# When should I start preparing to sell? · Horizon Answers

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# When should I start preparing to sell?

Short answer

Ideally two to three years before you want to sell. Most value is lost to issues that were fixable a few years earlier.

## What to know

-   Clean numbers take at least a year of history.
-   Reducing owner dependence takes time.
-   Starting early means you sell when you choose.

## What to do next

1.  1Get your number today.
2.  2List the issues a buyer would find.
3.  3Fix the biggest ones first.

Last reviewed September 2026 by the Horizon team. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

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