KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY discloses little or no owner-earnings data (Item 19) — the franchisor won't put real profit in writing.
What their own earnings claim actually says
No financial performance representations made. Franchisor explicitly states it does not make representations about franchisee future or past outlet financial performance.
What a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Total recurring fees | 6% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $183,647 – $336,495 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
6% production royalty, $1,185/mo core fee, $72/mo per associate access fee, profit sharing contribution, multiple optional fees.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 1,233 |
| Ceased operations | 20 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 8 |
| Transferred to new owners | 11 |
| Closure rate | 1.6% of outlets |
2025: 20 ceased operations, 8 terminations, 27 net market center decline.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY worth it? — how it compares to 436 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 6% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $183,647 | pricier than 60% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade F | less honest than most of the category |
| Closure rate | 1.6% of outlets | about average |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 30 | more litigious than 99% of peers |
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY
The franchisor's framing: No financial performance representations made. Franchisor explicitly states it does not ma… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
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KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $183,647–$336,495, including a $35,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise owners make?
- KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY discloses little or no earnings data (Item 19) — meaning the franchisor won't put real owner profit in writing. That's a red flag worth questioning.
- What are the KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise fees?
- KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY's FDD discloses a $35,000 initial franchise fee, a 6% royalty on gross sales, for roughly 6% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 6% production royalty, $1,185/mo core fee, $72/mo per associate access fee, profit sharing contribution, multiple optional fees.
- What is the KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise profit margin?
- KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY discloses no Item 19 earnings representation, so no profit margin can be derived from the FDD at all. Any margin figure quoted elsewhere is an estimate, not a disclosure.
- What is the KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise failure rate?
- 2025: 20 ceased operations, 8 terminations, 27 net market center decline.
- How many KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY locations are there?
- KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY's FDD reports 1,233 total outlets, with 20 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 11 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY have complaints or lawsuits?
- KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY discloses 30 legal matters in Item 3 of its FDD. Item 3 covers the franchisor's litigation history, which is the closest thing to a public record of how it treats franchisees — read the case descriptions, not just the count.
- Is a KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY scores F on disclosure honesty, carries about 6% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 30 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Source: MN CARDS 36554-202605-07 (Clean FDD 2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.