Business Opportunities

"Business brokerage" or "business opportunities" refers to the sale of an existing business entity, which may or may not include the real estate where it operates. For example, a licensee might sell a restaurant business; this sale includes the equipment (stoves, tables), the inventory (food), and the brand name, but the building itself might be leased. A critical concept here is "Goodwill," which is the intangible value of the business’s reputation and loyal customer base. In many states, real estate licensees are authorized to sell business opportunities because the transaction involves the assignment of a long-term lease (a real estate interest), even if no land is actually being sold.