NSW Buyer Enquiries Rise 43% as Investors Explore New Opportunities

NSW Business Buyer Enquiries Rise 43%. Image: Newcastle NSW

New South Wales continues to lead Australia's business for sale market on Bsale, with rising buyer enquiries, strong regional activity and growing interest in established businesses.

New South Wales recorded a 43% increase in buyer enquiries on Bsale.com.au during the September 2026 quarter compared with the same period last year, as buyers continued to explore opportunities across Sydney and regional NSW.

The state attracted approximately 30% of all buyer enquiries on Bsale during the quarter, the largest share nationally, while accounting for around 36% of businesses advertised for sale.

The findings are included in Bsale's latest quarterly market report, published alongside the October–December 2026 edition of the Bsale eMagazine, which features interviews with ten business brokers working across New South Wales.

The interviews reveal a market where buyers remain active but are increasingly selective, placing greater importance on financial performance, realistic valuations and businesses with established systems.

"This edition we focused on NSW as it is the biggest business sales market, with everything from tiny cafes to large manufacturers," said Bsale CEO Vanessa Lovie-Yousaf.

"With property appearing to slow down, we're hearing of more investors moving towards business."

 

NSW Leads Business Buyer Enquiries

 

NSW remains the largest market on Bsale by both advertised business listings and buyer enquiries.

During the September 2026 quarter, buyer enquiries for NSW businesses increased approximately 43% year-on-year, suggesting stronger buyer interest despite continued pressure on business operating costs.

Across the quarter, 109 NSW businesses were marked as sold on Bsale, representing approximately one-quarter of the national total. Sydney accounted for 70 of these listings.

The average advertised asking price of NSW businesses marked as sold was $514,829, compared with an average asking price of $673,143 across all NSW listings.

These figures reflect advertised prices and listing statuses on Bsale rather than independently verified completed business transactions.

 

Regional NSW Offers Different Opportunities for Buyers

 

 

While Sydney accounts for much of the state's business sales activity, regional markets are attracting buyer interest, particularly around Newcastle, Coffs Harbour and Albury.

Asking prices vary considerably between regions, reflecting differences in business types, industries, scale and the potential inclusion of commercial property.

The Wagga Wagga and Riverina region recorded an average advertised asking price of $1.48 million across more than 120 listings, while the Mid North Coast averaged $908,610.

Newcastle and the Hunter Valley averaged $789,871, compared with $559,198 on the Central Coast.

Wollongong and the Illawarra recorded ten businesses marked as sold during the quarter, placing the region among the more active regional markets on Bsale by this measure.

Shane Fox of Merchant Business Brokers in Newcastle cautions against treating the Australian business sales market as one uniform market.

"There's markets within markets," he said.

"Not one business in Melbourne or Sydney or a publicly listed company that it draws data from has anything to do with what's happening around the corner here in Newcastle."

His comments highlight why local conditions, industry performance and buyer expectations remain important when assessing the value and saleability of a business.

 

Buyers Are Looking More Closely at Business Financials

 

Despite increasing enquiries, business brokers report that buyers are conducting more detailed investigations before committing to a purchase.

Across Bsale, buyers are increasingly requesting financial statements, information memorandums and confidentiality agreements earlier in the enquiry process.

"We are increasingly hearing about the scrutinising nature of buyers," Ms Lovie-Yousaf said.

"They are getting more educated and want businesses that have dotted the i's and crossed the t's."

Anthony Papas, founder of ABBA Group in Sydney, said his firm can spend three to six months preparing a business before bringing it to market.

"We believe the better you prepare, the higher the success rate," he said.

Sukhdeep Mangat of LINK Business Brokers in Sydney is also seeing active but cautious buyers who want consistent cash flow, reliable financial information and a clear understanding of the owner's involvement.

She warns against unrealistic expectations surrounding businesses advertised as operating under management.

"There's no business like that which runs on its own," she said.

Roy Levy of Core Business Brokers, who is also a Chartered Accountant, said financial performance is often the first consideration for prospective buyers.

"If the numbers sort of make sense, they'll go to the second leg," he said.

He also emphasised the importance of realistic seller expectations and being prepared to challenge asking prices that cannot be supported by the market.

