NorthStar MovingFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A NorthStar Moving franchise requires a total initial investment of $100K – $191K, including a $50K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.5% royalty[2]. Per the 2025 FDD, average unit revenue was $31K[2]. Verdict grade: B. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $100K – $191K
- 29th pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- $31K
- 1st pct Business Serv…
- Royalty
- 7.5%
- 21st pct Business Serv…
- Units
- 5
- 11th pct Business Serv…
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Business Services avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
At 0.2x revenue per dollar invested, this system underperforms the typical 1.5-2.5x range.
Bottom line
- Total investment $100K – $191K including a $50K franchise fee, 7.5% ongoing royalty.
- Average unit revenue of $31K/year.
- Verdict B (Above Average) with a risk score of 62/100.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- NORTHSTAR FRANCHISING, LLC
- Incorporated in
- CA
- HQ
- 19401 Business Center Drive, Northridge, CA 91324
Overview
About
NorthStar Moving franchisees operate local residential and commercial moving services, managing crews, coordinating logistics, and handling customer acquisition within protected territories. Day-to-day operations include job scheduling, crew supervision, equipment maintenance, customer service, and local marketing to generate moves and maintain recurring client relationships.
- CEO
- Laura McHolm
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 2015
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 1
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50K | $50K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $2K | $12K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $48K | $129K |
| Total initial investment | $100K | $191K |
Source: NorthStar Moving 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Single-unit · estimated
Returns at a glance
Indicative numbers using FDD Item 7 / Item 19 inputs and category-benchmarked cost ratios. Full single-unit, 25-unit portfolio, and LBO models (with every input editable to stress-test your own scenario) live on the financials page.
Store EBITDA · annual
$4K
13.5% margin
Unlevered ROIC
3%
EBITDA / total invested capital
Payback
36.9 yrs
cash-on-cash, unlevered
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $100K – $191K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $2K – $12K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $50K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 7.5%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.5% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $50 |
| Renewal fee | $2K |
| Total fee load | 9.5% of rev |
Financial Performance
- Avg gross sales
- $31K
- Per unit, per year
- Median gross sales
- N/A
- Item 19 type
- Historic Financial Performance
- Sample size
- 4 units
- vs category median 32 · small
- Range (low → high)
- $50→$61K
- Cohort dispersion (min → max)
- Transparency
- 7 / 5
- vs category median 3 / 5 · above
Compared against 360 Business Services brands
Revenue is only 0.2x the investment. This means each unit may take 5+ years to recoup the initial outlay at typical margins.
vs Business Services averages
How NorthStar Moving Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 5
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 3
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 40%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +100.0%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +100.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 14 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.
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $625K
- Median loan
- $625K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 1
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into NorthStar Moving's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Minimal franchise scale with undisclosed profitability data and thin revenue margins create significant validation and sustainability concerns.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 62 / 100 rating
- 01MEDOnly 5 franchised units in system with no disclosed net income data limits ability to validate profitability claims
- 02MINORAverage revenue of $269,310 against $99,500-$191,000 investment suggests tight margins, especially after 7.5% royalty and operating expenses
- 03MEDNo Item 19 (Financial Performance Representations) disclosed prevents verification of actual franchisee earnings
- 04MINORExtremely small franchise system (5 units) increases risk of viability and franchisor support infrastructure
- 05MINOR100% YoY unit growth from 5 units is statistically insignificant and may reflect single-unit addition
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 4 |
| Territory type | Population-based |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Online sales rights | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | California |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 55 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 9 hrs
- POS system
- QuickBooks Online
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: QuickBooks Online
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
15 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
NorthStar Moving · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a NorthStar Moving franchise?
The total investment to open a NorthStar Moving franchise ranges from $100K – $191K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do NorthStar Moving franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the NorthStar Moving FDD, the average gross sales per unit is $31K. Note: this is gross revenue, not profit. Actual owner earnings vary based on location, operating costs, and management.
What is NorthStar Moving's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for NorthStar Moving (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 NorthStar Moving franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, NorthStar Moving has 5 total units in the United States, including 1 franchised units and 3 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is NorthStar Moving a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates NorthStar Moving as a B-grade franchise with a risk score of 62 out of 100, 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.
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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.