1st Class Real Estate franchise: cost, fees & unit track record
Opening 1st Class Real Estate franchise takes $27,950 – $43,450 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is $25,950. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated. The ledger below itemizes every figure we can source for 1st Class Real Estate, each one dated, so you can check the numbers before anyone gets your contact details.
1st Class Real Estate franchise costs and fees
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | $25,950 | $25,950 | $25,950 | |
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $27,950 | $43,450 | $27,950 to $43,450 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | Not disclosed1 | Not disclosed1 | ||
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | Not disclosed1 | Not disclosed1 | ||
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $27,950 | $43,450 | $27,950 to $43,450 | |
- 1 "Not disclosed" means 1st Class Real Estate's filings do not state this figure. We publish the gap instead of estimating it.
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | Not disclosed |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Not disclosed |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | Not disclosed |
See the full 1st Class Real Estate cost breakdown — what's in that number and what isn't
How 1st Class Real Estate's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where 1st Class Real Estate's disclosed cost sits against the Professional Services category:
- Minimum startup cost of $27,950 — about 67% below the Professional Services median of $84,700.
- Initial franchise fee of $25,950 — about 35% below the Professional Services median of $39,700.
Category medians are computed from the Professional Services brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Professional Services franchises
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How 1st Class Real Estate's units have held up
Openings and closures from FDD Item 20-style unit history, 2019–2021: began the window at 0 units; 58 units opened, 0 closed, ending at 57 units.
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for 1st Class Real Estate or anyone else. The only primary source is Item 19 of the brand's own franchise disclosure document (FDD), and no law requires a franchisor to publish one, so the "average owner income" numbers circulating elsewhere are usually unsourced or survivorship-biased. Ask 1st Class Real Estate for its current FDD and read Item 19 yourself — and if there is no Item 19, that silence is information too.
What this data can't tell you
Everything on this page comes from disclosure filings — fees, ranges, and unit counts. Four questions that matter just as much are not in any filing we can source, so we say so instead of guessing:
- The hours and the labor
- No dataset field says whether 1st Class Real Estate is a manage-from-a-laptop business or a 60-hour week in disguise. Item 15 of the FDD states whether you're obligated to run the business personally, and Item 11 lists what the franchisor actually does for you — then ask current owners what their week looks like (validation calls), not the sales team.
- How hands-on the ownership really is
- "Semi-absentee" is a pitch, not a filing field. Treat any hands-off claim as unverified until it's consistent with Item 15 and with what multiple current franchisees tell you — what absentee ownership actually means.
- Your territory — whether it's protected, and whether it's open
- Two territory questions sit outside our data. Whether 1st Class Real Estate grants a protected or exclusive area is set in Item 12 of the FDD and varies brand to brand — some grant none, and the carve-outs (online sales, national accounts) matter as much as the map. And filing data can't say what's open in your market this month; only 1st Class Real Estate can confirm current availability. Ask both before you inquire, and get the answer in writing.
- What owners earn
- Covered honestly above: our dataset has no earnings fields, the only primary source is the brand's own Item 19, and here is how to read that evidence.
About the 1st Class Real Estate franchise
1st Class Real Estate is a professional services franchisor with 57 units at the end of 2021 (FDD Item 20-style unit history). Between 2019 and 2021, it began the window at 0 units; its filings record 58 unit openings and 0 closures, ending at 57 units. Its parent company is 1st Class Properties LLC.
No franchise-related lawsuits reported in the disclosure data we hold (FDD Item 3, as of 2026-05) — an absence in our sources, not a guarantee; confirm against the brand's current FDD.
From the franchisor's materials
1st Class Real Estate is a franchise dedicated to delivering exceptional service and support to both agents and clients, emphasizing professionalism, integrity, and customer satisfaction. The franchise features an agent-centric model with comprehensive training, a collaborative environment, modern technology, diverse property listings, and a strong community focus to enhance their local presence.
1st Class Real Estate franchise: quick answers
- How much does 1st Class Real Estate franchise cost?
- $27,950 – $43,450 all-in to open, per 1st Class Real Estate's franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05).
- How many 1st Class Real Estate units are there?
- 57 units at the end of 2021 (FDD Item 20-style unit history).
- How have 1st Class Real Estate's units held up?
- 100% of units at risk between 2019 and 2021 did not close, per our metric recomputed from FDD Item 20-style unit history (methodology published on our verification page).