Temporary Electronic Notaries
By Wendy W. Kraby, Attorney, GDCRlaw.com
For closings or other documents that require the signature of a notary (and/or a witness), Georgia’s governor today has issued an executive order allowing remote notary (Order No. 03.31.20.01).
Witnessing of a signature by a witness or notary may be satisfied by “the use of real-time audio-video communication technology or any similar real-time means of electronic video conferencing that allows all of the parties to communicate with each other simultaneously by sight and sound.”
Such order is only in effect as long as the Executive Order #0.3.14.20.01 declaring a Public Health State Emergency in Georgia is in effect (currently through April 13, 2020), or as may be extended.
However, an electronic notary is only helpful if it is accepted in the marketplace. Will it be accepted by courts, title insurance companies, lenders, or private business?
For instance, one title company will only insure title on recorded title documents under the following ADDITIONAL conditions (above and beyond the limitation placed by the State of Georgia). Some of those requirements include, but are not limited to:
- The lender in any transaction must give written authorization and instructions from any lender and all parties to a transaction.
- Transaction must be 1 to 4 family residential property in Georgia with title insurance not to exceed $2 Million.
- The Notary must be registered in Georgia and physically located in Georgia while witnessing the signing.
- The Notary must sign a certification form issued by the title company
- The document shall be dated by the Notary the date of the signing, not the date the Notary received the original-signed documents.
- The only audio-video technology allowed is Zoom Pro, Zoom Executive or Microsoft Teams.
- A signer must place the signed original documents (and photo ID copy) in an overnight package to the closing Attorney during the audio-video conference in the presence of the Closing Attorney.
- No disbursement of money can occur until the original signed documents are received by the Closing Attorney.
Keep in mind that different title insurance companies and lenders may have different requirements.
It is important that anyone planning to sign remotely when a witness or notary is needed should coordinate with all parties ahead of time, especially with the closing attorney and any lender that may be involved. For more information on how my firm is handling real estate and business closings, see my previous blog post.
Wendy W. Kraby is a business and land development attorney at Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun & Rogers, LLC in Atlanta and is an affiliated professional member of GABB. https://www.gdcrlaw.com/wendy-w-kraby
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Are Closings Happening?
By Wendy W. Kraby, Senior Associate, GDCR Attorneys at Law.
With social distancing and work-from-home realities, are business and real estate closings even happening during the Covid 19 concerns?
As of the date of this writing, both business and real estate closings in Georgia are able to be processed during this time. However, parties need to be patient, flexible and proactive. The overall situation is very fluid and requirements and restrictions are rapidly changing.
Banks, accountants, law firms and other professional offices are — by and large — up and running. However, some services may be temporarily delayed as offices balance their work staff. Many employees are working from home, using their personal cell or home phones, so note that your caller ID may not be picking up the true caller.
Last week, my phone noted that I was getting calls from a “Rodney” in New York. I assumed it was a sales call or wrong number. Turns out it was a bank officer with Chase Bank calling to discuss resolving a client’s legal issue. I had eagerly been awaiting a call from the bank.
“I’m so sorry to call from my personal home,” Rodney said as his dog barked in the background, “but our entire staff is working remotely right now.”
We resolved the issue and I was told that I would be sent a follow up letter confirming our agreement. However, Rodney said the letter would take about two weeks or more to come, because he was unsure who was in the office to physically mail it.
We both lamented that this is our reality. But ultimately, the issue was resolved, and the client was pleased.
Note that other than closings in which documents need to be signed, law firms and other professionals have quickly moved to almost all meetings being by phone conference or video conferencing.
Conducting Closings
When closing a real estate deal, the requirement is to record in the public records any property transfer deeds or financing liens as soon as possible after closing. However, with many Georgia courthouses closed to outsiders or closed completely for cleaning (such as DeKalb County), how are original documents to be submitted for recording? Most counties in Georgia are now able to accept online filing of deeds and most law firms and title companies have transitioned easily to this. For, counties that do not have online filing or who are not able to accept mailed deeds for recording, major title companies have stated that they will insure over the “recording gap” (the time between when a deed was signed and when it is recorded in the public records) with signed indemnities from the parties involved.
