Here is a link to a great post by the FTC – the Federal Trade Commission, FTC-Buying a Franchise. It is the organization that governs the fracnhise industry. It is worth the read as they are non-biased. It is loaded with the kind of information you need to ask the intelligent, probing questions before investing your money. Pay special attention to section on Franchise brokers. Many people erroneously think they are going to save time/money by going directly to the franchise. It is important to remember that that would be the same as only going to one homeowner and expecting them to tell you why you may not want to buy their house. An independent broker – like The Franchise Stop LLC works with many franchises. Our goal is to meet your needs. It really makes no difference to us which franchise you ultimately choose to partner with so long as you have full understanding and clear expectations. Going straight to a specific franchise though and you will get the sales pitch as to why they are the greatest. You do not save money because a good broker does not charge you. We get paid a commission same as a real estate agent.
PDF 