Where We’ve Been: Selling a House, Buying a Business

Business and Relocation Update

Luke and his partner sold their UK home and used the proceeds to fund their move to the US and purchase a business. The sale took about three months, and delays in receiving the funds pushed back their plans to invest, pay professional fees, and relocate.

They considered starting a business from scratch but decided to buy an established one. Their main reason was the strength of the business’s existing financial and operating records for their E-2 visa application—not simply the startup cost or their preferred business model.

Decision-Making and Execution

• Compare a startup with an acquisition in light of the actual constraint. Starting from scratch could offer a lower initial investment and more control, but a new company would not yet have customers, income, tax returns, or balance sheets to demonstrate its viability.
• Prioritize evidence of an operating business. An established company can provide financial history, tangible assets, customer information, and a clearer picture of income and expenses. Luke said this made it easier to present the business as likely to be profitable.
• Assess investment in context. Luke gave examples of how the same investment can carry different weight across industries: he said $100,000 might be substantial for a pool-cleaning business, while a restaurant could require $400,000–$500,000 to be considered significant. These were examples, not universal thresholds.
• Use specialist advisers, but verify their work. Their immigration attorney advised them on how to structure and present the case. Their broker helped identify and assess businesses, including their financial documents. Luke cautioned that brokers still want to make a sale, so their claims should not be accepted uncritically.
• Budget for professional costs separately. They paid $7,000 for an immigration attorney and $2,000 for a professionally written business plan. Luke said their attorney advised that immigration costs could not be counted as business investment in their case.
• Build relationships before the search becomes urgent. The broker had their criteria on file and contacted them about a suitable opportunity that had not appeared on the broker’s website. Luke said their prior communication and demonstrated seriousness helped them hear about it early.

Acquisition Example

The business they bought is a pool-cleaning operation priced at $79,000. It services 55 pools and includes a pickup truck.

They found it through a broker while traveling to Florida for a planned two-week search. They had a preferred town, business type, and budget, but had found no suitable listing before the trip.

The handover was scheduled for February. Luke said they expected to take ownership before their visa was granted and believed they could operate it as a manager. He planned to explain the arrangement in a later video.

The couple still needed to file their application and attend an embassy interview, which they hoped would happen within the next few months.

Key Figures and Timing

• UK house sale: Completed about three months before the video.
• Attorney: $7,000.
• Business-plan writer: $2,000.
• Professional immigration and planning costs: About $9,000 total, described by Luke as nearly $10,000 in additional costs.
• Example investment amounts discussed: $100,000 for a pool-cleaning business versus $400,000–$500,000 for a restaurant.
• Purchased business: $79,000; services 55 pools and includes a pickup truck.
• Planned handover: February. Visa filing and interview were expected in the following weeks or months.

Practical Takeaways

• Define acquisition criteria—location, industry, and budget—and share them with brokers before beginning an intensive search.
• Request and review tax returns, balance sheets, and operating details. Use qualified professionals if you lack the expertise to validate them.
• Treat a broker’s vetting as helpful, but not as a substitute for independent due diligence.
• Account for transaction and professional fees separately from the amount available for the business.
• When a decision depends on immigration requirements, seek qualified legal advice. Luke’s account describes his own process and should not be treated as general immigration guidance.

Presenters and Sources

Luke is the presenter; Luke and Leisan are the channel. The attorney and business broker are discussed but not named.