For business owners considering a sale, the message is increasingly clear: preparation, accurate financial records and realistic pricing can make a significant difference when attracting serious buyers.

 

Which Industries Are Attracting Interest?

 

Demand is not evenly distributed across industries, with brokers reporting different conditions depending on the type and location of the business.

In Albury and the surrounding Riverina region, Daniel McDonald of McDonald Hospitality Brokers is seeing strong demand for accommodation businesses.

"At the moment, accommodation is absolutely a seller's market," he said.

McDonald described a property he previously sold for $10 million that resold 18 months later for $13.2 million, illustrating the strength he has observed in parts of the accommodation sector.

On the Central Coast, John Ramsay of Central Coast Business Brokers, who has worked in business broking for 30 years, sees opportunities in business-to-business enterprises and companies servicing tradespeople.

He reports greater pressure on hospitality and retail businesses as operators manage interest rates and rising costs.

Martin LoSurdo of MMJ Real Estate, who works across Sydney, the Southern Highlands, South Coast and Wollongong, has observed similar challenges for businesses reliant on discretionary consumer spending.

He sees stronger activity in business services and business-to-business manufacturing, while emphasising the importance of realistic valuations.

"Bargaining hard or negotiating hard is fine," he said. "But understanding fair value on both sides is really important."

These observations suggest buyers are assessing opportunities based on more than industry alone, with financial resilience, customer demand and the operating model influencing purchasing decisions.

 

Are Property Investors Turning to Business Acquisitions?

 

Another trend emerging from broker interviews is the potential movement of investment capital from property into established businesses.

Zoran Sarabaca, who has spent 22 years in business broking, said he is seeing investors reconsider how they deploy their capital.

"Due to the downturn in the property market, a lot of investors are stepping out of that market, and some of that money is going into business acquisitions," he said.

While this remains an observation from brokers rather than a measured national trend, it highlights the different investment opportunities being considered by some buyers.

Mark Jason of LINK Business Brokers, who holds the group's master franchise rights in NSW, has also seen investment capital deployed through partial business acquisitions.

He described a transaction involving a business valued in the $50 million range, where a private equity group acquired a 20% interest.

"We found a private equity group prepared to buy 20 per cent of the business," he said.

Such transactions demonstrate that business acquisitions can involve a range of structures, from purchasing a small owner-operated enterprise to acquiring a minority interest in a larger established company.

Jason also highlighted the personal side of selling a business.

"You have to be part lawyer, part accountant, part salesperson, part psychologist."

 

What Does This Mean for NSW Business Buyers and Sellers?

 

The September quarter results point to increased buyer interest across NSW, but higher enquiry volumes do not necessarily translate into faster or more successful business sales.

For sellers, the observations from brokers reinforce the importance of having reliable financial information, understanding market value and preparing the business before advertising it for sale.

For buyers, the diversity of NSW's business market creates opportunities across different industries, investment levels and locations. However, comparing businesses requires consideration of profitability, operating costs, owner involvement, lease arrangements and what is included in the asking price.

With regional markets displaying different characteristics and buyers taking a more detailed approach to acquisitions, local market knowledge remains important.

 

More Insights in the Bsale eMagazine

The October–December 2026 edition of the Bsale eMagazine (Edition 104) explores these trends through interviews with ten NSW business brokers: Sukhdeep Mangat, Mark Jason, Zoran Sarabaca, John Ramsay, Shane Fox, Daniel McDonald, Anthony Papas, Roy Levy, Martin LoSurdo and Michael Philpott.

The edition also includes findings from Bsale's September 2026 quarterly market report, examining business listings, buyer demand and sales activity across the marketplace.

Read the Bsale eMagazine – Edition 104

Explore Businesses for Sale in NSW

 

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Disclaimer: Statistics are based on Bsale.com.au marketplace data and do not represent the entire Australian business sales market. Listing information is supplied by advertisers and is not independently verified by Bsale. Data may contain errors, duplicates or outdated information. Listings and asking prices may not be directly comparable, including those advertised as WIWO, plus SAV or including freehold property. Asking prices are not confirmed sale prices, and listings marked as sold do not verify completed transactions. Figures are indicative only. This article is general information, not professional advice. Readers should conduct independent due diligence before making business or investment decisions

Tags: market insights quarterly report business brokers

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