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Buying a Business in Washington, D.C.

The Numbers

FY2025 Acquisition Loans

17

$13.7M approved

Median Loan

$575k

FY2020 through FY2025

Loans Since FY2020

70

$63.3M in total approvals

Share of U.S. Activity

0.2%

Of change-of-ownership loans

What the Data Says

Washington, D.C. ranks 48th of 53 states and territories for change-of-ownership SBA 7(a) lending: 70 loans since FY2020, 0.2% of the national total.

The typical deal runs small: its $575k median loan sits below the $650k midpoint across states, within reach on less equity.

Activity is accelerating: FY2025's 17 loans ran ahead of the state's own ~12 a year pace since FY2020.

The most-financed target is beer, wine, and liquor retailers (22 loans), and the 5 most active lenders wrote about 66% of the state's acquisitions, a concentrated lender field.

This is a thin market by national standards, so expect fewer local comparables, and build the lender shortlist deliberately.

Most Active Acquisition Lenders in Washington, D.C.

  1. 1. Hanmi Bank20 loans
  2. 2. The Huntington National Bank12 loans
  3. 3. Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company8 loans
  4. 4. Live Oak Banking Company4 loans
  5. 5. Beacon Bank and Trust2 loans

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

What Gets Bought in Washington, D.C.

  • Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers22 loans
  • Limited-Service Restaurants5 loans
  • Full-Service Restaurants4 loans
  • Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin-Operated)4 loans
  • Convenience Retailers3 loans

Industry-specific pricing and diligence live in the Guides. Where the buyable targets sit in Washington, D.C., by county, is in the Washington, D.C. buying guide.

By Metro Area in Washington, D.C.

  • Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

    484 purchase loans, median $655k. Bought most: Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers. Most active lender: Live Oak Banking Company (66).

Every metro area that drew 20 purchase loans, with three lenders each, is in the metro table.

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, D.C. project address. Approvals, not closings; excludes conventional and 504 financing.