While some closing documents, such as closing statements, can be signed remotely, real estate deeds and security deeds in Georgia normally must be signed, witnessed and notarized in person. That is, the signer, witness and notary should all be in the same room and actually see the signing take place. On March 31, the Georgia governor issued an order to allow video notary signing under certain conditions.
At our firm, we schedule closings to make sure there is only one closing at a time in the office, which closings take place in a designated open-air area that is sanitized before and after each closing. We have the signer, witness and notary (and attorney) each sit at the same table, but separated to different corners of the large table, each with their own blue pen. Proper social distancing is maintained, and we have set up so that only one “touch point” to allow people into the building is needed.
There is no legal requirement that Seller and Buyer sign at the same time or even sign in the same room.
For a recent closing in which we represented the Seller, she signed in our office the day before closing and we sent her documents via overnight delivery to the closing attorney, who had the Buyers come into the closing office the next day. The closing proceeded with no issues and the bank wires were delivered quickly.
According to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 10-12-7), parties to a contract (not a land deed) can sign electronically through an app or program. I do not recommend this unless both parties have a provision in the contract that signing electronically is specifically permitted. Proving in a Georgia court of law that someone has actually signed a document electronically is not well established. For real estate and business closings, there are typically numerous documents to be signed. It is still recommended that closing documents be hand-signed by the parties.
To date, our firm has found lending institutions to be very willing to move forward with previously scheduled closings – both for real estate and business purchases. I recently spoke to the president of a local community bank who said, while it did not let the community inside the bank without an appointment, the bank is very much open and still lending — although some employees are working from home.
Wendy W. Kraby is a business and land development attorney at Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun & Rogers, LLC in Atlanta and is an affiliated professional member of GABB. https://www.gdcrlaw.com/wendy-w-kraby
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Finding the Best Business for You
Owning a business and owning the right kind of business for you are, of course, two wildly different things. Owning the wrong kind of business can make you absolutely miserable. So if you are considering buying a business, it is prudent that you invest the time and effort into determining the best kind of business for your needs and your personality. In a recent Forbes article, “What is the Right Type of Business for You to Buy?” author Richard Parker explores how buyers should go about finding the right business fit.
Parker is definitely an expert when it comes to working with buyers as he has spoken with an estimated 100,000 buyers over his career. In that time, Parker has concluded that it is critical that you don’t “learn on your own time.”
His key piece of advice concerning what type of business to buy is as follows. “While there are many factors to be considered, the answer is simple: whatever it is you do best has to be the single most important driving factor of the revenues and profits of any business you consider purchasing.” And he also believes that expertise is more important than experience. Parker’s view is that it is critical for prospective buyers to perform an honest self-assessment in order to identify their single greatest business skill and area of expertise. The last thing you want to do is pretend to be something that you are not.
Parker makes one very astute point when he notes, “Small business owners generally wear many hats: this is usually why their businesses remain small. Remember that every big business was once a small business.” As Parker points out, whoever is in charge of the business will ultimately determine how the business will evolve, or not evolve. Selecting the right business for you and your skillsets is pivotal for the long-term success of your business.
All of this adds up to make the process of due diligence absolutely essential. Before buying a business, you must understand every aspect of that business and make certain that the business is indeed a good fit for you. According to Parker, if you don’t love your business, it will have trouble growing. This point is impossible to refute. Owning and growing a business requires a tremendous amount of time and effort. If you don’t enjoy owning and/or operating your business, success will be a much more difficult proposition.
Finding the right business for you is a complicated process even after you have performed a proper evaluation of your skills and interests. After all, do you really want a solid business with great potential for growth that you would hate owning? By working with brokers and M&A advisors, you can find the best business fit for your needs, personality, and goals. These professionals are invaluable allies in the process of discovering the right business for you.
Copyright: Business Brokerage Press, Inc.
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Preparing Your Business to Sell: Ten Questions
By Loren Marc Schmerler, President and Founder of Bottom Line Management, Inc., an Atlanta-based business brokerage, M & A and consulting firm.
