Selling your practice is probably the biggest single transaction of your professional life — and for most owners, a once-off. This guide walks through how to sell your accounting practice in South Africa the modern way: directly, confidentially, and without a broker taking a slice of the deal.
Start with a realistic valuation
Accounting practices are valued mainly on their recurring fees, not turnover or profit alone. As a rule of thumb, practices trade at roughly one to one-and-a-half times annual recurring fees, with the multiple moving up or down based on fee stability, client concentration, the systems in place and how much of the value walks out the door with you. Get a defensible number before you talk to anyone.
Protect your confidentiality from day one
The moment word gets out that you're selling, staff get nervous and clients start wondering. That's why serious sellers keep their identity, exact location and financials private until they've chosen who to deal with. On a confidential marketplace, you publish only high-level detail — practice type, region and a recurring-fee band — and reveal the rest to a specific buyer only once you've decided to engage them.
Reach buyers directly
Traditionally, selling meant appointing a broker who controlled the buyer pool and charged a heavy commission. You no longer need to. A direct marketplace opens your listing to every verified buyer at once, so you get more reach and keep control — and you pay only a small success fee when a deal actually closes.
Prepare for due diligence
Buyers will want to see a fee analysis, your client list and concentration, work-in-progress and debtors, staff contracts, your lease, software, and the practice's own tax and compliance position. Having this ready shortens the deal and builds trust.
Structure the deal to protect value
Most practice sales include a retention or handover mechanism — part of the price is tied to how many clients stay through the transition, usually measured over 12 to 24 months. A well-structured earn-out protects the buyer and rewards you for a clean handover.
Ready to start?
List your practice confidentially and connect directly with verified buyers.
