Best Real Estate Investment Franchises to Own in 2023

Your day to own a business rather than work for someone else has arrived. Real estate seems like a good fit, but you're not sure which franchise would be the best one for your investment. It's true that one real estate investment franchise will differ from the next in significant ways. As you look around, do take a close look at each of the following franchises. One of them may turn out to be just what you want. 

Red Barn Homebuyers Franchise

With a history that traces back to 2005, Red Barn is a relatively new entry in the real estate franchise business. Much of the focus at Red Barn involves finding properties to improve, then selling them at a profit. 

Red Barn's franchise opportunity is easily the newest found on the list. The first franchise launched in 2021 and had grown to 23 by year's end. There is every indication that more franchisees will find this is a program that will work well in their communities. The fact that the program has a comparatively low startup cost makes it even more attractive. 

Among today's property franchise opportunities, the Red Barn Homebuyer program tends to be among the most comprehensive. Franchisees receive ample training that ensures they can launch their franchises with ease. There's a network of vendors that all franchisees can access, often commanding great pricing thanks to the volume purchasing pricing agreements the franchisor has established. The program can be adapted to allow the franchisee to focus on any sector of the residential real estate market that's desired. 

One of the major draws of the franchise is that potential franchisees don't need to have a background in real estate. Red Barn provides support in terms of professional coaching and support that makes it possible for novices to develop skills and be competitive.  

HomeVestors of America

In business since 1996, HomeVestors of America places a lot of emphasis on what's known as flipping. Essentially, they buy residential properties from owners who want to sell quickly, and have no interest in going through a prolonged listing process. The franchisee makes improvements to the property, and then resells them for a profit. 

This model has worked well in a number of communities. According to the franchisor, their franchisees have sold more than 100,000 homes over the life of the business. The number of franchisees has increased as well. In 2012, HomeVestors had 268 franchisees; as of 2020, that figure stood at 1,154. 

That still leaves a lot of areas that could use this type of franchise. Depending on home prices in the area and how handy you are with managing renovations, this could be the deal for you. 

Weichert Real Estate Affiliates

Weichert Real Estate Affiliates has a history dating back to 1969. However, franchises have only been offered since 2000. One of the hallmarks of this franchise is that a lot of emphasis is placed on providing franchisees with the resources needed to be successful. That includes training them on the best possible use of digital marketing strategies, and the creation of a CRM system that's designed specifically for their use. 

This type of real estate business for sale Winfield KS does more than lend a name to the franchisee. There are also provisions and training that help franchisees build on that reputation; the idea is that the agent's personal brand is at least as important as the company one. To that end, the program includes an online educational program via Weichert One and Weichert University. 

At present, there are around 490 franchises found within the United States, with 114 of them owned by the franchisor. The comprehensive nature of the training and the ongoing support are two factors that make this franchise worth investigating further. 

Epcon Communities

First established in 1986, Epcon has offered franchise opportunities since 1995. Currently, there are 88 franchises found around the United States, with 14 of them owned by the franchisor. 

This opportunity is a little different from the approach used by most real estate franchises. Instead of finding properties to list, Epcon purchases land and constructs homes. The target audience is buyers who are over the age of 55, and who are looking for higher-end properties to purchase. Over time, Epcon has constructed over 30,000 homes in communities found in around 18 states. 

As a franchisee, you would be able to offer prospective buyers choices of specific floor plans for new homes, even as you have a hand in making sure the properties are ready within the time frame promised. All the plans can be customized up to a point, something that will appeal to those who want something that has a bit of personal touch to their new homes. Those experienced in the field of home construction will find this franchise opportunity particularly interesting. 

Realty One Group

In business since 2005, Realty One began offering franchises in 2012. Currently, there are 320 franchises up and running. Of that number, 14 are owned by the franchisor, and 6 of the franchises are located outside the United States. 

The focus of this franchise is on the millennial market, one that the franchisor maintains is under-served in many parts of the country. To prepare franchisees, the franchisor has assembled teams of industry veterans who can provide the training needed to own and operate a franchise. Realty One also actively encourages franchisees to give back to their communities through charitable giving and other methods. 

RE/MAX

Founded in 1973 and offering franchises since 1975, RE/MAX is often cited as the gold standard for real estate franchising. There's no doubt the business has a great deal of name recognition, and a strong presence in many areas. Currently, there are 8,775 franchises in operation, with more than 5,000 located outside the United States. 

The typical business model allows for collaboration as well as individual efforts. It's not unusual for agents to own their own businesses while choosing to co-locate with other RE/MAX franchisees. This makes it easy to share basic operational expenses and increase net profits. Thanks to this model, agents can easily refer clients to fellow agents who happen to specialize in the type of home that those clients are seeking. 

In terms of support from a franchisor, it would be difficult to find any other option that can top what RE/MAX has to offer. From cutting edge CRM systems to the chance to participate in seminars, conferences, and other learning opportunities, there's a lot to consider. You may want to take a look at this program and then use it as the means by which you determine the value of similar franchise opportunities. 

Century 21

If there is any franchise brand that can compete with RE/MAX for brand recognition, it's Century 21. Found in most communities around the country, the franchisor was named as one of the fastest growing franchise opportunities of 2021 by Entrepreneur Magazine. Since the opening of the first office in 1971 and offering the first franchise in 1972, Century 21 has grown to a network of 13,200 franchisees found in 80 countries around the world. 

The training program for new franchisees is considered among the best in the industry. Startup costs are clearly defined, and the qualifications for franchisees are made clear up front. On the back end, the company is known for offering excellent support to all franchisees.

Century 21 is known for fierce loyalty to franchisees. This is true during the early stages of getting established, but it doesn't end there. Throughout the years of association, franchisees can expect to find support with any questions that have to do with the business, and even help with things like vendor pricing and software support.    

Keller Williams

Keller Williams has been in the real estate business since 1983. The first franchise opened in 1987, and the business has steadily grown from that point. Currently, there are 1,085 franchises found mostly in the United States. There are no company-owned franchises, but there are 292 franchises found outside the United States. 

While not having as many franchises as some of the other companies on this list, the number of agencies affiliated with those 1,085 franchises is impressive. That figure currently stands at 170,000. One of the primary strategies is the ongoing educational effort made with every franchisee. Keller Williams constantly evaluates the methods used by the most successful agents in the business, and ensures that those methods are shared with everyone involved with the network. 

Communication within Keller Williams also means that franchisees are in a position to network with ease. The proprietary customer relationship management software provided to all franchisees also helps to keep sales funnels defined. Scheduling next tasks with contacts is a breeze, and staying on top of what's happening with each listing is easy. That's made it possible for franchisees to have an impressive ratio of closings. 

Whether you're looking for a real estate business for sale Wichita KS or some other location, it pays to be aware of the real estate franchises that are currently operating in the community, or that are offering opportunities to establish a presence nearby. Take the time to look closely at each one, and compare what they offer to the goals you've set for yourself and your career. What you are likely to find is that one of these top franchise options for 2023 will be just what you need to take your career to the next level.