Sotheby's International Realty franchise
A real estate brokerage specializing in luxury property sales. At the end of 2025 there were 709 Sotheby's International Realty locations in the US, 672 franchised and 37 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $47K–$332K
- Franchise fee
- $25,000
- Royalty
- 6%; potential rebates
- Locations, 2025
- 709+9 in 1 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- On the SBA Franchise Directory
From SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY AFFILIATES LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Sotheby's International Realty franchise costs
Opening Main office costs an estimated $47,250 to $331,950. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY AFFILIATES LLC, 2026 filing, page 40
Sotheby's International Realty franchise fee
The franchise fee is $25,000, The stated $25,000 main-office fee is waived under the current sales incentive program.. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY AFFILIATES LLC, 2026 filing, page 31
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of gross revenue, with potential rebates under the Luxury Premium Award program. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY AFFILIATES LLC, 2026 filing, page 31
Sales and earnings
No figures Sotheby's International Realty 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: SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY AFFILIATES LLC, 2026 filing, page 77
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 674 (+11) | 44 | – |
| 2024 | 666 (−8) | 44 | – |
| 2025 | 672 (+6) | 37 | 21 |
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: SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY AFFILIATES LLC, 2026 filing, page 78
How Sotheby's International Realty compares
Of the 20 real estate franchises on this site, Sotheby's International Realty is the 11th cheapest to open and the 4th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Sotheby's International Realty | Typical real estate |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $47K | $45K |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% |
| Closed or left per year | 3.2% | 4.7% |
| Change in franchised locations, 1 yrs | +1.4% | +0.7% |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 8 of 20 |
Typical is the median across the 20 brands in real estate franchises.
