the 2025 tax return provides a stronger starting point than a typical broker recast, although it does not eliminate add-back, normalization, or quality-of-earnings work. A $1.5M equipment fleet conveys with the price, coverage runs 2.3x with about $683K after debt, and landscaping is consistently one of EBIT's highest-engagement categories.

💡 EBIT Take: Get the revenue split between recurring maintenance and one-time install, because that mix determines how much of the $6.4M repeats without selling. A 34-person crew in a small Northern Arizona labor market makes retention the operational risk, so meet the foremen and review comp before LOI. The 30-day handoff is short for a business this size; negotiate a longer consulting tail.

Analyze with AI →

A San Diego County specialty contractor established in 1995, producing decorative asphalt and colored pavement systems, crosswalks, streetscapes, and bike lanes for municipal and commercial clients. The company runs with 7 employees and $300K of FF&E, and the listing cites advanced proprietary and licensed technologies plus substantial repeat business and referrals. The owner is retiring.

Why this deal stands out: At 2.4x cash flow, this is the value anchor of the issue: a full 7(a) note leaves about $622K after debt at a 3.0x DSCR, the strongest coverage this week. Municipal streetscape and safety work is code-driven and budgeted, and the proprietary systems give a differentiated bid position most paving contractors lack.

💡 EBIT Take: Confirm the required CSLB classification, public-works registration, bonding capacity, and whether the current qualifier transfers with the business. Also confirm whether the licensed technologies carry ongoing fees or exclusive-territory terms. Ask for the split between negotiated repeat work and competitive bids, since that ratio drives margin durability. A 7-person crew with a retiring founder makes the transition plan the first diligence conversation.

Analyze with AI →

Join hundreds of acquirers in the EBIT Community WhatsApp group for real-time deal discussion.

Disclaimer: Educational content only, not investment advice. Listings are from third-party sources and accuracy is not guaranteed. Do your own due diligence. Consult with legal, accounting, and financing professionals before making any acquisition decisions.