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

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

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

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

Sotheby’s International Realty vs Coldwell Banker

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Sotheby’s International Realty and Coldwell Banker are real estate franchises. Sotheby’s International Realty requires an investment of $47K – $332K while Coldwell Banker requires $34K – $334K. Neither Sotheby’s International Realty nor Coldwell Banker 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 Sotheby’s International Realty B (Above average) and Coldwell Banker B (Above average).

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