From the filings

Mandated tech stackHQ-led decisions

HomeSmart

Real estate

HomeSmart requires every office to run its proprietary RealSmart Broker software on company-specified hardware, sourced through affiliate-owned approved suppliers like VirtuSmart. Software decisions for all 258 locations run through corporate real estate leadership in Arizona, not individual brokers.

For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.

Live signals

Total units
258
201 franchised
Unit growth YoY
-1.951%
vs prior filing
AUV
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
of gross sales
Ad fund
4%
national + local
Initial fee
$20K
per unit
Investment range
$66K–$205K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
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.

4%+of gross sales (FY2026)

Ongoing fees: 4% of gross sales (FY2026)Ad fund 4%. Total 4% of gross sales, from the fees this filing discloses. Drawn against a 15% reference scale.

15% reference

Ad fund 4%

Franchisor behaviours

What the franchisor requires

25 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 4 explicit no's; 5 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.

Accounting

Must the franchisee use an accounting or bookkeeping system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee must use the accounting system and the pre-formatted template required by the Franchisor, if any.

Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?

Yes

Item 11

We have the right to independently access your electronic information and data through our proprietary RealSmart BrokerTM.

Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee will also submit to the Franchisor, Franchisee’s current financial statements and other reports as the Franchisor may reasonably request to evaluate or compile research and performance data on any operational aspect of the Business.

How the franchisor buys

Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?

Yes

Item 8

Our parent, HomeSmart Holdings, Inc. owns an economic interest in Smart Referral Network, LLC, an approved provider of referral management and lead generation services, VirtuSmart, LLC, an approved supplier of hardware, software, and printing services, HomeSmart University, LLC, an approved supplier of real estate…

Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?

Yes

Item 11

The Franchise Owners Advisory Council (“Council”) will have at least three (3) representatives each of whom are appointed by the Franchisor.

Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?

Yes

Item 16

We reserve the right to change standards and specifications on 30 days’ prior written notice to you.

How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?

0

Item 8

In the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, and as of the effective date of this disclosure document, neither we nor our Affiliates derived any revenues, rebates, or other material consideration from the sale of required goods and services to franchisees.

Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee further acknowledges and agrees that the Franchisor is entitled to keep, for its own use and account, these rebates, and this revenue.

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?

25

Item 8

will be approximately 25% to 50% of your total cost to establish a HomeSmart Real Estate Brokerage Business and 25% to 50% of your total cost of operating a HomeSmart Real Estate Brokerage Business

Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?

Yes

Item 8

If we have appointed Approved Suppliers or Designated Suppliers with respect to Required Products or Services, you may not purchase such Product or Service from anyone other than an Approved Supplier or Designated Supplier without prior written approval.

Communications

Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee hereby acknowledges that all telephone numbers, facsimile numbers and Internet addresses used in the operation of the Business constitute assets of the Franchisor; and upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, Franchisee will take action within five (5) days to cancel or assign to Franchisor or its…

Data and IT

Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?

Yes

Item 8

Specifically, you shall comply with, among other laws and regulations: (i) state and federal laws and regulations relating to data privacy, data security and security breaches; and (ii) our security policies and guidelines, as may be amended from time to time (collectively, “Data Safeguards”).

Franchise management

Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisor and Franchisor’s representatives will have the right during business hours to inspect the Business and all Offices.

Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee acknowledges that the Franchisor may modify its standards and specifications and operating and marketing techniques set forth in the Operations Manual unilaterally under any conditions and to the extent in which the Franchisor deems necessary to protect, promote, or improve the Marks, and the quality of…

Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Approve Franchisee’s proposed Offices.

Marketing

Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee may not independently market on the Internet, or use any domain name, address, locator, link, metatag, or search technique, with words or symbols similar to the Marks or otherwise establish any presence on the Internet without Franchisor’s prior written approval.

Operations

Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee must purchase all services, equipment, supplies and Hardware and Software from only those suppliers, manufacturers and distributors who have been designated or approved in advance by Franchisor.

Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee must purchase all services, equipment, supplies and Hardware and Software from only those suppliers, manufacturers and distributors who have been designated or approved in advance by Franchisor.

Payments

Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?

Yes

Franchise agreement

The Franchisor requires Franchisee to remit all Fees and other amounts due to the Franchisor hereunder via electronic funds transfer (“ACH”) or other similar means utilizing a Franchisor approved Computer System or otherwise.

