What is the geographic limit for the lower Advertising Fee for Counselor Realty?
Counselor_Realty Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
. If your Office (or any Additional Office or Extension Office) is located within the 11-county metropolitan area of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, you must pay Counselor an Advertising Fee equal to $60 per agent per month for each agent operating out of the Office, Additional Office or Extension Office located in such metropolitan area. The amount of this Advertising Fee may be increased during the term of the franchise by Counselor from time to time in its sole discretion. We reserve the right to establish and organize a "Regional Advertising Group" if your Office (or any Additional Office or Extension Office) is located outside the Twin Cities. If your Office (or any Additional Office or Extension Office) is located outside the Twin Cities, you must be a member of the "Regional Advertising Group" (once established) and pay to the "Regional Advertising Fund" an Advertising Fee equal to $25 per agent per month for each agent operating out
of the Office, Additional Office or Extension Office located in such geographical area. The amount of Advertising Fees for the Regional Advertising Group may be increased during the term of the franchise by a majority vote of the "Regional Advertising Committee" that manages your Regional Advertising Group. See Item 11 for additional information regarding Advertising Fees and Regional Advertising Groups. Advertising Fees are nonrefundable and are uniformly imposed among franchisee-owned "Counselor" offices.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 32)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Counselor Realty's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the lower advertising fee applies to offices located outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Specifically, if a Counselor Realty office (including any Additional Office or Extension Office) is situated outside the 11-county metropolitan area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, the franchisee may be eligible for a lower advertising fee.
Instead of paying $60 per agent per month, which is the rate for offices within the Twin Cities area, offices outside this region may be part of a "Regional Advertising Group." As a member of this group, the franchisee pays a reduced advertising fee of $25 per agent per month to the "Regional Advertising Fund." This fund supports marketing activities conducted by the Regional Advertising Group.
The 11-county metropolitan area includes Scott, Wright, Isanti, Dakota, Anoka, Hennepin, Washington, Carver, Ramsey, Sherburne, and Chisago counties. Therefore, any Counselor Realty office located outside these counties would be subject to the lower advertising fee, provided a Regional Advertising Group has been established. It's important to note that the amount of advertising fees for the Regional Advertising Group can be increased by a majority vote of the "Regional Advertising Committee."