DUBLIN, Calif. – Sales of small and mid-sized businesses in California increased last month from the same period last year with a total of 978 transactions, compared to the 954 deals completed in November 2009, according to figures released by BizBen, which tracks monthly small business sales throughout California.

“But the numbers were down about 29 percent from 1,384 sale s recorded the previous month,” said Peter Siegel, MBA, Founder and President of BizBen.com. “Sales activity was pretty strong earlier in November, but few escrow closings were scheduled for the last week because of the holiday.”

Most of the state’s large counties recorded fewer sales last month than in November 2009.

A total of 213 transactions were registered in Los Angeles County during the just-completed month, about 20 percent down from the 268 deals for the same period last year.

November-to-November declines also were recorded in Orange County (91 versus 97), San Diego County, (79 versus 91), and San Francisco, with 37 deals closed last month, compared to the 45 sold business figure from November of last year.

Sacramento County showed an increase to 42 deals last month, up from the 28 sales recorded in November of last year and the 26 transactions that closed in October 2010.

Santa Clara County figures are running pretty even at 51 deals in both October and November of this year, and 50 transactions in November 2009.

Siegel noted that the small increase over November 2009 sales statewide “shows the same pattern of cautious growth we see in other areas of the economy, including retail. We still need to see stronger fundamentals operating in the marketplace where businesses change hands.”

He added, “A decline in the value of small businesses, which is directly related to reduced earnings, is discouraging some owners from putting their companies on the market. They’re waiting for better times. Meanwhile, many buyers have an uphill battle getting purchase funds from lending sources so they can do deals.”

Long-term, Siegel said he expects the market to become much more robust. “The supply and demand are still there. Every day I learn about another buyer or seller or a broker who is using an innovative way of overcoming the obstacles presented by this difficult economy.”

The BizBen Index November report on the sale of small businesses in California, by county, (available at http://www.bizben.com/stats/stats-monthly-nov.php) is as follows: Alameda: 64, Amador: 3, Butte: 7, Contra Costa: 25, El Dorado: 6, Fresno: 31, Imperial: 1, Kern: 31, Los Angeles: 213, Madera: 1, Merced: 7, Monterey: 15, Napa: 2, Nevada: 4, Orange: 91, Placer: 14, Riverside: 41, Sacramento: 42, San Bernardino: 42, San Diego: 79, San Francisco: 37, San Joaquin: 17, San Luis Obispo: 4, San Mateo: 14, Santa Barbara: 20, Santa Clara: 51, Santa Cruz: 4, Shasta: 8, Solano: 17, Sonoma: 20, Stanislaus: 9, Sutter: 7, Tehama: 1, Tulare: 11, Tuolumne: 2, Ventura: 26, Yolo: 11.

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