1851

When it comes to finding a franchise location, it shouldn&rsquo;t be solely in the hands of the franchisee. Collaboration is key, and there are often a few key players who need to be involved in the site selection process, franchise experts say. 

Gary Occhiogrosso is the founder and managing partner of <a href="https://franchisegrowthsolutions.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=finding-real-estate-its-all-about-collaboration-2708072" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Franchise Growth Solutions</a>, which provides consulting services to franchisors, entrepreneurs and independent operators. 

&ldquo;Franchisees need to look for locations that fit the ideal customer profile that the franchisor has laid out,&rdquo; Occhiogrosso said, adding that sometimes franchisees can get hung up on looking at locations that are convenient to where they live or shop rather than keeping the target customer in mind. 

He advises franchisees to keep their emotions out of the picture. 

&ldquo;You cannot approach the process with any level of emotion,&rdquo; Occhiogrosso said. &ldquo;There is no such thing as &lsquo;I love the location&rsquo; unless you love the location because it fits the franchisor&rsquo;s prescribed user profile and the math works. Then you can fall in love.&rdquo;

There are typically six major players involved in selecting a franchise location, Occhiogrosso said &mdash; &nbsp;the franchisor, the franchisee, the franchisee&rsquo;s real estate broker, the landlord&rsquo;s real estate broker or agent, the landlord&rsquo;s attorney and the franchisee&rsquo;s attorney. 

&ldquo;I think you have to be patient,&rdquo; <a href="http://www.freadvisors.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=finding-real-estate-its-all-about-collaboration-2708072" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">Franchise Real Estate</a> Vice President Jim Runyon said. &ldquo;People get into this and they think it&rsquo;s going to happen overnight and the reality is that real estate deals are taking longer than they&rsquo;ve ever taken.&rdquo;

Franchise Real Estate is the preferred vendor for two brands - Anytime Fitness and Waxing the City. 

&ldquo;We represent those franchisees throughout the site selection process,&rdquo; Runyon said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re out in all of these markets and talking with brokers and looking for sites that meet the criteria.&rdquo;

Runyon notes that what may work for one location may not necessarily work for another. Factors that need to be taken into consideration include who the anchor tenants and other co-tenants are, the parking situation and the proximity to major freeways. Franchisees also need to work with a design team, the franchisor and the franchisor&rsquo;s operations team to make sure a site will be approved. Franchisees need to also make sure they do not commit to a location for frivolous reasons. 

&ldquo;When a franchisee and franchisor collaborate on the location, they both need to agree on it and feel they both have a win in the process,&rdquo; Shery Christopher, managing director of Shery Christopher Consulting, said. 

The franchisee, franchisor, franchisee&rsquo;s real estate agent and the landlord&rsquo;s real estate agent are the four key people that should work that deal in the beginning prior to attorneys getting involved, Occhiogrosso said. 

&ldquo;All the business terms should be negotiated in the letter of intent,&rdquo; Occhiogrosso added.

The vast majority of the legwork that goes into finding a location should be completed before attorneys are in the picture. This, Occhiogrosso said, will help the process go more quickly and be less costly. Bringing in an attorney too early in the game before most of the real estate issues are settled can result in attorneys getting involved in non-legal aspects.

&ldquo;When they start talking about business things, the meter is running and the franchisee is now paying an attorney to create business terms that attorneys typically know very little about,&rdquo; Occhiogrosso said. &ldquo;Attorneys are experts at legal terms. Real estate people and the franchisee and the franchisor should be the expert in what they want in the location.&rdquo;

Franchisors also need to manage the expectations of the franchisee, Occhiogrosso said. He noted that &ldquo;Even though franchise agreements lay the responsibility of finding a site at the feet of the franchisee, the franchisors typically have the right to approve or disapprove a location and a lease, so it&rsquo;s collaborative.&rdquo;

Finding Real Estate: It’s All About Collaboration

1851 Franchise

Collaboration is key when selecting a franchise location. 

finding-real-estate-its-all-about-collaboration

Layne's Chicken Fingers

image of a laynes chicken fingers location

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Offers Pathway to Success in Entrepreneurship for Corporate Escapees

laynes-franchise-corporate-escape

Right at Home

image of a right at home franchise employee with an elder

Right at Home Marks 30 Years With Stories of Family Legacy and Lasting Impact

right-at-home-30th-anniversary-family-legacies-in-franchising

Sola Salons

Image of Tanner Holmes , sola salons franchisee

Why This Former European Wax Center Franchisee Followed His Top Talent to a New, More Scalable Business Model

ewc-franchisee-sola-salons

Jollibee

KATU: Oregon’s First Jollibee Restaurant Prompts Dozens of Campers Ahead of Grand Opening

jollibee-oregon-first-location-hillsboro-opening

image of jollibee record setting  Hillsboro store

Oregon’s Fried Chicken Frenzy: Jollibee Breaks Records at Grand Opening in Hillsboro, Oregon

jollibee-hillsboro-oregon-opening-records

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Subway Franchisees Resist Expensive Remodel Directives

subway-franchisees-resist-expensive-remodel-directives

The American Franchise Act: What It Means for Franchisors and Franchisees - 1851 Franchise

The American Franchise Act: What It Means for Franchisors and Franchisees

american-franchise-act-joint-employer-standard

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Begins Franchising To Grow Its Fellowship Model

jenis-splendid-ice-creams-begins-franchising-to-grow-its-fellowship-model

Design with American and Federal Reserve flags against light blue background

Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Rates by Quarter Point, a Move That Could Boost Franchise Growth

fed-rate-cut-boosts-franchise-growth

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Top Education Franchises To Consider for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Education Franchises To Consider Investing In for 2025

top-education-franchises-investment-opportunities

graphic image of an 1851 franchisee spotlight brayden and johnny steven of teriyaki madness

Father-and-Daughter Team Bring Teriyaki Madness to Wichita, Kansas, With Big Expansion Plans

johnny-brayden-steven-teriyaki-madness-wichita

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Barb Volk and KidStrong logo

Why This Orangetheory Fitness Franchise Owner Is Developing KidStrong Franchises

kidstrong-franchise-owner-barb-volk-2025

Finding Real Estate: It’s All About Collaboration

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS