CIM request & NDA checklist
Request the CIM the right way, and know what to check before you sign a broker NDA.
When to use it: Module 3–4. Use the moment a listing passes your buy-box check and you want the full package.
Professional review: NDAs are contracts. This checklist flags common terms — it does not replace a lawyer for unusual or heavily modified NDAs.
CIM request email
Subject: [Listing name/ID] — request for CIM Hi [Broker first name], [Listing name/ID] fits my acquisition criteria — [one line: industry, region, price band]. I'd like to review the CIM. Happy to sign your NDA. For context: I'm an individual buyer with $[X] committed, [financing status], targeting a close within [timeline]. I review packages within 48 hours and will give you a clear yes/no with reasons either way. [Full name] [Phone] · [Email]
Before you sign the NDA, check for
- ✓Term length — 1–3 years is normal; “perpetual” is worth questioning.
- ✓Scope — it should cover the seller’s confidential information, not restrict you from buying other businesses.
- ✓Non-solicit — fine for the target’s employees during the process; a blanket industry non-solicit is not standard.
- ✓Fee language — you are the buyer; you should not be agreeing to pay the broker a fee. Flag any “buyer registration” fee clause.
- ✓Non-circumvention — normal in concept; confirm it is limited to this specific seller and deal.
- ✓Financial disclosure — providing a buyer profile or proof of funds is normal; blanket personal financial statements up front usually are not.
When the CIM arrives, log before reading
- ✓Import the deal into your pipeline with source and date (the Today page import does this).
- ✓Note what the CIM does NOT include — missing financial statements, no customer data, no lease terms. Gaps are findings.
- ✓Set a follow-up: your 48-hour yes/no promise is what gets you the next CIM faster.
Put it to work
The free Academy pairs each template with a module, a working tool, and a saved artifact — readiness, buy box, screens, and the rest of the source-to-decision loop.
Educational material only — not legal, lending, tax, or investment advice. Have your attorney, CPA, and lender review anything you sign or send.