ABC's Chris Small says business sales are counter-cyclical to unemployment. Photo: Sun Media
High unemployment and a lack of available job opportunities are helping to drive buyer demand for businesses.
Buyer demand for New Zealand businesses was steadily increasing, with large business brokerage firm LINK reporting record levels of buyer engagement.
LINK national business development manager Steve Matthews said it recorded a 19 percent year-on-year increase in would-be buyers signing confidentiality agreements.
"This is a clear signal of growing intent among buyers, even in sectors where economic conditions have traditionally made sales harder to achieve," he said.
"We're seeing owners move from thinking to acting."
ABC Business Sales said it completed a record 410 sales in the year ended March, with another record-breaking 42 sales last month.
ABC managing director Chris Small said business sales were counter-cyclical to unemployment, with people looking to buy themselves a job, when employment opportunites dry up.
"So that's that's really what the trend is at the moment. More deals than ever. Lot of people looking," he said.
"But what we are missing is a lack of stock."
He said listings were down 10 percent, while the number of buyers was up 30 percent.