1. Do You WANT to Sell? Make sure you really “want” to sell. Ask yourself if you are bored, burned out, ill, have a new child, have aging parents that need your assistance, etc. Or are you simply unhappy with how much money you are making? If this is the case, you do not “need” to sell. All you need is some guidance getting back on the right track.
An experienced business consultant can help you refocus and see the forest for the trees. You might find out that once you start making enough money, you do not want to sell after all. But if you conclude that selling is what you want to do regardless of how much money you are making, then you need to proceed to the next step.
2. Does Your Business Have Curb Appeal? After you positive that you want to sell your business, I suggest that you drive up to your business and review it objectively. Are there any holes in your parking lot? Fix them before a buyer shows up. Is any of the shrubbery dead or out of control? Replace dead landscape plants, weed where appropriate and get shrubs properly trimmed.
Clean any dirty windows. If the building exterior is dirty, get it pressure-washed. Paint the building. Get a new roof or replace bad shingles. In brief, make sure the “curb appeal” of your business has no obvious and easily correctible issues.
3. Is the Interior Appealing? Examine the interior of your business from top to bottom, starting with the ceilings. Are there any water stains from roof leaks? If so, fix the leaks and replace the tiles. Get on a ladder and replace burned-out lights with new and shiny bulbs. Does any of the furniture look ratty? If so, either repair it or replace it.
Repaint the walls to hide scrape marks on the walls. How about your employees’ desks? Do they look organized or out of control? Insist that your employees maintain neat and orderly working areas. How about the restrooms? If they’re an embarrassment, clean them up and keep them clean. Are they handicapped accessible? If not, make arrangements to bring them up to code. Look at your office with a keen eye. Remember that when the buyer tours your business, you want them to visualize becoming the owner and being proud to do so.
4. Job Descriptions Updated? Review your job descriptions, policies and procedures. First, draft your own job description that covers what you do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually. It should be very detailed. Make certain you have someone proofread the job description and correct any grammar or spelling errors.
After you are satisfied with your job description, ask all your employees to do the same. This process has several benefits. First, your employees will see how much they actually do. Second, it will give you a chance to see if they are doing what you think they are doing. Third, it will tell you whether they are doing what they should be doing. When all the job descriptions are complete and typed, place them in a binder labeled “Job Descriptions.” Then you will move on to policies and procedures.
5. Policies and Procedures? Now that you know what you do and what all your employees do, it’s time for policies, procedures and controls. With regard to employees, you need to cover hiring, evaluations, probations, vacation, sick days, holidays, etc. If your company has positions in which employees must have background checks, drug tests, reference checks, etc., you need to speak with a labor attorney to dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s.
When asking a prospective employee to complete an application, stay away from questions that deal with pregnancy, military status, race, national origin, etc. If you decide to hire an employee, make sure they complete a W-4 form, an I-9 form and the appropriate state form. Should your labor pool have a large number of Hispanics, you will need to consult with a labor attorney to ensure you do not hire illegal immigrants which could result in severe penalties. With regard to vacations and sick pay, it is best to let them accrue a day or less for each month worked.
6. Employee Evaluations? Employees are critical to the success of a business, so you must be current with all employee evaluations. Employee morale can be devastated if reviews are delayed or not given at all. Plus, it is grossly unfair to ask a new owner to review employees with whom they have never interacted. A prospective owner will most certainly ask about employee turnover and employee tenure. But one question that is rarely or ever asked is whether you have any “problem” employees.
That brings up the issue of probation. Probation can be a way to successfully rehabilitate a wayward employee, or it can be the final process to document a termination in such a manner that a legal challenge to the termination will not prevail. When an employee is put on probation, the leash should be very short. The employee must know exactly what behavior will be tolerated and what behavior will lead to immediate termination. Interestingly enough, putting a person on probation sometimes leads to an outstanding employee.
7. Are Financials Current? Nothing frustrates a prospective purchaser more than asking for current financial statements and tax returns and being told that they are not available. Worse yet is being told you cannot say when they will become available. Talk about red flags. How can you run a business without current and accurate financial statements? The short answer is that you cannot do so. As a business owner, you must anticipate the purchaser’s questions regarding all financial matters and have current statements to defend your answers.
