Svn Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
SVN (Sperry Van Ness) is a commercial real-estate brokerage franchise handling sales, leasing, and advisory for investment properties. Franchisees run an advisory office recruiting advisors and closing commercial transactions, earning from commissions.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A SVN franchise requires a total initial investment of $37K – $124K, including a $20K – $30K franchise fee and an ongoing 7.0% royalty[2]. The 2026 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2026 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $37K – $124K
- 22nd pct Real Estate
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- 42nd pct Real Estate
- Units
- 115
- 52nd 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 $37K – $124K including a $20K franchise fee, 7.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports Gross Receipts Growth Rate rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 49/100 (higher is better).
- FLAGBankruptcy history disclosed in the FDD. Review Item 4 for details before proceeding.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- SVN International PBC
- Parent company
- SVN International Corp. Employee Stock Ownership Trust
- Ultimate parent
- SVN International Corp. Employee Stock Ownership Trust (SVN ESOT)
- Predecessor
- SVN International Corp.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Lukas Krause
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 1309 Beacon Street, Suite 300, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446
- Auditor
- MRPR Group, P.C.
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $11.6M
- vs $9.9M prior year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Lukas Krause
- Headquarters
- MA
- Founded
- 2001
- FDD year
- 2026
- States available
- 39
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 62% below 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 | $20K | $20K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $4K | $44K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $14K | $61K |
| Total initial investment | $37K | $124K |
Source: SVN 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
- $37K – $124K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $4K – $44K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $20K – $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 7.0%
- percentage_of_gross · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $1K |
| Transfer fee | $25K |
| Renewal fee | $15K |
| Inventory (initial) | $2K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
SVN 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 SVN unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
101%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
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
- Item 19 type
- Gross Receipts Growth Rate
- Sample size
- 85
- vs category median 64
- Transparency tier
- limited
- Categorical assessment of disclosure depth
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Fiscal year the figures cover
- Source filing
- FDD 2026
- Disclosed in the 2026 filing, covering 2025
- Transparency
- 0 / 10
- vs category median 0 / 10 · typical
Compared against 101 Real Estate brands
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 9.0% (near the Real Estate average).
Disclosure
Item 19 reports Gross Receipts Growth Rate rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Operator retention
System contracting at -16.7% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
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 Svn Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2026 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 115
- Opened
- 4
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 9
- Terminated
- 2
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 7
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 8.7%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 1%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -16.7%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -16.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 4
- Transfer rate
- 3.5%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Continuity rate
- 92.0%
- Units that stayed open
- Termination rate
- 7.8%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 0.9%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 39 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
39
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
A system losing more than 10% of its units year-over-year is a red flag. Check whether closures are concentrated in specific regions.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 14
- Loan volume
- $6.4M
- Median loan
- $150K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- no resolved loans yet — rate needs a terminal outcome
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
- 3
- Defaults
- 0
- Typical loan rate
- 7.9%
- avg rate to borrowers
- vs industry
- 20.0%
- NAICS 531390
- Jobs supported
- 4
- 0.5 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 33%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 0% went to startups / new businesses, 100% to established operators
Top lenders financing Svn franchisees
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Svn's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 3 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 3 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 3-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
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
Franchisor carries a large negative net worth of -$31.5M though it is profitable ($1.0M net income on $9.9M revenue). System is shrinking (net growth -16.7%) and there is one settled franchisee suit (KOVA, $100M+ claim settled for $300K, dismissed 2021). Negative equity plus unit decline stack as multiple concerns.
Litigation (Item 3)
KOVA Commercial, LLC v. SVN International Corp. et al. (Case 11-2020-CA-003216-0001-XX, Collier County, Florida Circuit Court). Franchisee plaintiff alleged infringement of geographical exclusivity and tortious interference, seeking over $100,000,000 in damages. Settled April 1, 2021 for $300,000 total ($75,000 paid by franchisor). Plaintiff agreed to cease operations and terminate franchise by September 4, 2021. Dismissed April 12, 2021.
Largest disclosed settlement: $75,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Disclosed in last 7 years
Bankruptcy Code; (b) obtained a discharge of its debts under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; or (c) was a principal officer of a company or a general partner in a partnership that either filed as a debtor (or had filed against it) a petition to start an action under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or that obtain
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · MRPR Group, P.C.
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 49 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNegative net worth -$31.48M
- 02MINORSystem contraction: net growth -16.7%
- 03MEDOne material-but-settled franchisee suit (KOVA, dismissed 2021)
- 04MEDProfitable: net income $1.0M; audited; Item 19 disclosed
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% 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 | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Territory type | Primary Market Area |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Norfolk County, MA |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Massachusetts |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
KOVA Commercial, LLC v. SVN International Corp. et al. (Case 11-2020-CA-003216-0001-XX, Collier County, Florida Circuit Court). Franchisee plaintiff alleged infringement of geographical exclusivity and tortious interference, seeking over $100,000,000 in damages. Settled April 1, 2021 for $300,000 total ($75,000 paid by franchisor). Plaintiff agreed to cease operations and terminate franchise by September 4, 2021. Dismissed April 12, 2021.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 24 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- Online
- Ongoing training
- Optional
- POS system
- SVN Dashboard / Buildout
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: SVN Dashboard / Buildout
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
1 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
SVN · FDD (2026) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a SVN franchise?
The total investment to open a SVN franchise ranges from $37K – $124K, with an initial franchise fee of $20K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do SVN franchise owners earn?
SVN 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 SVN 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 SVN FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is SVN's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for SVN (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 SVN franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, SVN has 115 total units in the United States, including 115 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 4 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is SVN a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates SVN as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 49 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
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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.