How long does it take to sell a laundromat?

Often several months from first buyer to closing, and longer when the buyer uses an SBA loan. Clean books and a long lease shorten it.

Can I sell my laundromat if I lease the building?

Yes. Many laundromats lease. The landlord usually has to approve the transfer, and the buyer's lender will look at the years left on the lease.

What does it cost to sell a laundromat through Optimax?

3% of the sale price at closing, $25,000 minimum, nothing upfront and nothing if it does not sell. Buyers also pay Optimax a fee under their own agreement, and both sides are told in writing.

How to Sell a Laundromat: Steps, Documents and What Buyers Check

How to sell a laundromat

By Ayodele Olasiji, Optimax Commercial Updated October 18, 2026 2 min read

Short answer

To sell a laundromat, pull 12 to 24 months of revenue and utility bills, list your machines with make and age, and confirm your lease can be assigned with enough years left, because SBA lenders want the lease, including your renewal options, to run at least as long as the buyer's loan. Then market it privately to buyers under NDA, sign a letter of intent, get through due diligence, and close with the landlord's consent.

How to, at a glance

Extend or confirm your lease before you list
Gather utility bills, machine list and two years of financials
Make sure reported income matches the revenue you claim
Share details only with buyers under a confidentiality agreement

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The steps, questions and details as a PDF you can print or share. Free.

Questions owners ask

How long does it take to sell a laundromat?: Often several months from first buyer to closing, and longer when the buyer uses an SBA loan. Clean books and a long lease shorten it.
Can I sell my laundromat if I lease the building?: Yes. Many laundromats lease. The landlord usually has to approve the transfer, and the buyer's lender will look at the years left on the lease.
What does it cost to sell a laundromat through Optimax?: 3% of the sale price at closing, $25,000 minimum, nothing upfront and nothing if it does not sell. Buyers also pay Optimax a fee under their own agreement, and both sides are told in writing.

Step by step

Gather the numbers: monthly revenue, water, gas and electric bills, rent and wages for 12 to 24 months.
List the equipment: every washer and dryer with make, size and age, plus the payment system (coins, cards or an app).
Check the lease: years remaining, renewal options, rent increases, and whether the landlord must approve a transfer.
Decide price and terms, including whether you would carry part of the price as seller financing.
Market it privately. Buyers sign an NDA before they learn which laundromat it is.
Take offers and sign a letter of intent with the buyer you choose.
Due diligence: the buyer checks books, bills and equipment, and the lender runs its own review.
Close: purchase agreement, lease assignment or new lease, and handover.

What buyers check first

Revenue trend over the last two years, by month.
Utility bills. Many buyers compare water use with reported revenue, so the two should tell the same story.
Machine age and condition, and what replacing the oldest ones would cost.
Extra income: wash and fold, pickup and delivery, vending.
Competition within a few miles, and parking.

Your lease can make or break the sale

Many laundromat buyers use SBA 7(a) loans, which for a business purchase without real estate commonly run up to 10 years. SBA guidance says the lease term, including renewal options only the borrower can exercise, should equal or exceed the loan term when much of the collateral is equipment in leased space, which describes most laundromats. A lease with three years left can stall a sale until you negotiate an extension, so start that conversation with your landlord before you list.

Reported income is what sells

Buyers and lenders pay for income they can verify on tax returns and bank deposits. Cash that never reached the books rarely counts toward the price. If your returns understate the business, talk to your accountant before the next filing, well before you sell.

Keep it quiet

Attendants and regular customers get nervous when they hear a store is for sale. Skip public listings with photos of your store, and make every buyer sign a confidentiality agreement before you name the location.

Sources

SBA Procedural Notice 5000 852522, lease term requirements

Thinking about selling your laundromat?

Buyers already signed up and under NDA, including cash buyers. No public listing. 3% at closing, $25,000 minimum, nothing upfront.

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