Start a Epcon Communities Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $1.1M - $5.1M

Units as of 2024: 74 15% over 3 years

Epcon Communities was founded in 1986 by Edward Bacome and Phil Fankhauser, who felt that the real estate industry overlooked the needs and preferences of customers in residential projects.

Starting its journey in Dublin, Ohio, Epcon Communities created single-story living communities that appealed to the buyers. Since beginning to franchise in 1995, Epcon Communities has tried to make low-maintenance homes and communities a reality for customers looking to enjoy life across the United States.

Epcon Communities may be a considerate builder for families and individuals, meeting many lifestyle needs through cooperative construction.

The ideal candidate for an Epcon Communities franchisee is an individual who values people, is constructive, and is a team player.

Why You May Want to Start an Epcon Communities Franchise

Throughout its history, Epcon Communities has built neighborhoods across the United States. They seek to give buyers peace of mind as they seek housing options. Epcon Communities' primary target market is usually individuals and families aged 55+ who may prioritize downsizing and community lifestyles when choosing housing options.

Epcon Communities' selling point is typically attention to its buyers. They seem to strive to give them what they need each step of the way. Some aspects that make Epcon Communities distinguishable may include prioritizing low-maintenance designs, courtyard spaces, personalization, localization, and consistent support.

With the mission to build homes and lifestyles that provide "One Remarkable Experience" for buyers, Epcon Communities has tried to deliver value through its smart and innovative designs. With each community project, Epcon Communities generally integrates modern amenities with buyer imagination to create excellent outcomes.

What Might Make an Epcon Communities Franchise a Good Choice?

Epcon Communities may be a great place for franchisees to create amazing solutions for an underserved demographic and transform their communities.

To be part of the Epcon Communities team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of the 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 an Epcon Communities Franchise?

Starting an Epcon Communities franchise usually starts with filling out a report request, after which you may receive your free franchising information report. Follow-up steps typically include a communication from the Epcon Communities team, after which you may proceed towards being a builder, developer, or investor.

Epcon Communities franchisees will undergo over two dozen hours of classroom and additional sales training. While franchisees may run an Epcon Communities franchise from a mobile or home unit, the number of employees required is about five; a factor that generally makes the preparatory steps valuable.

After joining the Epcon Communities family, you may benefit from copyrighted floor plans and access to proven systems that support residential buildings. Epcon Communities may offer a great place to learn and grow in your local homebuilding market.

Company Overview

About Epcon Communities

Industry	Services (Other)
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Services, Building & Remodeling, Real Estate , Home Building
Founded	1986
Leadership	Paul Hanson, President
Corporate Address	500 Stonehenge Pkwy. Dublin, OH 43017
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1995 (30 years)
# of employees at HQ	240
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Canada
# of Units	74 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Epcon Communities 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.	$75,000
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.	$1,065,525 - $5,099,553
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.	$1,500,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$500,000
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.	1%-2%
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.	$625/mo.
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.	Life of community
Is franchise term renewable?	No

Training & Support Offered

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

On-The-Job Training	Ongoing
Classroom Training	37.5 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Field Operations Site Selection
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates SEO Website Development

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
# of employees required to run	5
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.	No