A useful first step takes less information than you think.
Begin with the first-call brief. You can describe your goals, operating format and property plans without assembling a complete sale package. Use the other worksheets when you begin gathering evidence, speaking with qualified buyers or planning a handover.
Each download is a plain-text file that opens in a text editor or word processor. Add your notes, save a copy and print it if helpful. No account, email or upload is required. Completed worksheets stay wherever you save them; share them only through a channel you and your advisers have agreed is appropriate.
01 / Start hereYour first-call brief
A short outline of what you want, what you own and what you still need to understand. Use it even if a sale is a year or more away.
- Timing, priorities and the decisions co-owners need to make
- Wash format, property plans and your role in the business
- Any buyer approach, offer or agreement already received
- Three questions you want the first conversation to answer
Leave the first conversation with a clear next step and a person responsible for it. An exact asking price is not needed to begin.
Download worksheet (.txt)Read the seller roadmap →02 / Prepare your recordsYour sale evidence register
Track where each record lives, what period it covers, who owns the next action and what remains unresolved. This is an index you keep with your own files.
- Financials, deposits, earnings adjustments and membership reports
- Property, lease, equipment and transfer documents
- Status: available, needs reconciliation, requested or not applicable
- Disclosure stage, last update and assigned reviewer
Make missing information visible early. A record marked available still needs to be checked for accuracy, completeness and permission to share.
Download worksheet (.txt)Read the diligence guide →03 / Understand your siteYour local market evidence file
Connect weather, water, traffic and local approvals to the evidence a buyer can check. Keep facts, estimates and open questions separate.
- Parcel, municipality, utilities and responsible authorities
- Weather events, open hours, membership behavior and costs
- Water meters, reclaim maintenance and wastewater approvals
- Traffic stations, access rights, competitors and project status
Identify the local issue most likely to affect earnings, continuity or a handover, then assign a specific next action.
Download worksheet (.txt)Explore the market guides →04 / Evaluate interestYour buyer question and decision log
Keep buyer requests and open deal questions in one place. Track the evidence behind an answer and distinguish an initial proposal from an agreed term.
- Who asked, what they need and why they need it now
- Included assets, funding, occupancy and closing conditions
- Approved disclosure, response owner and due date
- Open questions, revised proposals and the decision record
Avoid inconsistent answers and assumptions hidden in email threads. The worksheet is an organizer; your advisers handle legal agreements and disclosure decisions.
Download worksheet (.txt)Read the offer comparison guide →05 / Prepare for closingYour operating handover plan
Assign responsibility for the first day under new ownership and for the work that continues afterward. Start early enough to resolve provider and counterparty requirements.
- POS, membership billing, account administrators and customer obligations
- Staff communication, training, vendors and emergency contacts
- Equipment condition, stock, keys and provider-supported access transfers
- Handover tests, acceptance, escalation and your agreed availability
Turn a general promise to help into defined tasks, owners and completion evidence. Record unresolved items and who handles them after closing.
Download worksheet (.txt)Read the transition guide → How to use the kit without creating more work
- Use a private working copy. Give the file a version date. For early conversations, an owner-chosen project reference can help keep identifying information out of a general outline.
- Separate unknown from not applicable. A missing lease amendment and a business with no lease are different situations. Record a next action for anything unresolved.
- Index records instead of copying sensitive contents. Keep customer payment data, passwords and personal identifiers out of these worksheets. Reference the controlled location of a record.
- Assign the next action. Give every open question a responsible person and a target date. Update the register when the answer or underlying evidence changes.
The kit is an organizing aid, not an engagement agreement, legal document or certification that a business is ready to sell. Your own documents and proposed transaction determine what needs professional review.
Track your preparation with the interactive checklist →