Who buys treatment centers?
Four buyer types are active right now. Private equity firms building behavioral health platforms, who want in-network revenue, stable census, and clean licensure. Healthcare REITs and real estate investors, who buy the facilities and campuses, often in sale-leaseback structures. Family offices and independent sponsors, who like founder-led centers with $2M to $10M of EBITDA. And strategic operators expanding into new regions or levels of care. Each reads a deal differently, which is why the packaging and the buyer match matter more than the listing.
How much is a treatment center worth?
It depends on payor mix, census stability, licensure and accreditation, clinical team retention, compliant billing history, and whether the real estate is included. Lower-middle-market centers commonly trade at mid-single-digit multiples of EBITDA, with premiums for in-network platforms, multi-site groups, and strong outcomes data. The real estate is usually valued separately from the operating business, often through a sale-leaseback lens. Any specific number before diligence is a guess; we help you build the defensible version.
Can I sell the business but keep the real estate?
Yes. That is an OpCo-PropCo structure: the operating company sells while you retain the property and become the buyer's landlord under a long-term lease. It turns your building into an income stream and often makes the operating deal easier to close. The reverse also works: keep operating and sell just the real estate.
Can I sell the real estate and keep operating?
Yes, that is a sale-leaseback. Healthcare REITs and private real estate investors buy treatment center properties and lease them back to the operator on long terms. Owners use it to pull capital out of the building for expansion, debt payoff, or diversification, without giving up the business.
How confidential is the process?
NDA first, always. No public listings, no marketplaces, no footprint your staff, referents, or competitors could stumble on. We run quiet, direct conversations with vetted buyers only, and you approve who learns what at every step. Most of the assets we represent are never publicly known to be for sale.
What does PELORA charge?
Success fees paid at closing. PELORA is a marketing advisory firm, not a licensed broker or investment advisor, and every engagement is scoped in writing before anything begins. Buyers pay nothing for deal flow.
What do buyers look for in a treatment center?
Census and utilization trends, payor contracts and the in-network versus out-of-network mix, state licensure and accreditation (Joint Commission or CARF), clinical leadership that stays after close, compliant billing and documentation, referral diversity, and the condition and capacity of the real estate. Sellers who tighten these before going to market get better multiples, and that preparation is exactly what our marketing engine does.
Do you also market treatment centers?
Yes. PELORA's agency side runs marketing for behavioral health operators: admissions-focused video, compliant patient acquisition, local SEO and AI search visibility, and CRM automation. For owners planning an exit, that engine raises census, review velocity, and brand strength before buyers ever look, which is enterprise value. See our behavioral health marketing page for the full system.
How long does it take to sell a treatment center?
A realistic window is 6 to 12 months from first conversation to close: preparation and packaging take 4 to 8 weeks, quiet buyer outreach and management meetings run 2 to 4 months, then LOI, diligence, and closing take 90 to 120 days. In-network platforms with clean books move faster; single-site out-of-network centers take longer. Sellers who prepare their financials, licensure, and census story before going to market cut months off the timeline, and that preparation is where we start.
Do I need a broker to sell my treatment center?
No. Many treatment center sales happen through direct, confidential introductions rather than brokered listings. PELORA is a marketing advisory firm, not a licensed broker: we package the asset, run quiet outreach to vetted buyers, and coordinate the conversation, while your attorney and CPA paper the deal, which they would do in a brokered sale anyway. For transactions that legally require licensed professionals, such as certain real estate transfers, we work alongside your licensed broker and counsel.
How do I start?
Book a confidential call. Tell us what you own, what you want (full exit, real estate only, or capital), and your timeline. If we can help, we will tell you exactly how the process would run. If we are not the right fit, we will say so and point you to who is.
