HigharcHigharc
MandatoryUnit that you sell. In addition, if you want to make changes to the architectural plans or optional items that are part of our Development System and accessible to you through the Higharc software and
From the filings
HQ-led decisions
Epcon Communities
Real estateEpcon Communities franchises 105 active-adult home-building operations out of Ohio — 80 franchised, 25 company-owned — and Item 11 of its 2026 FDD requires both Higharc for design and Lasso CRM for sales, with BuildTopia in active use for construction management.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
105
80 franchised
Unit growth YoY
-3.614%
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
2%
of gross sales
Ad fund
—
national + local
Initial fee
$75K
per unit
Investment range
$3.85M–$6.40M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
2 years
from the filing
Item 19
No claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing. It is a floor, not a total — the filing discloses one of the two headline fees.
2%+of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
2 of these are mandated in the franchise agreement. Each is named in Item 11 of the filing, the incumbents a challenger must displace or integrate with.
Lasso CRMLasso CRM
Mandatorymanage their prospective buyers throughout the home buying process. Currently, we highly recommend franchisees use Lasso software, which is a web-based CRM platform. You must pay Lasso Soft, Inc. a $5
BuildTopiaBuildTopia
thod of To Whom Payment Is Type of Expenditure Amount When Due Payment To Be Made Initial Training Program $2,000 to Lump Sum On demand Various Other Parties (See Note 13.) $3,000 BuildTopia Software
SweptSwept
ained at two financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. Substantially, all cash on deposit with one financial institution is automatically swept into separate
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
14 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 11 explicit no's; 9 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
How the franchisor buys
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 11
In April 2000, we established a “Leaders Council” that may meet periodically to discuss issues of importance to you, other franchisees and us.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 16
We have the right to add to, discontinue or modify authorized goods, services, specifications and procedures at our discretion.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
During our most recent fiscal year, neither we nor our affiliates received revenue or other material consideration from required purchases of products or services by franchisees.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
If so, we and/or our affiliates receive sponsorship fees from the supplier.
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
81Item 8
We estimate that your required purchases from designated suppliers, approved suppliers or suppliers whose products must meet our specifications will constitute 57% to 64% your cost to establish your franchised business, and 81% to 83% of your total operating expenses thereafter assuming a 30 Unit project.
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisee may be required, in Franchisor's discretion, to participate in a home survey service designated by Franchisor to track buyer satisfaction.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
At any reasonable time during the term of this Agreement, Franchisor's representative(s,) may without prior notice, enter upon the premises of any Project of Franchisee to observe the Project and the progress towards completion thereof and to assure the nature and quality of all Projects associated with the Marks and…
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We have the right to modify the Manual periodically and to supplement it with periodic bulletins.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
While we do not select a site for you or assist you in the selection of your site, we must approve your site.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 11
You may not own or operate a separate website for the promotion of your Epcon business.
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesItem 8
We do not require you to purchase items from us.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesFranchise agreement
Franchisor shall have the right to withdraw the Minimum Monthly Royalty (and other fees due to Franchisor) from Franchisee's designated bank account each month by electronic funds transfer ("EFT").
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We may offer additional training programs to address system-wide development needs.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 11
At least one owner of the franchise business or a representative of your franchised business who is approved by us must attend this conference, and it is recommended that your sales and construction managers and staff also attend.
The filing answers no to 11 questions
- Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?Item 11
- Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?Item 11
- Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?Item 8
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 6
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?Franchise agreement
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
- Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?Item 6
- Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?Franchise agreement
- Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?Item 11
- Must the franchisee use a CRM system designated or approved by the franchisor?Item 7
The vendor opportunity at Epcon Communities Epcon Communities franchises 105 active-adult home-building operations out of Ohio — 80 franchised, 25 company-owned — with unit count down 3.6% year over year. Item 19 of the 2026 FDD makes no financial performance representation, and the royalty runs a comparatively light 2% of sales.
Who controls software purchasing Epcon is part of EC Franchising. Twenty-five mapped operators run the system's 25 located units, none of them multi-unit, led by Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia — a network of single-location builders whose technology choices trace back to the corporate mandates below rather than to any one large operator.
Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required Item 11 requires both Higharc for home design and Lasso CRM for sales and lead management — two real, contractual mandates. Item 7 lists BuildTopia in active use for construction management, with a fee attached, making it the incumbent to displace rather than a required system.
Procurement, renewals, and timing Item 8 splits into three lanes: some items must come from designated or approved suppliers, others only need to meet franchisor specifications, and a remaining set carries no purchasing restriction at all. Item 17 of the FDD sets the renewal, transfer and termination terms that govern the relationship after the initial term.
How to read the Epcon Communities FDD The full filing, filed with state franchise regulators in 2026, is embedded below. Talk to FranCloud for a ranked list of home-building franchises with a construction-management slot worth pitching.
Questions vendors ask
Epcon Communities, answered from the filing
The franchisor, part of EC Franchising, sets the design and CRM mandates below at the corporate level rather than leaving the choice to individual builders.
Higharc and Lasso CRM are both required under Item 11. BuildTopia is in active use for construction management under Item 7, though not contractually required.
105 active-adult home-building operations — 80 franchised and 25 company-owned — led by Texas, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.
An approved-supplier list for some items, franchisor specifications for others, and a subset of purchases with no restriction at all — a mixed model rather than a single rule across the board.
Item 17 of the FDD sets the renewal, transfer and termination terms that govern the relationship after the initial term. Unit count is down 3.6% year over year, so watch for consolidation among existing builders as much as new signings.
The full filing, filed with state franchise regulators in 2026, is embedded in the PDF viewer below.
Source
Read the filing itself
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment Epcon Communities files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
25 operators run 25 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit25
Top states by locations
| TX | 7 |
|---|---|
| OH | 4 |
| TN | 3 |
| UT | 2 |
| VA | 2 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind Epcon Communities
unknown of ec franchising.
Related Real estate brands
Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.