Business acquisition finance and debt advisory

Finance to buy a business, with the numbers checked first.

A café, a restaurant, a nail salon, a trade business or a small manufacturer. We read the vendor's numbers the way a lender will, tell you what repayments the business can afford, and arrange the funding to complete the purchase.

Discuss a business purchaseCall 0488 990 204

Talk to us before you sign the contract. Questions about the lease, the equipment and the vendor's numbers are cheaper to answer before the contract than after it.

A business owner and adviser reviewing documents at a workshop table

Acquisition finance

Funding to complete the purchase.

  • Term loans secured by the business and its equipment, and by property if you choose to put it up.
  • Equipment finance for the plant and fit-out included in the sale, so the term loan is smaller.
  • The seller lends you part of the price (vendor finance), set up so the lender accepts it.
  • A working capital loan or overdraft for the first months of trading under new ownership.
  • Bank or non-bank, compared on total cost, security and conditions rather than the headline rate.

Debt advisory and management consulting

A separate, paid service for business clients.

  • Debt advisory and management consulting for business purchases, development projects and existing businesses. We agree the scope and the fee with you before work starts.
  • What it covers depends on the job: the price and the debt on a purchase, the funding plan for a project, or the debt a trading business already carries. You decide with us what the work looks at.
  • It is separate from broking and is not credit assistance. The fee is separate from any commission a lender pays when a facility settles.
  • For depreciation schedules, accounting and tax advice, and legal advice, we engage consulting partners directly and through referral. Chorus does not give that advice itself.
  • We own and run a hospitality business, Prova Pizzeria, and have bought small businesses ourselves, so we know the questions you have before a purchase.

How much you need to put in

What lenders usually fund, and what you bring.

Typical bands for business acquisition finance
ItemWhat to expectWhat decides it
Lender share, business with little property or equipment (mostly goodwill)Lower than for property or equipment; lenders do not publish a fixed share, and we tell you the likely figure once we see the numbersTrading history, lease term, your experience in the industry
Lender share, with property securityHigher, set by the property's loan-to-value ratioSecurity type and valuation
Your contributionThe balance of the price plus costs after the lender's share and any vendor financeLender policy, the security offered and the deal
Vendor financePart of the price lent by the seller and paid back after the lenderVendor's willingness and the lender's terms
Loan termShorter without property security; longer against propertySecurity, the lease term and the cash flow of the business
Advisory feeAgreed in writing before work starts; separate from any lender commissionThe scope of the work, agreed with you
Time to settlementTypically 4 to 8 weeks once we have all the documentsVendor financials, lease assignment, valuation

Lenders discount profit they cannot verify. Cash takings, owner wages that are not in the accounts, and a lease with only a short term left are common reasons a lender funds less than the asking price on a small business purchase.

Before you sign

What to check first.

Whether the landlord will assign the lease and on what terms. Whether the equipment in the sale is owned outright or still under finance. Whether the vendor's financials match the BAS lodged with the ATO. Whether the price stacks up once you pay yourself a normal wage. These questions are cheaper to answer before the contract than after it.

Timber and equipment inside a working small-business workshop

How it works

What we do for you, in four steps.

The same four steps for every business enquiry. We look at what repayments the business can afford, not only what a lender will approve.

  1. 01

    Understand your business

    Tell us what the finance is for, how much, when, who will borrow and how the business earns. We ask for documents only once we know which lenders fit.

  2. 02

    Compare your options

    We compare suitable lenders on total cost, structure and conditions, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Waiting, or staying with your bank, can be the right answer.

  3. 03

    Set the terms

    The loan term, any lump sum at the end, the security, presales, progress payments and review dates are set to fit how the business earns and pays, not the lender's standard template.

  4. 04

    Settle and follow through

    We prepare the application, handle lender questions and valuations, and stay with you through settlement.

Discuss a business purchase

General information only. Any finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

Questions people ask

Questions before you enquire

How much will a lender fund on a business purchase?

For a business with little property, such as a café, restaurant or salon, lenders fund a portion of the purchase price set by their policy, with the balance from your own funds or vendor finance. Where residential or commercial property is offered as security, the share can be higher. The business's trading history, the lease and your experience decide the figure.

What will a lender want to see?

Two to three years of the vendor's financials and BAS, the lease and its remaining term, the sale contract and asset list, a list of what you own and owe, and a short plan for the first year. If the vendor's books are informal, the lender will discount the profit they show.

Does vendor finance help?

Often. A vendor loan for part of the price reduces the cash you need and shows a lender that the seller stands behind the numbers. The lender is paid back before the seller, and will want to see the terms of the seller's loan.

What is debt advisory and how is it paid for?

Advice on the price, the debt and the funding plan for a business you want to buy, a project, or a business you already run. We agree with you what the work looks at, and the fee, in writing before work starts. It is separate from arranging the loan and is not credit assistance. The fee is separate from any commission a lender pays when your loan settles.

Can you arrange accounting, tax or legal advice for the purchase?

Yes. We engage consulting partners, directly and through referral, for depreciation schedules, accounting and tax advice, and legal advice on the contract and the entity. Chorus does not give that advice itself.

How long does acquisition finance take?

Typically 4 to 8 weeks to settlement once we have all the documents. The vendor's financials, the landlord agreeing to move the lease to you, and any valuation set the pace. Starting the conversation before you sign the contract shortens it.

Figures on this page were checked on 8 September 2026 against: Moneysmart business finance, RBA cash rate target. Bands are typical market ranges and are not offers. Your lender, security and financials decide the actual terms.

All questions

When you are ready

Tell us about the business you want to buy.

Send the asking price, the vendor's financials if you have them, and the lease details with your enquiry. We will tell you what a lender is likely to fund and what gap you need to cover. If it is worth paying us to check the price and the debt first, we say so and quote the fee.

Discuss a business purchaseCall 0488 990 204
Discuss a business purchaseCall