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Buying a Business in Washington

The Numbers

FY2025 Acquisition Loans

324

$369M approved

Median Loan

$727k

FY2020 through FY2025

Loans Since FY2020

1,432

$1.72B in total approvals

Share of U.S. Activity

4%

Of change-of-ownership loans

What the Data Says

Washington ranks 4th of 53 states and territories for change-of-ownership SBA 7(a) lending: 1,432 loans since FY2020, 4% of the national total.

The typical deal runs large: its $727k median loan sits above the $650k midpoint across states, so expect bigger checks and the larger injection and cash flow they need.

Activity is accelerating: FY2025's 324 loans ran ahead of the state's own ~239 a year pace since FY2020.

The most-financed target is gasoline stations with convenience stores (177 loans), and the 5 most active lenders wrote about 32% of the state's acquisitions, a broad lender field.

Most Active Acquisition Lenders in Washington

  1. 1. Live Oak Banking Company105 loans
  2. 2. Hanmi Bank102 loans
  3. 3. Columbia Bank (OR)101 loans
  4. 4. Gesa CU83 loans
  5. 5. Heritage Bank (WA)63 loans

A lender being active in Washington does not require a local branch; several top SBA lenders work nationally. Build a shortlist with Lenders.

What Gets Bought in Washington

  • Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores177 loans
  • Limited-Service Restaurants127 loans
  • Full-Service Restaurants122 loans
  • Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels55 loans
  • Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly50 loans

Industry-specific pricing and diligence live in the Guides. How many buyable businesses Washington holds in each trade is in Where the Businesses Are.

Method & Source

Computed from the SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level dataset (FY2020 through FY2025), filtered to approvals flagged change of ownership with a Washington project address. Approvals, not closings; excludes conventional and 504 financing.