Last updated: March 2026

Most Expensive Businesses to Buy in 2026

TLDR: The most expensive businesses to buy are Assisted Living Facility, Car Wash Business, Trucking Company, with median asking prices of $1,500,000, $1,400,000, $1,200,000 respectively. Higher price does not always mean higher risk — evaluate DSCR and cash flow stability.

Full Rankings: Most Expensive Businesses by Median Asking Price

Rank Industry Median Price Median Cash Flow Avg Multiple DSCR
1 Assisted Living Facility $1,500,000 $338,924 3.7x 1.74x
2 Car Wash Business $1,400,000 $202,170 5.8x 1.11x
3 Trucking Company $1,200,000 $315,052 4.0x 2.03x
4 Construction Company $1,197,500 $362,500 3.0x 2.34x
5 Equipment Rental Company $1,125,000 $294,600 3.6x 2.02x
6 Electrical Company $1,010,000 $300,000 3.0x 2.29x
7 Moving Company $1,000,000 $350,000 2.8x 2.70x
8 Machine Shop $995,000 $286,757 3.7x 2.22x
9 Home Healthcare Agency $980,000 $282,518 3.3x 2.23x
10 Funeral Home $895,999 $222,000 4.7x 1.91x
11 Pest Control Company $875,000 $242,239 3.0x 2.14x
12 Staffing Agency $816,000 $291,510 2.7x 2.76x
13 Concrete Company $800,000 $272,082 2.9x 2.63x
14 Plumbing Company $795,000 $287,400 3.2x 2.79x
15 HVAC Company $794,500 $261,553 2.9x 2.54x
16 Gas Station $750,000 $197,859 3.4x 2.04x
17 Day Care Center $739,000 $198,154 3.5x 2.07x
18 Towing Company $735,000 $184,601 2.9x 1.94x
19 Auto Repair Shop $635,000 $200,000 3.0x 2.43x
20 Non-Emergency Medical Transport $587,500 $200,000 3.4x 2.63x
21 Property Management Company $567,500 $195,500 2.9x 2.66x
22 Liquor Store $512,500 $157,789 3.3x 2.38x
23 Landscaping Company $500,000 $182,712 2.7x 2.82x
24 Laundromat $500,000 $140,431 4.0x 2.17x
25 SaaS Company $500,000 $246,857 3.7x 3.81x
26 Marketing Agency $449,900 $169,694 3.1x 2.91x
27 Printing Shop $400,000 $191,814 2.8x 3.70x
28 Convenience Store $399,000 $157,192 2.5x 3.04x
29 Restaurant $350,000 $153,578 2.3x 3.39x
30 Spa $339,500 $171,579 2.1x 3.90x
31 Junk Removal Company $337,500 $157,135 2.7x 3.59x
32 Dry Cleaner $337,000 $150,000 2.2x 3.44x
33 Coffee Shop $325,000 $137,100 2.4x 3.26x
34 Gym & Fitness Center $325,000 $123,267 2.9x 2.93x
35 Pet Grooming Business $272,500 $117,804 2.5x 3.34x
36 Locksmith Business $255,500 $134,925 2.1x 4.08x
37 Cleaning Company $254,500 $155,230 2.1x 4.71x
38 eCommerce Business $242,450 $211,806 2.9x 6.74x
39 Hair Salon $185,000 $102,000 2.0x 4.26x
40 Nail Salon $177,000 $102,292 1.6x 4.46x
41 Vending Machine Route $30,000 $54,000 0.6x 13.90x

How We Calculated These Rankings

These rankings sort all industries by median asking price from highest to lowest. Expensive businesses tend to have higher cash flows, more established operations, and more complex infrastructure — but they also require larger equity injections and carry higher absolute debt service.

DSCR is calculated assuming an 80% SBA 7(a) loan at 10.5% over 10 years. The equity injection is 10%, structured as 5% buyer cash plus a seller note on full standby.

The most expensive business types are Assisted Living Facility, Car Wash Business, Trucking Company, with median asking prices of $1,500,000, $1,400,000, $1,200,000. At these price points, SBA 7(a) loans can finance up to $5M, meaning businesses above that threshold require additional financing structures or larger equity injections.

SBA Limits on Expensive Acquisitions

The SBA 7(a) loan maximum is $5,000,000. For an acquisition at $5M, the SBA loan covers $4M (80%), with the buyer providing a $250K cash equity injection and a $750K seller note on full standby.

Businesses priced above $5M may still be partially SBA-financeable, but the structure gets more complex. Buyers typically need conventional financing, mezzanine debt, or larger seller notes to bridge the gap. Regalis Capital structures these deals regularly for clients acquiring businesses in the $2M to $10M range.

Ready to Acquire a Business?

Regalis Capital helps buyers acquire businesses from $100K to $5M+. We support you through the entire process, from deal sourcing and vetting to SBA lending and closing, so you can acquire with confidence.

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