Century 21 Targets 1,500 Offices With Major India Expansion

US-based Century 21 enters India with a franchise-led model, targeting 126 regions, 1,500 offices and 30,000 agents within five years while focusing on cross-border property transactions and AI-led technology.

US-based real estate Franchise Company Century 21 is preparing to enter India with a franchise-led business model, targeting the country's expanding property market and growing demand for international real estate investment. The company plans to connect Indian buyers with overseas properties while helping non-resident Indians (NRIs) access investment opportunities in India's real estate sector.

Century 21 plans to divide its Indian operations into 126 regions and offer these territories to entrepreneurs and business owners. Franchise partners will develop their own local real estate networks with support from the company. The firm plans to begin with six to 10 regions during the first year before scaling its presence across the country.

Also read: RSG Opens Nammos Resort AMAALA on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea

Over the next five years, Century 21 targets approximately 1,500 offices and around 30,000 agents across India. The company currently operates across 82 countries and territories with approximately 400,000 agents under its global network. It is also raising capital to support its India expansion, although the total investment planned for the market has not yet been finalised.

The company's business model is based primarily on transaction-linked royalties. When an agent completes a property transaction, the franchise owner collects the revenue and pays a royalty to the regional owner, who subsequently pays a royalty to Century 21. This structure allows the company to expand its network through franchise partners while generating revenue from transactions completed within the network.

Cross-border real estate transactions are expected to form an important part of Century 21's India strategy. Indian customers seeking properties in markets such as the UAE can register their requirements with local Century 21 agents and gain access to selected or pre-release property opportunities. At the same time, the company aims to connect its international client base and NRI customers with Indian developers and property sellers.

Technology is another key element of the India expansion. Century 21 plans to develop technology specifically for the Indian market rather than relying entirely on systems used in markets such as the UAE, Australia and New Zealand. Its proprietary AI-driven CRM and sales transaction platform, ConnectR, is designed to connect offices and agents while providing access to property inventory and transaction information.

The company expects its technology-led approach to improve efficiency, transparency and coordination across property transactions. An NRI-focused customer database can also help Indian developers reach potential buyers through Century 21's international network, strengthening the cross-border component of its business.

Also read: Sohna's Rapid Growth Shapes Luxury Living Trends

Century 21 is also engaging with real estate developers in India, with some developers already expressing interest ahead of the formal expansion. The company's India strategy comes as international participation in the country's real estate sector continues to increase supported by urbanisation, and rising investment and growing demand for professionally managed property services.

With its 126-region strategy, large agent-network target and technology-driven cross-border platform, Century 21 aims to establish a substantial presence in India's real estate brokerage market while creating stronger connections between domestic and international property markets.