Start a Century 21 Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #160 Ranked #125 last year

Initial investment: $33K - $466K

Units as of 2024: 11,141 15% over 3 years

Since its founding in 1971, Century 21 Real Estate has worked to help independent people accomplish great things. The company has over 11,000 units worldwide, with more than 1,900 units in the United States alone.

Century 21 Real Estate helps franchisees become licensed real estate agents so that they can, in turn, help people buy and sell homes. What started as a unique company plan has become more common as other entities have followed suit in running a real estate business. Shortly before reaching its 50-year mark, the company rebranded as it sought to stay modern and continue defying mediocrity.

Why You May Want to Start a Century 21 Real Estate Franchise

Many people dream of owning a home, yet they tend to dread the idea of real estate markets and agents. The mission of Century 21 Real Estate is to "defy mediocrity and deliver extraordinary experiences." Franchisees may have the possibility of helping people find homes they will love while removing the dread that often comes with buying or selling a home.

Century 21 Real Estate has been ranked in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

The company looks for relentless go-getters who are ready to make things happen. With lots of training and support, franchisees may have access to a myriad of development tools. However, it takes the initiative of franchisees who want to learn and grow for these resources to be of any value.

What Might Make a Century 21 Real Estate Franchise a Good Choice?

If you love real estate and strive for excellence, this could be a great franchise opportunity. Century 21 Real Estate has worked hard to push above mediocrity, and their franchisees should do the same rather than settle for average. Franchisees must become licensed real estate agents and be ready to learn new skills and adapt to changing technology and society.

To be part of the Century 21 Real Estate team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for ongoing fees that will include advertising fees and royalty fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

How To Open a Century 21 Real Estate Franchise

Century 21 Real Estate helps and supports franchisees in many ways, including with advertising, social media, and customer relationships. They work hard to keep technologies exciting and relevant to current markets.

As you decide if opening a Century 21 Real Estate franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Century 21 Real Estate franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Company Overview

About Century 21

Industry	Services (Other)
Related Categories	Real Estate
Founded	1971
Parent Company	Anywhere Real Estate Inc.
Leadership	Mike Miedler, President & CEO
Corporate Address	175 Park Ave. Madison, NJ 07940
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1972 (52 years)
# of employees at HQ	68
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	11,141 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Century 21 franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$0 - $25,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$32,870 - $466,300
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$150,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$75,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	Franchise fee waived or reduced
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	0.5%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	No

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing	Century 21 offers in-house financing to cover the following: startup costs

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

Classroom Training	34 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Ad Templates Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes