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Eight real estate brokerages made Entrepreneur‘s Franchise500 list, published on Tuesday. The 45-year-old annual list ranks franchises on 150 data points, including startup costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength and financial stability.
California-based Realty ONE Group led the pack at No. 81, followed by RE/MAX (No. 109), Keller Williams (No. 114), Century 21 (No. 160), NextHome (No. 265), First Class Real Estate (No. 304), Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. (No. 364) and ERA Real Estate (No. 437)
Kuba Jewgieniew | Credit: X
RE/MAX, Keller Williams and Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. have 20 consecutive appearances on the list, while Realty One Group has eight. The remaining brokerages made their debuts in more recent years, with ERA Real Estate and First Class Real Estate being the latest entrants with list debuts in 2022.
Realty ONE Group founder and CEO Kuba Jewgieniew lauded his company’s growth, which has seen a 57.4 percent jump in the number of franchisees since 2021.
“This is an exciting year for real estate and for our brand as we work hard to open new doors around the world for business entrepreneurs and ambitious, hard-working real estate professionals,” Jewgieniew said in a prepared statement sent to Inman. “Realty ONE Group continues to grow, in any market and during any economic conditions, as ONE of the most elite, dynamic real estate brands in the world, helping our real estate professionals achieve greater success faster.”
Bill Scavone | Credit: LinkedIn
Weichert President Bill Scavone also released a statement about the company’s 20th consecutive appearance on the list. The New Jersey-based company’s franchisee count has declined 3 percent since 2021; however, Entrepreneur said the company is one of the best franchises to purchase for $150,000 or less.
“We are honored to be selected as one of the top franchises by Entrepreneur for the 20th straight year,” Scavone said. “Our placement on this prestigious list is a testament to our brand’s strength and stability, and the hard work and dedication from our support staff and franchisees throughout the country.”
Anywhere brand leaders Alex Vidal and Mike Miedler also praised their respective brokerages for making the list.
Alex Vidal
“Our franchisees have immense pride in being with ERA and our role in being an industry pioneer,” Vidal said in a statement to Inman. “They know that ERA was one of the first to bring franchising to real estate, the first to grow internationally and the first to create modern real estate practices including offering home warranties, posting listings online, and launching guaranteed home sale programs.”
Mike Miedler
“There is also a collective sense that they want to be seen and be more visible, recognized for who they are and what being with ERA means,” he added.
Miedler said Century21’s spot on the list is a reflection of the effort to enhance the experience for C21 franchisees and a more robust merger and acquisitions strategy.
“I’ve been with CENTURY 21 for 25 years and have had the honor of leading the brand for the last five years,” he said. “I’ve seen firsthand how our franchisees value the important role CENTURY 21 has in their local communities, nationally and as a global real estate leader. I’m really looking forward to even more growth in 2024.”
