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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Coldwell Banker Commercial vs Sotheby’s International Realty

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Coldwell Banker Commercial2026 FDDSISotheby’s International Realty2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    $37,050 – $741,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    $47,250 – $519,250

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    $20,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 31

    Royalty · Item 6

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    5.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Coldwell Banker Commercial and Sotheby’s International Realty disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    $37,050 – $741,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    $47,250 – $519,250
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    $20,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 31
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    5.5%
    Royalty Fees: 5.5% of aggregate Gross Revenue for all offices up to $1,000,000 per calendar year for which payments were timely made, and 3% of aggregate Gross Revenue in excess of $1,000,000 per calendar year.
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    6%
    Royalty fee rate
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    2%
    Commercial Marketing Fund fee — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 32

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    2%
    Brand Marketing Fund contribution rate — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    709
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    +2
    Calculated: 707 at end of 2022 → 709 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sotheby’s International Realty

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Coldwell Banker Commercial

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    SISotheby’s International Realty

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Coldwell Banker Commercial vs Sotheby’s International Realty: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Coldwell Banker Commercial or Sotheby’s International Realty?
    Coldwell Banker Commercial: $37,050 – $741,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Sotheby’s International Realty: $47,250 – $519,250 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Coldwell Banker Commercial. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Coldwell Banker Commercial and Sotheby’s International Realty royalties compare?
    Coldwell Banker Commercial: 5.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31); Sotheby’s International Realty: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Coldwell Banker Commercial and Sotheby’s International Realty disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Coldwell Banker Commercial makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Sotheby’s International Realty makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Coldwell Banker Commercial report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    SI

    Full Sotheby’s International Realty report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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    FDD glossary

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