How much does a Sotheby's International Realty franchise cost?
Opening a Sotheby's International Realty franchise takes a total initial investment of $47,250 to $331,950, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
Sotheby’s International Realty franchises real estate brokerage businesses. Category: Business Services.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Sotheby's International Realty franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $47,250 to $331,950. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Leasehold Improvements ($0 to $105,000), Additional Funds (first 3 months after opening) ($15,000 to $40,000), and Website ($1,000 to $35,000). Together they make up about 54% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $0 to $25,000.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $0 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $0 | $105,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Building Signs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $750 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Yard Signs and Frames/ | $6,700 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Open House Signs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $900 | $2,500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Miscellaneous Rider Signs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $250 | $500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Name Badges2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $500 | $750 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Miscellaneous2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $250 | $500 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Printed Materials2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $5,000 | $25,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $500 | $4,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Legal Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $0 | $4,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Orientation – Travel Expenses and Costs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $400 | $2,700 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Computer Equipment for Electronic Data Transfer System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $6,000 | $12,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Website2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $1,000 | $35,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| MLS/ | $0 | $8,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Additional Launch Expenses (Grand Opening)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 | $5,000 | $20,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 31 |
| Interior Branding2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32 |
| Additional Funds (first 3 months after opening)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32 | $15,000 | $40,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32 | $47,250 | $331,950 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32 |
Source Sotheby's International Realty, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 32, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-21. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 19
What Sotheby's International Realty franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet.
Source Sotheby's International Realty, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 69, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-21. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Item 20
How many Sotheby's International Realty outlets there are, and how many closed
Sotheby's International Realty ended 2025 with 672 franchised outlets and 37 company-owned outlets. In that year 27 franchised outlets opened and 21 left the system.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 666 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 672 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76 |
| 2023 | 674 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 666 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76 |
| 2022 | 663 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 674 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76 |
Source Sotheby's International Realty, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 76, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-21. Read from a scanned copy of this FDD; figures and page citations were transcribed from the page images.
Compare
How Sotheby's International Realty compares with other Business Services franchises
Measured against the 140 Business Services franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Sotheby's International Realty's estimated range is $189,600. It costs more to open than 64% of Business Services franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 71 of the 140 Business Services franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Sotheby's International Realty is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Business Services franchise side by side.
Alert me when Sotheby's International Realty files a new FDD
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