Is Coldwell Banker or Sotheby’s International Realty cheaper to open?

Coldwell Banker costs $33,970–$334,475 and Sotheby’s International Realty costs $47,250–$331,950 to open (FDD Item 7). Coldwell Banker has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Coldwell Banker or Sotheby’s International Realty?

FranchiseVerdict grades Coldwell Banker B and Sotheby’s International Realty B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Coldwell Banker vs Sotheby’s International Realty

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Coldwell Banker and Sotheby’s International Realty are real estate franchises. Coldwell Banker requires an investment of $34K – $334K while Sotheby’s International Realty requires $47K – $332K. Neither Coldwell Banker nor Sotheby’s International Realty makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD — a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule — so the two cannot be compared on disclosed unit revenue. Coldwell Banker has SBA lending data on file with a 16.3% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Coldwell Banker B (Above average) and Sotheby’s International Realty B (Above average).

Metric	Coldwell Banker	Sotheby’s International Realty
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$34K – $334K	$47K – $332K
Franchise Fee	$25K	$25K
Royalty Rate	5.5%	6.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	16.3% (78 loans)	Limited data
Total Units	1,781	709
Unit Growth (YoY)	-12 units	+6 units
Year Began Franchising	1982	2004
FDD Year	2026	2026