What is the 'Main Office' in the context of a Corcoran franchise?
Corcoran Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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We offer franchises for real estate sales offices in the United States to owners of existing real estate brokerage businesses and in certain situations we may offer a franchise to newly formed real estate brokerages as described below in this Item 1 (the "Franchise" or the "Business") The Franchise permits you to offer residential and commercial real estate brokerage services from a specified office location (the "Main Office") and other authorized office locations (the Main Office and other authorized office locations collectively referred to as a "Corcoran Office" or "Office"), using the Corcoran® service mark and other trademarks, service marks, designs, logos and other commercial symbols we periodically designate (collectively, the "Marks"), and using a system that we have developed which includes access to brand specific systems, productivity resources, basic business development support, education, real estate referral and broker communications procedures, marketing and advertising services, products and other support funding by our brand marketing fund ("Brand Marketing Fund" or "BMF") and various other items (the "System"), all in accordance with the terms of our Real Estate Franchise Agreement ("Franchise Agreement") and the mandatory provisions of our Policies and Procedures Manual and the Brand Standards (collectively referred to as the "P&P Manual"). The franchises offered under the Corcoran® System are not in any way associated with Corcoran Sunshine (described below) and Corcoran Sunshine is not part of the System. Nothing limits Corcoran Sunshine's ability to operate or open an office anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.
You may also conduct new development services using the Marks, subject to the requirements set forth in the P&P Manual, which includes our prior written approval for conducting new development services from Development Offices (defined in the P&P Manual). We have the right to condition our approval of new development services depending on the size, scope, and type of the property or the architect (or architectural firm) utilized for the property, as more fully described in the P&P Manual.
Usually, the Franchise is granted to owners of existing real estate brokerage businesses for conversion to a franchised office. The existing real estate brokerage businesses, however, must meet certain eligibility criteria which are listed below (the "Criteria").
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 9–17)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Corcoran's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a Corcoran franchise allows franchisees to offer real estate brokerage services from a specified location referred to as the "Main Office." Franchisees may also operate from other authorized office locations, and collectively, the Main Office and these additional locations are referred to as a "Corcoran Office" or simply "Office." The franchise grants the right to use Corcoran's service marks, trademarks, and the System, which includes brand-specific systems, productivity resources, business development support, education, and marketing services.
The Main Office serves as the primary location for conducting real estate brokerage services under the Corcoran franchise. Additional branch offices, other than the Main Office or a Limited Purpose Office, require a signed Location Addendum to the Franchise Agreement. The initial franchise fee for the Main Office may be waived under a franchise sales incentive program, which also provides other business benefits and financial incentives.
Furthermore, all gross revenue from Limited Purpose Offices, such as Development Offices, Team Offices, and Administrative Offices, must be reported through the Main Office and aggregated with the Main Office for accounting purposes under the Franchise Agreement. This indicates that the Main Office acts as the central reporting and administrative hub for all financial activities within the franchise, including those generated by any Limited Purpose Offices operating under its umbrella. The franchisor retains the right to modify or discontinue Limited Purpose Offices, and these offices may have specific restrictions, such as limitations on signage or website presence.