1st Class Real Estate franchise
A full-service real estate brokerage helping clients buy and sell property. At the end of 2025 there were 70 1st Class Real Estate locations in the US, all franchised.
- Cost to open
- $31K–$43K
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Royalty
- Transaction, office and technology fees
- Locations, 2025
- 70−26 in 3 yrs
Compare with similar brands Estimate your costs
Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- Not on the SBA Franchise Directory
From 1ST CLASS FRANCHISING, LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a 1st Class Real Estate franchise costs
Opening Home-based office costs an estimated $31,050 to $43,450. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: 1ST CLASS FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 16
1st Class Real Estate franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: 1ST CLASS FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | $150 for each closed buyer, seller or referral transaction, plus a $150 monthly office fee and separate technology charges. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: 1ST CLASS FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 13
Sales and earnings
Shares figures 1st Class Real Estate publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: 1ST CLASS FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 41
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 106 (+10) | 0 | 7 |
| 2024 | 104 (−2) | 0 | 5 |
| 2025 | 70 (−34) | 0 | 42 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
Source: 1ST CLASS FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 44
How 1st Class Real Estate compares
Of the 36 real estate franchises on this site, 1st Class Real Estate is the 6th cheapest to open and the 26th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | 1st Class Real Estate | Typical real estate |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $31K | $60K |
| Closed or left per year | 17.5% | 8% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | −27.1% | +1.7% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 15 of 36 |
Typical is the median across the 36 brands in real estate franchises.