When I say financial statements, most people think of a profit and loss statement (also called the income statement.) But the balance sheet is equally important. The combination of these statements tells you whether a business is losing money and gives you a picture of the company’s financial health. There are certain subtleties to keep in mind. For instance, a high level of inventory can indicate several different things. Maybe much of it is obsolete or slow-moving. It can be a purchasing mistake that will hurt a business or a brilliant purchase at a great cost. Only with thorough investigation will you determine the true answer.
8. Are Taxes Up-to-Date? Have you filed all your tax returns? Specifically, I mean monthly sales tax, monthly state withholding, quarterly payroll taxes, quarterly state unemployment insurance, annual unemployment insurance, annual ad valorem, annual corporate tax, annual state tax and any local, county, city or other special taxes. It is absolutely critical that you are current with all these returns to instill confidence in the prospective purchaser. If you have not filed and paid all sales tax returns, there are very negative consequences. The penalties and interest are exorbitant, but in addition, unpaid sales taxes become the responsibility of the new owner. I was once at the closing table waiting for the checks to be written when the Georgia Department of Revenue called and told the closing attorney that the seller had not paid sales tax for the last three years. Upon hearing this, the buyer stood up and left the closing. Needless to say, the company was not sold and eventually shut its doors.
Speaking of taxes, you need to have a heart-to-heart talk with your CPA regarding taxes when you sell your business. Should the sale be an asset sale? Should the sale be a stock sale? There are bonafide reasons for each type sale. An asset sale limits your exposure for past liabilities, errors and omissions. An example would be a product liability claim for a structure or machine that becomes faulty. A stock sale allows for ease of transferring contracts presently in force. A stock sale is also critical in the medical industry when a Medicare number might be involved. But there is another angle. The stock sale allows for the company to be sold for less money while still letting the owner realize the same or greater after-tax position.
9. Prepared for Due Diligence? What is due diligence, and how do you prepare for it? Due diligence is the process where the buyer tries to validate everything you have represented both verbally and in writing. The buyer will scrutinize your financial records, your legal records, your employment records, etc. With financial records, the process starts with the tax returns, goes backwards to the financial statements, then to the general ledger, then to all source documents that include bank statements, deposit slips, check stubs, canceled checks, vendor invoices, client/customer statements, etc.
To prepare for the financial scrutiny that accompanies due diligence you should assemble tax returns, financial statements, general ledgers, bank statements, deposit slips, check stubs, cancelled checks, vendor invoices, client/customer statements, etc. for the last three years. Tax returns, financial statements and related items should be in date order from the most current to the oldest. Vendor invoices and client/customer statements should be in alphabetical order first and then in date order for each vendor or client/customer. Employment records should be filed alphabetically, but you better make sure you have a W-4 form, an I-9 form and a state form (G-4 for Georgia) for every employee.
10. Are You a Legal Entity? There is a legal side to the due diligence process as well. Are you a valid legal entity such as a partnership, corporation or LLC? Is your annual filing of officers and registered agent current? Have you maintained your Corporate Minutes and held annual Board of Directors and Shareholders meetings? If you have outstanding liens for debts that have been paid off, you need to contact the creditor and ask them to remove them. If this is not done, the closing attorney will have to withhold funds in escrow until the actual status can be determined.
Have you paid all payroll taxes? If not, you may have undermined a possible sale. Have you paid all sales taxes that are due? If not, I can tell you from personal experience that this can demolish a probable sale. Is there any outstanding litigation that affects you as either a plaintiff or a defendant? Are all your employees legal, and do you have proof? Are there any patents, trademarks or service marks that need to be protected? If real estate is involved, do you have a deed to prove ownership? Do you have a plat that clearly shows boundaries of the property? Do you have any contracts with vendors or clients/customers? Is your company minority owned, and if so, how would a change in ownership affect your business?
An experienced business broker can guide you through answering all of these questions, which will help to speed the sale of your business.
