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 mostly out-of-state lenders; build the shortlist deliberately rather than relying on a nearby branch.
Most Active Acquisition Lenders in Washington, D.C.
- 1. Hanmi Bank20 loans
- 2. The Huntington National Bank12 loans
- 3. Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company8 loans
- 4. Live Oak Banking Company4 loans
- 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
Industry-specific pricing and diligence live in the Guides. How many buyable businesses Washington, D.C. 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, D.C. project address. Approvals, not closings; excludes conventional and 504 financing.