Epcon Communities Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Epcon Communities is a real-estate franchise for building and developing low-maintenance, active-adult communities for buyers 55 and older. Franchisees run a homebuilding operation handling land, construction, and sales in a market.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Epcon Communities franchise requires a total initial investment of $3.8M – $6.4M, including a $75K franchise fee and an ongoing 2.0% royalty[2]. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $3.8M – $6.4M
- 87th pct Real Estate
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 2.0%
- 2nd pct Real Estate
- Units
- 105
- 50th pct Real Estate
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Real Estate · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Real Estate avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $3.8M – $6.4M including a $75K franchise fee, 2.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSConsolidated Statements of Income for Epcon Communities Franchising, LLC and Subsidiary, years ended Dec 31, 2022 and 2021. FY2022 total franchising revenue $7,585,321 (franchise fees/royalties $6,710,985; advertising fees $388,428; conference fees $485,908). Total other income $42,346 (interest income, misc income, net of other tax). Net income $2,013,851. Auditor firm name not present in text (signed Columbus, Ohio, April 17, 2023).
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 73/100 (higher is better).
- DATANo Item 19 financial performance representation. Without franchisor-disclosed revenue data, you'll need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Epcon Communities Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- EC Franchising, LLC / Epcon JV LLC / Epcon Holding LLC
- Predecessor
- Epcon Communities Franchising, Inc. (formerly Epmark, Inc.)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Joel D. Rhoades
- Incorporated in
- Ohio
- HQ
- 500 Stonehenge Parkway, Dublin, Ohio 43017
- Auditor
- GBQ Partners LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $7.8M
- vs $7.2M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Joel D. Rhoades
- Headquarters
- Ohio
- Founded
- 1996
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 21
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 2299% above the typical real estate franchise.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2026 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $75K | $75K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $17K | $33K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $3.8M | $6.3M |
| Total initial investment | $3.8M | $6.4M |
Source: Epcon Communities 2026 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $3.8M – $6.4M
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $17K – $33K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Franchise fee
- $75K – $75K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Royalty
- 2.0%
- formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- Marketing Program Fee of $625/month per project (may incr…
- Total fee load
- 2.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $2K |
| Training fee | $2K |
| Total fee load | 2.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Epcon Communities did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Epcon Communities unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
3%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2026 FDD
Financial Performance
Consolidated Statements of Income for Epcon Communities Franchising, LLC and Subsidiary, years ended Dec 31, 2022 and 2021. FY2022 total franchising revenue $7,585,321 (franchise fees/royalties $6,710,985; advertising fees $388,428; conference fees $485,908). Total other income $42,346 (interest income, misc income, net of other tax). Net income $2,013,851. Auditor firm name not present in text (signed Columbus, Ohio, April 17, 2023).
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 2.0% — below the Real Estate average of 9.1%.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System roughly stable (0.0% 3-year CAGR) with 105 units.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Real Estate averages
How Epcon Communities Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 105
- Opened
- 18
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 1
- Turnover rate
- 15.0%
- Company-owned
- 25
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 76%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +0.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +0.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 9
- Closed (3yr)
- 7
- Terminated (3yr)
- 5
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 25 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Epcon Communities presents HIGH RISK due to undisclosed going concern status, multiple active construction defect and Fair Housing lawsuits, missing profitability data, and slow unit growth relative to high capital requirements.
Litigation (Item 3)
Five concluded cases: (1) Price v. Epcon Communities et al. - plumbing defect claims, settled $95,000 ($35,000 paid by Epcon entities); (2) Marrington Villas at Cobblestone Association v. Epcon - construction defect/fraud claims, settled $1,000,000; (3) Lipari v. Epcon Nantz Road - fraud/misrepresentation re: drainage and lake access, settled $52,500 plus drain installation; (4) M.E. Stores Property v. Epcon Nantz Road - dust/nuisance property damage claim, settled $25,000 total ($22,000 paid by Epcon); (5) Fair Housing Advocates Association/HUD/DOJ v. Epcon Communities re: ADA/Fair Housing accessibility violations at multiple Ohio projects, resolved via Consent Decree with $2,200,000 retrofit fund, $51,303 civil penalty, $40,000 settlement to FHAA, and $300,000 fund for aggrieved persons.
Largest disclosed settlement: $2,200,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · GBQ Partners LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 73 / 100 verdict
- 01HIGHGoing Concern status is FALSE — indicates potential financial instability or solvency concerns at corporate level
- 02HIGHMultiple active litigation cases including Fair Housing Act violation with Consent Decree — regulatory compliance risk and reputational damage
- 03MEDNo average net income disclosed — impossible to validate actual profitability despite $598,881 average revenue claim
- 04MINORRoyalty structure ($3,000 minimum monthly) creates fixed cost burden regardless of actual sales performance
- 05HIGHConstruction defect litigation across multiple projects (Price, Marrington Villas, Lipari) indicates systemic quality/delivery issues
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 2.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2026 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 4 years |
|---|---|
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 0 |
| Territory type | exclusive |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 12 mi |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | No |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 23 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 11 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Columbus, Ohio |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Ohio |
| Litigation count | 5 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Five concluded cases: (1) Price v. Epcon Communities et al. - plumbing defect claims, settled $95,000 ($35,000 paid by Epcon entities); (2) Marrington Villas at Cobblestone Association v. Epcon - construction defect/fraud claims, settled $1,000,000; (3) Lipari v. Epcon Nantz Road - fraud/misrepresentation re: drainage and lake access, settled $52,500 plus drain installation; (4) M.E. Stores Property v. Epcon Nantz Road - dust/nuisance property damage claim, settled $25,000 total ($22,000 paid by Epcon); (5) Fair Housing Advocates Association/HUD/DOJ v. Epcon Communities re: ADA/Fair Housing accessibility violations at multiple Ohio projects, resolved via Consent Decree with $2,200,000 retrofit fund, $51,303 civil penalty, $40,000 settlement to FHAA, and $300,000 fund for aggrieved persons.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 11 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- Greater Columbus, Ohio area
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 60 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisee
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Higharc
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Higharc
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
66 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Epcon Communities · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Epcon Communities franchise?
The total investment to open a Epcon Communities franchise ranges from $3.8M – $6.4M, with an initial franchise fee of $75K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Epcon Communities franchise owners earn?
Epcon Communities does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the Epcon Communities FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Epcon Communities FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Epcon Communities's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Epcon Communities (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Epcon Communities franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Epcon Communities has 105 total units in the United States, including 80 franchised units and 25 company-owned units. 18 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Epcon Communities a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Epcon Communities as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 73 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent Epcon Communities, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.