Business acquisition finance in Melbourne

FGO Finance Group arranges business acquisition finance for buyers in Melbourne and across Victoria. We work with first-time acquirers, MBO operators, ETA searchers, and franchise buyers. The team is Melbourne-based, which means we are available for in-person meetings with Victorian clients at every stage of the process, from initial deal review through to settlement.

For a detailed breakdown of how acquisition deals are structured and funded, including deal mechanics, buyer profiles, and a representative worked example, see our national guide on business acquisition finance. This page covers the local picture: who we help, how the lender landscape looks across Victoria, and what Melbourne acquisition lending looks like when you are working with a brokerage based here.

Who do we help finance business acquisitions in Melbourne?

Melbourne's business-for-sale market draws a range of buyer profiles. The acquisitions we work on most often involve buyers from these backgrounds:

• First-time acquirers from corporate, consulting, or financial services backgrounds, often pursuing an ETA-style search for a profitable owner-operated business to acquire and run.
• MBO operators already running the target business and buying out a retiring owner. Lenders favour this profile because operational risk drops sharply when the incoming buyer knows the customers, the team, and the financials.
• Family business buyers, including second-generation owners and sibling buyouts, often working with trust structures that form part of the funding mix.
• Franchise buyers, including new territory grants from franchisors and resale acquisitions in established systems.

Each profile is assessed differently by lenders. The buyer's background, the security available, the target's cash flow record, and how the deal is structured all shape which lender is most likely to support it and on what terms. We run that assessment as part of the initial deal review, before any formal application is submitted.

What lenders fund business purchases in Victoria?

Three tiers of lenders fund acquisition deals in Australia, and all three are active in the Victorian market.

The Big 4 banks carry the deepest balance sheets and the most competitive cost of funds. Their credit policy reflects the scale and prudential requirements of major bank lending, and they are well suited to acquisition deals where the security profile and cash flow record align with what their credit teams look for.

Challenger banks, including those with dedicated SME business banking teams, are often well positioned for acquisition deals that lean on the target's cash flow rather than property security. Jonathan Chan, who leads deal execution at FGO, spent time at Judo Bank on the business banking side of SME and acquisition lending before founding FGO, which gives us a practitioner's read on how that lender tier operates.

Private credit and non-bank lenders move faster and apply more structure-led credit policy. They are the right answer for deals with tight timelines or for buyers whose profile sits outside a standard bank credit box.

We work across more than 20 lenders. Matching the deal to the right lender on the first attempt is the part of the process with the largest effect on outcome. We make that call before a formal application goes anywhere.

How does the process work from Melbourne?

Being Melbourne-based means we can meet in person, review documents together, and move at the pace a deal requires. For Victorian clients that means face-to-face at our Melbourne office, at your business, or wherever it works. We run interstate deals fully remotely with video and document collaboration, and travel when a transaction warrants it. The brokerage is licensed federally through Finsure, so we can act for clients in any state or territory.

The process follows a consistent structure regardless of where you are based:

Expect roughly six to sixteen weeks from accepted heads of agreement to settlement, with the lender tier and the security work driving where a deal lands in that range. We give you a specific timing read at the indicative terms stage.

Common questions

Do you meet with clients in person in Melbourne?

Yes. For Melbourne and wider Victorian clients we are happy to meet in person at our office, at your business, or somewhere mutually convenient. We do work in person where it is useful, including face-to-face meetings on larger transactions. For interstate buyers we run the full process remotely.

What size acquisition deals does FGO work on in Melbourne?

Commercial transactions typically run from around $500K through to the mid-tens of millions. We are happy to look at smaller transactions where they fit alongside a larger relationship or as a referral from an existing client.

What lenders do you use for Melbourne business acquisitions?

We work across more than 20 lenders, covering the four major banks, the main challenger banks, and a range of private credit and non-bank specialist lenders. We match each deal to the lender most likely to approve it on competitive terms, and we explain why we are recommending the lender we are.

How long does business acquisition finance take in Melbourne?

The same range applies in Melbourne as nationally: roughly six to sixteen weeks from accepted heads of agreement to settlement. Where a deal lands in that range comes down to the lender tier and the security work involved. Because we are Melbourne-based, we can sit down with you early, get the application package right the first time, and give you a specific timing read at the indicative terms stage.