Dental property experts all seem to agree that far from stymieing the market, the pandemic has acted as something of a buoyancy aid.
Values have remained at pre-COVID-19 levels, if not higher, and there is big demand from buyers. In particular from associates who may well be looking for more control over their future.
Frank Taylor & Associates (FTA), have shared with us that the number of associates looking to buy has increased from 5,000 in March 2020 and is now in excess of 5,500.
Which means if you’re looking to sell your practice, now might be a good opportunity. But how do you know what your practice is worth and how might you be able to increase its value?
Below are some factors that contribute to the valuation of your practice.
Your income streams
Specialist or general contract
The core costs
Although every practice is unique and their core costs may vary depending on factors such as the size of the practice and location, a valuer will examine these costs to see whether they are a lot higher or lower than expected.
For example, in an average practice the kinds of costs they would be expecting to see include property cost (e.g., rent) of around 10% of turnover, materials of around 5-8%, lab bills of between five and 10%, and your employed team should cost no more than 20% of turnover.
Any costs that seem unusually high or low might need to be examined and reviewed and these will be taken into account when calculating your practice’s value and could enhance it depending on what they are.
Associate fees
The valuation of your practice will look at whether a new owner will be using an associate at all, or as much as you currently do.
For example, if you’ve been reducing the number of days you work in the practice and had an associate working three days a week, but the new owner intends to work full-time hours without an associate, the cost of paying the associate can be added back into your profit.
Accurate valuations lead to informed decisions
The dental property market is booming right now and fortunately for sellers, there are a lot of buyers looking for a practice.
If you’re considering selling, whether it’s to move onto the next challenge or because you want to take your foot off the gas for a while, it’s worthwhile finding out just how much your practice is worth. That way you can make an informed decision about what the best next step is for you.
To gain an accurate valuation it’s a good idea to speak to an expert broker.
Having all your financial figures to hand
Three years of accounts to evidence consistent repeatable if not increased revenue, will help you to understand what your practice is truly worth and if now is the right time to sell.
You can book a no-obligation financial review to get your figures in order.