What is the franchisee's obligation regarding site selection for a Counselor Realty franchise?
Counselor_Realty Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You are responsible to select a site for your Office. After you notify Counselor of a proposed site, Counselor has 30 days to review the site and to notify you whether or not it consents to your operation of the Business at that site. If Counselor rejects the site you propose, you will have an additional 60 days to locate a site that is acceptable to Counselor. If you fail to do so, the Franchise Agreement will terminate and Counselor will refund your Initial Fee, less Counselor's expenses associated with reviewing the proposed site(s). See Item 12. Except as described in this paragraph, Initial Fees are nonrefundable.
Source: Item 5 — INITIAL FEES (FDD page 9)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Counselor Realty's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are responsible for selecting a site for their office. After the franchisee proposes a site, Counselor Realty has 30 days to review and either approve or reject it.
If Counselor Realty rejects the initial site, the franchisee has an additional 60 days to find an acceptable location. Failure to secure an approved site within this timeframe can lead to the termination of the Franchise Agreement. In such a case, Counselor Realty will refund the Initial Franchise Fee, but will deduct expenses associated with reviewing the proposed sites.
Once Counselor Realty approves a site, the franchisee must open their Counselor Realty business at that location within six months. Failure to do so will also result in the termination of the Franchise Agreement, but in this case, the Initial Franchise Fee will not be refunded. Counselor Realty may grant extensions to these deadlines at its discretion. However, the FDD emphasizes that Counselor Realty's approval of a site does not guarantee its availability, suitability, or the business's prospects.