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Laundromat for sale with real numbers

A laundromat is one of the few small businesses that can run with limited owner hours, steady cash flow and no inventory to speak of. The catch is that the value sits in three things that are easy to overlook in a listing: the age of the machines, the length of the lease and the true cost of water, gas and electricity. On CompanyBrokers every laundromat listing carries structured financials (revenue, SDE, asking price, multiple and reason for sale), and the documents that prove them sit in a data room you open after signing an NDA.

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Owner of a laundromat folding white towels in front of a row of washing machines
Laundromat and dry cleaning, Columbus, Ohio
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Industry
Laundromat and dry cleaning
State
Ohio
Asking price
$500K to $2M
SDE
$200,000+
Laundromat and dry cleaning
Columbus, Ohio
Sample listing
Revenue
$780,000
SDE
$262,000
Asking price
$880,000
Multiple
3.4x SDE

What buyers look for in a coin laundry business

  • Machines under eight to ten years old, or a clear replacement plan priced into the deal
  • A lease with at least ten years remaining, including options, and a landlord who allows equipment upgrades
  • Card or app payment systems that record every turn, so revenue can be verified rather than estimated
  • Wash, dry and fold or commercial accounts (salons, gyms, short term rentals) that add revenue beyond self service
  • Parking, visibility and a dense renter population within a short drive
  • Utility costs that sit in a normal range for the store size, with no unexplained spikes

How much is a laundromat worth

Laundromats are commonly valued on a multiple of SDE (seller's discretionary earnings), and buyers often cross check the result against a multiple of gross revenue. As general market guidance, owner operated stores frequently trade somewhere around 3 to 5 times SDE, with newer equipment, long leases and card based revenue pushing toward the upper end. A store with old machines, a short lease or cash only records usually sells lower, because the buyer has to fund equipment or accept uncertainty. Real estate, when included, is valued separately. Run the numbers for your store with our business valuation calculator and you have a range in about a minute.

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Laundromat due diligence checklist

  • Twelve to twenty four months of water, sewer, gas and electric bills, compared against reported revenue (water use is the best independent check on turns)
  • Equipment list with brand, capacity, year installed, and service and repair records
  • Card system or app reports and collection logs matched to bank deposits
  • Full lease, assignment clause, renewal options, rent escalations and any personal guarantee
  • Local permits, wastewater rules and any open code or health notices
  • Wash and fold and commercial account contracts, with how many depend on the current owner
  • Attendant payroll, schedules and whether staff stay after the sale

Buying a laundromat with an SBA loan

Laundromats are a familiar asset class for lenders, and an SBA loan to buy a business through the 7(a) program is a common route, typically with a buyer injection of around 10 percent and a term of ten years for a business without real estate. Lenders look closely at the remaining lease term, since it needs to roughly match the loan term. Seller financing is frequent in this sector and often covers a part of the price when equipment needs refreshing.

Selling your laundromat

If you own a store and want to sell my business with less friction, gather your utility bills, equipment list and lease before you list. Our selling a business checklist shows what buyers ask for first. You can list the store yourself or get matched with business brokers who work in your state and know laundry deals, or search business brokers near me directly. See the pricing for listing plans.

Is a laundromat a good business to buy

It can be, for a buyer who wants modest owner hours and steady demand. Returns depend heavily on equipment condition, the lease and utility costs, so a store that looks cheap often needs a machine refresh that changes the math.

How do I verify laundromat revenue when it is mostly cash

Compare water and sewer usage over at least a year with the turns the owner reports. Card system reports, collection logs and bank deposits complete the picture. Large gaps between water use and reported revenue are a red flag.

How long should the lease be when I buy a laundromat

Most buyers and lenders want ten years or more including renewal options. Moving a laundromat is expensive because of plumbing, venting and gas lines, so the lease protects most of the value.

Do laundromat sales include the real estate

Some do, most do not. When the building is included, the business and the property are usually valued separately, and the property can be financed with its own loan.