US Industry Hub

Real Estate & Insurance Franchises

Real estate brokerage franchises let an established agent or team operate under a national brand, drawing on its listings network and marketing systems, usually without opening a retail storefront. Pricing varies sharply by brand: one may use a fixed per-agent fee, while another keeps part of each commission. Treat the numbers below as individual brand figures, not one blended average.

What a real estate franchise costs
$37,088
25th percentile
$54,025
Median (8 brands)
$87,000
75th percentile

Minimum-investment figures (FDD Item 7) across 8 of 8 brands on this page that disclose one. Not a promise of return — an entry-cost distribution only.

8 Real Estate & Insurance brands, ranked by starting investment
#1 Century 21 Real Estate Brokerage
Investment$35,770–$286,100
Franchise fee$25,000
Royalty6%
US units1,685+
Full Century 21 FDD data →
#2 Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate Brokerage
Investment$37,050–$553,700
Franchise fee$20,000
RoyaltyNot disclosed in FDD
US units134+
Full Coldwell Banker FDD data →
#3 RE/MAX Real Estate Brokerage
Investment$37,100–$336,500
Franchise fee$8,750
Royalty1%
US units2,994+
Full RE/MAX FDD data →
#4 Sotheby's International Realty Luxury Real Estate Brokerage
Investment$47,250–$331,950
Franchise fee$25,000
Royalty6%
US units672+
Full Sotheby's International Realty FDD data →
#5 EXIT Realty Real Estate Brokerage
Investment$60,800–$209,000
Franchise fee$7,500
RoyaltyNot disclosed in FDD
US units518+
Full EXIT Realty FDD data →
#6 Goosehead Insurance Insurance Agency Franchise
Investment$66,000–$111,500
Franchise fee$50,000
Royalty20%
US units1,008+
Full Goosehead Insurance FDD data →
#7 HomeVestors Real Estate Investment & Property Flipping
Investment$150,000–$477,250
Franchise fee$85,000
Royalty2%
US units862+
Full HomeVestors FDD data →
#8 Keller Williams Real Estate Brokerage
Investment$183,647–$336,495
Franchise fee$35,000
Royalty6%
US units735+
Full Keller Williams FDD data →
Head-to-head inside this category
RE/MAX vs Century 21 RE/MAX vs Keller Williams RE/MAX vs EXIT Realty
Related US industry hubs
Home & Senior Care →Home Repair & Trades →
Straight answers
How much does a real estate franchise cost?

Across the 8 real estate & insurance brands FRANticc tracks in the US with a disclosed investment range, entry cost runs from $35,770 (Century 21) to $183,647 (Keller Williams), per each brand's FDD Item 7.

Which is the cheapest real estate franchise?

Century 21 has the lowest disclosed minimum investment on this page at $35,770 (FDD Item 7). That is a starting figure, not the total cost of getting to opening day — franchise fee, working capital and any real estate are on top where applicable.

How much do real estate & insurance franchise owners make?

Financial Performance Representations (FDD Item 19) are optional under FTC franchise rules, so not every brand publishes one. 6 of 8 brands on this page disclose earnings data in their current FDD; check the individual brand page for what each one discloses. FRANticc does not estimate or promise returns — only figures a brand has itself put in writing.

Can I get SBA financing for a real estate franchise?

Many brands in this category are listed on the SBA Franchise Directory, which is what SBA 7(a) lenders check first — but directory listing and loan approval are two different things, and approval also depends on the individual applicant's credit and collateral. Confirm current SBA status directly with the brand and with an SBA-approved lender; FRANticc does not verify per-brand SBA eligibility.

Every figure above is from the brand's current Franchise Disclosure Document (Items 5, 6, 7, 20) on file with FRANticc, US-scoped (country_code=US) — no India data mixed in.
If any figure is incorrect, write to [email protected]