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Is Off-Market Outreach the Best Strategy?

Is Off-Market Outreach the Best Strategy?

It can be

Jack Carr
November 24, 2025

Welcome to the JackQuisitions newsletter,

Most buyers wait for listings to show up. The real operators build their own pipeline. In septic (and pretty much every other industry), off-market outreach is the difference between overpaying and finding quiet, undervalued companies.

Below, I break down the playbook for finding the companies nobody else is calling.

Ready For Your Next Acquisition?

Check out these acquisition opportunities that caught my eye this week:

Residential HVAC company for sale in Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan, generating $1.24M revenue and $245K cash flow with 35 years of service, 95 percent residential work, minimal new construction, and a well-trained team supporting a smooth transition.
Wildlife control service business for sale in Sarasota, Florida, generating $160K revenue and $30K cash flow with a strong referral engine, established support processes, all equipment included, and a simple home-based operation in a recession-resistant niche.
Plumbing company for sale in South Florida, generating $1.637M EBITDA across four consolidated entities with a strong residential mix, dense geographic coverage, diversified service lines, and a recession-resistant foundation ideal for a strategic roll-up buyer.

The Off Market Advantage in Septic

Most buyers start where everyone else starts. They look at broker listings, browse BizBuySell, and wait for something good to pop up. By the time a septic business hits a listing site, the price is inflated and competition is already high.

The real opportunity lives where no one else is looking.

Find the deals nobody else sees

Your unfair advantage is simple. Go where the data is public and the competition is zero. Every state maintains a list of permitted septic operators. It is the cleanest off-market list you will ever find.

This is where the best deals hide.

Permitted operators who retired but never shut down their permit.
Owners who wound down but still have a book of customers calling every three years.
Small one -ruck shops that never thought to list their business for sale.

Why the list works

Permits do not lie. They tell you exactly who can pump, install, repair, and inspect in your state. You are not guessing. You are not cold scraping the internet. You are calling the people doing the work.

A construction name that no longer serves customers but still has value you can buy.
A sole operator close to retirement with no succession plan.
A shop that never built a website or ran marketing but still has decades of relationships.

Why brokers and listings fall short

Brokers and aggregators are convenient. Sellers are motivated. Books are clean. But convenience comes with a premium. When multiple buyers look at the same listing, you pay for the competition, not the business itself.

Consider these points:

Brokers drive valuations up. Expect to pay more than the operation is worth.
Deal sites attract investors who want the same thing you want.
You are bidding, not buying.

The outreach advantage

Off-market outreach works because the septic niche is quiet. Unlike HVAC or plumbing, these owners are not getting constant calls from private equity. When you reach out, you are often the first person to ask.

Owners are candid. They tell you regulation changes, market risks, and who else might sell.

The conversations build a network long before a deal appears.

Even the no responses sharpen your understanding of the market.

What you are actually buying

You are not buying trucks and tanks. You are buying the renewal cycle. Septic systems must be pumped every three to five years. The book of past customers becomes predictable future demand.

A dormant permit with a customer list is a cheap entry point.
A small operator with 15 years of calls is worth more than their bottom line shows.
A shop with recurring pumping is a route business, not a project business.

The shift that gets you real deals

Stop waiting for deals to show up. Go create your own pipeline.

The best septic acquisitions will never be listed, never hit a broker’s desk, and never appear on BizBuySell. They sit with the operators who built a life in the industry, are almost done, and would sell tomorrow if someone simply asked.

Your advantage is effort. Your reward is price.

Ready to learn more?

How to Fund Your Septic Acquisition

Are you ready to acquire a septic business (or any other type) but unsure of where to start?

Alan Peterson of First Internet Bank, a National Preferred SBA lender, is the first person you should speak with.

Whether you're buying your first company or scaling through acquisition, Alan's “how can we” mindset and hands-on approach make him the go-to lender in the skilled trades space.

Finance up to 90% of your deal
Get a complimentary deal review and buyside prequal
Reduced good faith deposit when you mention the show

Tell Me What You’re Thinking

Have you given any thought to using off-market outreach to find your next acquisition target?

Share your feedback with me on X or LinkedIn.

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Disclosure: Some of the content and links in this newsletter are sponsored or affiliate links, which means we may receive payment or earn a commission if you click through or purchase. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.