People

Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?

Yes

Item 15

If you are an individual, you must directly supervise the HomeSmart Real Estate Brokerage Business at your initial and primary franchised location (“Central Office”).

Must employees wear uniforms specified by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Only advertising and promotional materials, services, equipment, tools, inventory, products, signage, supplies, and uniforms that meet the Franchisor’s standards and specifications are used at the Business.

Point of sale

Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Franchisee must purchase all services, equipment, supplies and Hardware and Software from only those suppliers, manufacturers and distributors who have been designated or approved in advance by Franchisor.

Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?

Yes

Item 11

We have the right to independently access your electronic information and data through our proprietary RealSmart BrokerTM.

Training

Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?

Yes

Item 6

For all subsequent trainings during the Initial Term and/or Successor Terms of the Agreement at Franchisor's training facility, each person in attendance will be charged at a rate of $500 per person for 4 days or more and $250 per person for 3 days or less.

Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?

Yes

Franchise agreement

Hold a mandatory annual conference to discuss sales techniques, new service developments, training, bookkeeping, accounting, performance standards, advertising Exhibit B 2026 HomeSmart International Franchise Agreement B-17 15206886v4/26231-0017 programs, marketing procedures and other topics.

The filing answers no to 4 questions
  • Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Franchise agreement
  • Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?Franchise agreement
  • Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Franchise agreement
  • Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11

The vendor opportunity at HomeSmart

HomeSmart is a 258-office real estate brokerage franchise — 201 franchised, 57 company-owned — where franchised outlets fell 2.0% year over year. The FDD makes no financial performance representation, but it is explicit about technology: every office runs the franchisor's own RealSmart Broker software.

Who controls software purchasing

CEO and founder Matt Widdows and COO Katie Cooper head the franchisor's listed management, alongside Chief Industry Officer Todd Sumney and SVP of Franchise Sales Bryan Brooks. The franchisor, not individual brokerages, sets HomeSmart's technology requirements.

Tech named in the FDD, and what is actually required

Item 11 of the FDD requires every office to purchase and use RealSmart Broker, HomeSmart's proprietary software, along with desktop and agent computers meeting the franchisor's specifications. VirtuSmart, an approved supplier of hardware and software in which HomeSmart's parent holds an economic interest, is one source for them.

Procurement, renewals, and timing

Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list, and HomeSmart's parent, HomeSmart Holdings, holds an economic interest in several of the named suppliers: VirtuSmart for hardware, software and printing; HomeSmart University for real estate education; Equitable Title Agency for title services; and On the Run Printing for printing. The initial franchise term is 10 years, and franchisees in good standing may add successive 10-year terms by signing a new agreement, staying current on payments, and paying a Successor Franchise Fee.

How to read the HomeSmart FDD

The embedded PDF viewer below carries HomeSmart's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document in full — talk to FranCloud for a ranked target list of brokerage franchises with an in-house software mandate like this one.

Questions vendors ask

HomeSmart, answered from the filing

HomeSmart's corporate franchisor, led by CEO and founder Matt Widdows and COO Katie Cooper, specifies the RealSmart Broker platform and the hardware every office must run, with franchisor-affiliated companies among the approved suppliers.
The FDD requires every office to purchase and use HomeSmart's proprietary RealSmart Broker software, along with hardware meeting the franchisor's specifications. Item 11 of the FDD sets the detailed hardware and software requirements franchisees must follow.
HomeSmart operates 258 real estate offices — 201 franchised and 57 company-owned. Franchised outlets fell 2.0% year over year, a contraction worth watching against the company-owned share of the system.
Item 8 runs an approved-supplier list, and HomeSmart's parent, HomeSmart Holdings, owns an economic interest in several of those suppliers — including VirtuSmart for hardware and software, HomeSmart University for training, and Equitable Title Agency for title services.
HomeSmart's initial franchise term runs 10 years, and Item 17 lets franchisees in good standing add successive 10-year terms by signing a new agreement and paying a Successor Franchise Fee — each renewal is a natural point to revisit the tech stack.
The embedded PDF viewer below holds HomeSmart's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document in full.
Source

Read the filing itself

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HomeSmart2026 FDDView only

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FDD alert

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The brands you can actually sell into, from the filings.

Operator footprint

Who runs the locations

1 operators run 1 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.

Operators by units owned

Single-unit1

Top states by locations

CA1

Related Real estate brands

Primary franchise filings · updated September 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.