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Entrepreneur: Start & Grow Your Business

Help-U-Sell Real Estate

Real estate

Background

Founded: 1976 Franchising since: 1978
Don Taylor founded Help-U-Sell as the original fee-for-service real estate company. Instead of charging a percentage commission for a transaction, Help U-Sell offers a menu of services to home sellers and lets them choose services that fit their needs.
240 N. Washington Blvd., #700
Sarasota, Florida 34236
Phone:
(941)951-7707


Franchisor is a privately-held company with 10 employee(s); 5 employee(s) in franchise department.

Franchise Growth
Year U.S. Franchises Canadian Franchises Foreign Franchises Company Owned
2009 325 1 20 0
2008 -- -- -- --
2007 -- -- -- --
2006 831 0 10 0
2005 792 0 0 0

Where Seeking Franchisees
In the U.S. Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North carolina, North dakota, New hampshire, New jersey, New mexico, Nevada, New york, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, South carolina, South dakota, Tennessee, Texas, United states, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West virginia, Wyoming

Costs and Fees

Total investment: $64.5K-190.5K
Franchise fee: $17.8K
Ongoing royalty fee: 6%
Term of agreement: 5 years, renewable


Type of Financing Available
In-House Third Party
Franchise Fee No Yes
Startup Costs No No
Equipment No Yes
Inventory No No
Accounts Receivable No No
Payroll No No

Qualifications
Cash liquidity requirement: $75K
Business Experience:
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience

Operations
  • Franchise can be run from home
  • 6% of all franchisees own more than one unit
  • Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2 - 3
  • Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

Training and Support

Training
  • Available at headquarters: 4 days
  • At franchisee's location: 8 weeks by phone
  • Retreats, regional meetings, convention, Help-U-Sell University

Ongoing Support
  • Newsletter
  • Meetings
  • Toll-free phone line
  • Grand opening
  • Internet
  • Field operations/evaluations

Marketing Support
  • Co-op advertising
  • Ad slicks
  • National media
  • Regional advertising

Other marketing support
  • Marketing instruction/training

Rankings

Franchise 500® rank:
#47 (2007); #49 (2006); #44 (2005);

Fastest-Growing Franchises:
#27 (2006); #15 (2005);

America's Top Global Franchises:
#48 (2007); #46 (2006); #45 (2005);