Negotiations...not in my skill set

We (and I use the term loosely) owned a business that had two pieces: the one that made some money and the one that didn't. I'm not a business person in any way, shape, or form. So how do I sell them off? What's involved? How do I protect myself?

The business that made some money involved my DH and a partner, who can keep it going. He's easy to work with, so I don't anticipate any huge problems in selling him my half. Easy, right? Not so! It seems my DH "borrowed" money from this business to keep the other afloat. How much? Who knows? Luckily for me, the partner is a good human being who is willing to share the info he has so we can both make informed decisions. It's my intention to allow him to recover his half of what my DH took...uh, borrowed.

The other business is the nightmare. Appropriate, considering it's a haunted house. There are four haunts. The easy sale: Old Town Haunt in Pasadena to my DH's partner. The other three haunts he did without a partner. What are they worth? Are they just a load of props? Or do potential ticket sales drive a higher price?

{we interrupt our regularly scheduled blog for a description of a phone call. The owner of the building that my DH leased called two days after he died. Did he offer condolences? NO! But he did inform me that he was owed $63,000.}

The owner of said building exhibited erratic behavior. Since I teach Psychology to nursing students, it's my nature to evaluate what I see. Forgetfulness, anger, and a skewed sense of time ("You said you'd call me on Thursday!" "But it's only Tuesday." "Oh, that's right. I forgot."). Looks like a clear case of declined cognitive functioning. Over 80 years old, and it seems he has some form of dementia.

I offered him a large sum; he turned it down. I spoke to potential buyers who were willing to open the haunt in the building, pay the owner more money, then remove everything in November. He turned them down. If they couldn't open the haunt there, the business wasn't worth as much to them, so they offered me less money. I sold it for what I could, leaving next to nothing to pay the owner. To say he's angry is the understatement of the century!

So he filed a lawsuit against a corporation that has no money. My lawyer is going to be my new best friend.