If you’ve always dreamed of a career in real estate, you’re in luck! With the current housing boom and record-high home sales, there couldn’t be a better time to break into the industry. To find inspiration for your entrepreneurial journey, read on to discover a comprehensive list of the best real estate startup ideas!
If you’ve always dreamed of a career in real estate, you’re in luck! With the current housing boom and record-high home sales, there couldn’t be a better time to break into the industry. To find inspiration for your entrepreneurial journey, read on to discover a comprehensive list of the best real estate startup ideas!
If any of these opportunities catch your interest, remember to keep these options at your fingertips with our free Small Business Startup app—available for both Apple and Android.
If you’re coming to the real estate industry with a deep knowledge of construction and sales, then house flipping may be the perfect opportunity for you. When done correctly, house flipping can be a wonderful investment and extremely profitable. To determine the maximum price that you should invest in a property, many flippers follow the 70% rule. In short, this rule states that when buying a home, you should spend no more than 70% of the home’s after-repair value minus the costs of renovating the property.
Flips often happen quickly! From the time of purchase, a house is typically market-ready within 12 months, so be ready to put in long hours. Since most flips are self-financed, it’s also wise to enter this sector with enough expendable income to pay for a home in cash.
From 2021 to 2022, the global real estate agency and brokerage market grew from $1,221.82 billion to $1,318.54 billion! While this market is prone to fluctuations, it can be highly lucrative for the right people. If you are charismatic, detail-oriented, and self-starter, this sector is worth exploring. Typically, brokers start as real estate agents at a firm. During this time, they develop their expertise and build their clientele. Once you’re ready to set out on your own and establish your own firm, licensing requirements will vary from state to state.
Under this business model, you provide training and marketing help for your agents and earn a percentage of every one of their sales. Typically, the owner is still selling homes themselves as well for an additional income boost.
In 2020, the market size of property management in the United States reached $99.5 billion. And, in just one year, the market grew to $101.3 billion in 2021! Typically, investors who own rental properties often have little to no time to manage the day-to-day operations or tenant needs of their residential or commercial spaces; that’s where property management comes in. As a property manager, you will be in charge of filling vacancies, interview prospective renters, oversee repairs and upkeep and collect rent. Your earnings are usually calculated as a percentage of the monthly rent that is collected. To get started in this field, earning a real estate license and/or a property management certification are both excellent choices.
Rather than managing someone else’s property, you could invest in a vacation rental of your very own. In 2021, the global vacation rental market size was estimated at $74.64 billion. By 2022, it is expected to reach $82.63 billion. As a vocational rental owner, you should aim for no less than a 10% return on your investment. In other words, your income minus expenses (operating costs including mortgage payments) should equal no less than 10% of your initial investment each year. To succeed in this market, you’ll need a sizeable amount of money to invest in purchasing a new home or condo in a highly desirable destination. Marketing on Airbnb and Vrbo are always wise choices! Or, if you don’t have time to market and manage the property yourself, you can always hire a property management company to do it for you.
We hope this guide helps you start imagining some of the ways you might break into the real estate industry. Launching your own business is an exciting opportunity, and we know you’re probably eager to get started. But remember, take your time to explore all your options. Yes, you always have the “opportunity” to start a small business, but sometimes, it makes more sense to invest in an opportunity that already exists and doesn’t require you to do all the heavy lifting alone. These are called “Franchise Opportunities.”
If you’re ready to explore your options, we’ve handpicked a few real estate franchise opportunities, below! Remember to download the free Small Business Startup app to keep all these opportunities at your fingertips—available for both Apple and Android.
Enviro-Master is a commercial cleaning franchise specializing in deep-cleaning, sanitization, and health-focused services that go far beyond standard janitorial work. With low overhead, no storefront required, and recurring revenue through service contracts, this scalable opportunity is ideal for growth-minded entrepreneurs. Franchisees receive robust support including business coaching, marketing, lead generation, and national account access.
Founded in 1983, Express has more than 40 years of industry-leading experience and has been recognized as the 1 staffing franchise in North America for 15 consecutive years. We offer a variety of staffing solutions including Temporary Staffing, Evaluation Hire, and Direct Hire, across a wide variety of industries and job classifications.
Mister Sparky franchisees average 3.7M* in gross revenue, with top operators exceeding 73M*. No electrical experience required - just the drive to own a business backed by America's 1 ranked electrical services brand & nearly 30 years of proven systems, training, and support. Joining the Mister Sparky family means that youll retain 100 ownership of your business while receiving the benefits of a large company. *Refer to Item 19 of the 2026 Mister Sparky Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
Be your own boss and own a company that is the first in the restaurant cleaning industry. At Cleanest Restaurant Group you will own a restaurant cleaning service that offers a low investment, low overhead, high earning potential with no direct national competitor in our niche industry. Franchisees will have a large, metro or suburban untouched territory to meet the needs of their local clients.
City Wide offers a B2B franchise opportunity in facility services, managing over 20 maintenance solutions for commercial properties. Franchisees focus on leadership, client relationships, and business growthnot performing the work themselves. With a proven, scalable model, recurring revenue, and strong support, City Wide is ideal for entrepreneurs seeking a purpose-driven business that makes a lasting impact in their community.
A trusted property restoration company serving the nation. With coast-to-coast locations, we help home and business owners return their property to its original condition while restoring what truly matters - health and safety. Previous industry related experience is not required. Franchise partners receive personalized training and hands-on experience in each skill area of their business. Our franchisee resources and support on various topics keep you on track, focused and equipped for success
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