Century 21 franchise
Century 21 is a real estate brand whose franchisees are brokerages selling homes and, in some offices, commercial property. Most franchisees are existing brokerages converting to the brand. It is now part of Compass. At the end of 2025 there were 1,685 Century 21 locations in the US, all franchised.
- Cost to open
- $36K–$286K
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Royalty
- 6%
- Locations, 2025
- 1,685−185 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- Franchising since
- 1972
- Territory
- No exclusive territory
- Financing
- Some financing offered
From Century 21 Real Estate LLC’s 2026 filing.
How much a Century 21 franchise costs
Opening converting an existing real estate office costs an estimated $35,770 to $286,100. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
| New real estate office | $117,270 to $473,400 |
|---|
Source: Century 21 Real Estate LLC, 2026 filing, page 37
Century 21 franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000, for the main office ($5,000 per branch office). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Century 21 Real Estate LLC, 2026 filing, page 28
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross revenue, paid at the close of each transaction (1.5% on property management revenue). |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 50% of gross sales |
Source: Century 21 Real Estate LLC, 2026 filing, page 29
Sales and earnings
No figures Century 21 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: Century 21 Real Estate LLC, 2026 filing, page 68
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,807 (−63) | 0 | 148 |
| 2024 | 1,734 (−73) | 0 | 145 |
| 2025 | 1,685 (−49) | 0 | 117 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Century 21 Real Estate LLC, 2026 filing, page 69
How Century 21 compares
Of the 4 real estate franchises on this site, Century 21 is the cheapest to open and the largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Century 21 | Typical real estate |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $36K | $37K |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | −9.9% | −8.1% |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 0 of 4 |
Typical is the median across the 4 brands in real estate franchises.
Other real estate franchises
Century 21 franchise questions
Does Century 21 help with financing?
Yes, in some cases. Century 21 may finance part of the cost, such as the franchise fee, for qualified buyers; terms are in its filing.
Do Century 21 franchisees get a protected territory?
No. Century 21 grants the right to run one location but no exclusive area, so another Century 21 can open nearby.
Is Century 21 growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 225 franchised locations opened and 410 closed or left, a net change of −9.9%. About 7.6% of locations closed or left each year.
How does Century 21 compare with other real estate franchises?
Of the 4 real estate franchises here, Century 21 is the cheapest to open (low end $36K against a $37K median) and the largest by number of locations.
Does Century 21 say how much franchisees make?
No, Century 21 doesn't publish sales or profit figures for its locations, while 0 of the 4 real estate brands here do. Current and former owners are the best source.
Where is Century 21 based?
Century 21 has sold franchises since 1972.