There are various ways to go about funding the purchase of a business. A strategic option would be to negotiate seller financing with the business seller to alleviate the burden of paying full price for the business upfront. Jessica Fialkovich, President of Transworld Business Advisers - Rocky Mountain explains how this works, particularly for small businesses.
In the U.S., about 60-90% of business sales involve seller financing. Before going through with the purchase, you need to thoroughly vet the business. Because owners rarely finance 100% of the purchase price, you might also need to find other sources of funding, such as a bank loan.
Once your business is up and running successfully, you might want to refinance so you are free and clear of the seller.
You can get up to $5,000,000 with an SBA loan, but you'll need a good credit score (680 or better), collateral, and at least a 10% down payment.
If you default, the owner might want to retain the power to take back the business within 60 days of you missing payment.
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