Loren Marc Schmerler’s company, Bottom Line Management, Inc., (BLM) provides top quality, proven business brokerage services to buyers and sellers who want to control their own destiny and build future equity for themselves and their families. Since 1987, buyers and sellers have trusted Bottom Line Management, Inc., to provide ethical, professional and personalized business brokerage and consulting services based on the company’s in-depth knowledge of current market and industry conditions. BLM helps business owners successfully navigate one of the major financial business transactions of their lives, whether that transaction involves selling their own business or buying another business. The company’s headquarters are located in Atlanta, GA. Loren’s phone number is 470-990-0160
Compiling an Offering Memorandum: What Buyers Look For
Stephen “Steve” Mariani, owner of Diamond Financial Services and a board member of the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), spoke to business brokers this week about compiling a listing or offering memorandum.
In a lively talk, which you can hear online, Mariani talked about the top things that buyers look for in a business-for-sale listing, and what lenders look for in an offering memorandum, a detailed description of a business for sale.Buyers are also interested in the location of a business as well as whether there is growth potential in the industry, Mariani said. Financing options, especially owner financing, are very important.
After the price of the business, most buyers will want to know about its cash flow and seller’s discretionary earnings. While it may be common to have family members on the payroll, claiming a personal home mortgage as a business expense is likely to attract unwanted scrutiny from lenders. And lenders are required by law to report instances of flagrant tax fraud, he said.
Listings that go through the effort to be pre-qualified by lenders, or eligible for SBA loans, are automatically more attractive to buyers, Mariani said. That means an objective professional has examined the business’s financials and brings “immediate confidence in the numbers presented.”
“If the listing can service the debt at the asking price, then cash flow after debt service becomes apparent to a potential buyer,” Mariani told the brokers. “Most buyers understand this and calculate it for themselves.”
Today’s borrowers are learning that they can purchase much more cash flow than they once thought, he said. Most high net worth borrowers are looking to maximize their ROI by using financing options. In Mr. Mariani’s PowerPoint Presentation: Compiling Offering Memoranda, he covered items every lender will look for, including purchase price, working capital, SBA fees and closing costs, etc. The GABB, an IBBA affiliate, is the state’s premier organization dedicated to professionals who buy and sell businesses in Georgia.
What three things should be left OUT of your offering document? Avoid listing specific qualifications a potential buyer must have to purchase the business, because this could scuttle a sale, Steve said. Although most lenders like to see three years of direct or one year of related experience in a field, this varies greatly.
Avoid listing personal add backs. If more than 20 percent of the seller’s discretionary earnings comes from personal add backs, the lender will be concerned.
Designating anyone at the business as a “key” employee, i.e., one that is critical to the operation and success of the business, raises a lot of red flags, may necessitate a form 1919 or a “required” personal guarantee of the employee, Mr. Mariani said.
Mr. Mariani’s company has helped small business owners realize their dreams by funding more than $1 billion in acquisition loans during the past 24 years. Diamond has become the nation’s largest privately owned non-bank SBA acquisition loan generator that serves only the broker markets. Steve has also been producing and presenting broker training webinars and workshops for the last 11 years at various conference events.
After witnessing the difficulty and challenges some business buyers experienced securing business loans to acquire a business, Mr. Mariani learned the intricate, complicated world of the Small Business Administration (SBA) loan process. He mastered the SBA SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) rules and regulations and has become a major source for many national lenders. Business Brokers, lenders and owners nationwide seek Steve’s advice and he has become the “expert” in SBA loans. His understanding of SBA rules also allows for providing the most aggressive financing available nationwide.
The GABB is the state’s largest and oldest association of professionals who specialize in brokering the purchase and sale of businesses and franchises. Broker members help owners determine the asking price of their business, create marketing plans and strategies for selling their business, identify and qualify buyers, and have the knowledge, experience and skills needed to help maintain the confidential nature of the process. The professionals of GABB relentlessly pursue professional development so they can provide superior, ethical services for all customers and clients. Affiliate members include bankers, lawyers, appraisers, insurers and other professionals who work closely with brokers to help owners and buyers get to the closing table.
For more information about GABB, please contact GABB President Dean Burnette at 912-247-3209 or dean@b3brokers.com, or GABB Executive Director Diane Loupe at diane@gabb.org or 404-374-3990.
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