Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise
2022 filing · May 2, 2022
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices at a glance
A residential real estate brokerage franchise for established brokers, with a referral network, agent tools and marketing. At the end of 2021 there were 268 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices locations in the US, 248 franchised and 20 company-owned.
The business
- Industry
- Real estate
- Franchisor
- BHH Affiliates, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Irvine, California
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $43K–$88K
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 2–6%
- A sliding share of gross revenue: 6% on the first $1.65 million a year, stepping down to 2% above $100 million, with a $15,000 yearly minimum after the first year
- Brand fund
- Yes
- A declining share of gross revenue, at least $500 a month
- Agreement length
- 10 to 15 years
- Franchisor financing
- Some financing offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2021
- 268
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 248
- Company-owned
- 20
- States
- 47
- Most in California, Texas and Pennsylvania
Support and records
From BHH Affiliates, LLC’s 2022 filing; revenue and net income from the guarantor’s audited financial statements, page 193; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Guarantor figures are for HSF Affiliates LLC, the parent company that guarantees the franchisor’s obligations to owners. They cover everything that company and its subsidiaries earn, not what a location makes.
Where it ranks
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $65,838 | Costs less than 94% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $25,000 | Lower than 82% of franchises |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 268 | More than 89% of franchises |
How much a Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise costs
Opening one Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices costs an estimated $43,300 to $88,375. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital. It is one of the franchises under $50K.
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, page 26
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, page 19
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | A sliding share of gross revenue: 6% on the first $1.65 million a year, stepping down to 2% above $100 million, with a $15,000 yearly minimum after the first year. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | A declining share of gross revenue, at least $500 a month. |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, pages 20 and 22
Sales and earnings
No figures Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, page 65
SBA loans to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchisees
Lenders approved 10 SBA-backed loans for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchisees from 2014 to 2026, $6.32M in all: 8 7(a) loans and 2 504 loans. All 4 that have ended were paid in full; none was charged off. The other 6 haven’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices compares
Of the 95 real estate franchises on this site, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is the 28th cheapest to open and the 18th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | Typical real estate brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $43K | $69K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $88K | $244K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $25K | $35K | $40K |
| US locations | 268 | 67 | 21 |
| Change in franchised locations, 0 yrs | −2% | +1.4% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 40 of 95 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 95 brands in real estate franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 257 (+4) | 16 |
| 2020 | 253 (−4) | 16 |
| 2021 | 248 (−5) | 20 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating. Counts are US brokerages; the network also had 16 international franchised brokerages at the end of 2021.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, page 66
Where Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices locations are
At the end of 2021, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices had franchised locations in 47 states. The most are in California, Texas and Pennsylvania.
- California27
- Texas19
- Pennsylvania13
- New Jersey12
- Ohio11
- Massachusetts10
| State | Franchised |
|---|---|
| California | 27 |
| Texas | 19 |
| Pennsylvania | 13 |
| New Jersey | 12 |
| Ohio | 11 |
| Massachusetts | 10 |
| New York | 10 |
| North Carolina | 10 |
| South Carolina | 10 |
| Washington | 10 |
All 47 states
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, page 68
Who owns Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices?
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchises are sold by BHH Affiliates, LLC.
From BHH Affiliates, LLC’s 2022 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | Yes. The filing describes past or pending cases involving the franchisor, its affiliates or its executives on pages 15–17. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: BHH Affiliates, LLC, 2022 filing, litigation on pages 15–17, bankruptcy on page 18
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices filings
The figures on this page come from BHH Affiliates, LLC’s 2022 filing, issued May 2, 2022, on record with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 filing | May 2, 2022 | Minnesota | Costs, fees and locations, 2019–2021 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
