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№ 01Buying & Selling a Business · Franchise Resale · Ontario

Buying a Real Property Management franchise

Real Property Management is a residential property-management franchise, not a real estate brokerage — its real value sits in an existing book of management agreements with landlord-clients, not a storefront or inventory. A resale here turns on how those management contracts assign to a new owner, how trust funds for collected rent and security deposits get reconciled at closing, and whether any leasing-related work the office performs touches Ontario's real estate registration requirements.

№ 01.1The Resale, End to End

From offer to ownership

Real Property Management resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.

Getting approved

01

Conditional offer & portfolio review

The offer sets price and structure, conditioned on franchisor consent and a review of the management-contract portfolio's size and stability holding together through the transition.

1–3 weeks
02

Franchisor application & review

The franchisor reviews the incoming operator's background and financial standing before consenting to the change of ownership.

3–6 weeks
03

Disclosure considerations

A disclosure document may still be required for this resale — Ontario courts read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, so franchisor involvement can trigger it even where the deal is framed as private.

assessed early

Getting to closing

04

Portfolio, trust-account & premises transition

Management agreements are reviewed for their own assignment or notice terms with each landlord-client, trust funds for collected rent and security deposits are reconciled and formally handed off, and any office space, if leased, needs landlord consent to assign.

runs through closing
05

Training & transfer approval

The incoming owner typically completes the franchisor's systems and operations training before or shortly after taking over.

1–3 weeks
06

Closing

Funds change hands, trust-account reconciliation is finalized, and the franchisor confirms the territory registration is updated to the new owner.

1 day, plus a short reconciliation tail
Timelines vary by franchisor approval speedWe track every deadline so nothing lapses.
№ 01.2About the System

About the Real Property Management system

CFA Look For A Franchise listing confirms an active Canadian franchise network for this residential property-management brand, in business since 2010.

Ontario offices within its Canadian franchise network.

№ 01.3Deal Structure

Asset sale or share sale?

This is the first real decision in a Real Property Management resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.

QuestionAsset purchaseShare purchase
What you buyThe management-contract portfolio, client relationships, office equipment, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to consent.The shares of the corporation holding the portfolio and territory rights, including everything it owes.
Franchisor consent & territoryRequired for the specific territory and portfolio changing hands.Required for the change of control itself, plus confirmation the territory boundary carries over intact.
Management-agreement assignmentEach underlying management agreement is reviewed for its own assignment or consent terms with the landlord-client.Agreements generally continue since the contracting corporation doesn't change, though clients are typically notified.
Trust funds — rent & security depositsTrust-account balances for every managed property are reconciled and formally handed off as part of closing.Trust obligations stay with the corporation, but the change of control is disclosed where the underlying agreements require it.
Real estate registration / leasing activityWhere staff negotiate leases or place tenants rather than just collecting rent and coordinating maintenance, whether TRESA/RECO registration applies to that work is confirmed for the incoming owner.Registration questions attach to the individuals doing the work, so this is reviewed regardless of deal structure.
Tax angleBuyer generally gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased.Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
What you buy
Asset sale

The management-contract portfolio, client relationships, office equipment, and the franchise agreement's benefit, subject to consent.

Franchisor consent & territory
Asset sale

Required for the specific territory and portfolio changing hands.

Management-agreement assignment
Asset sale

Each underlying management agreement is reviewed for its own assignment or consent terms with the landlord-client.

Trust funds — rent & security deposits
Asset sale

Trust-account balances for every managed property are reconciled and formally handed off as part of closing.

Real estate registration / leasing activity
Asset sale

Where staff negotiate leases or place tenants rather than just collecting rent and coordinating maintenance, whether TRESA/RECO registration applies to that work is confirmed for the incoming owner.

Tax angle
Asset sale

Buyer generally gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased.

We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.

№ 01.5Costs & Fees

You'll know the number before we start

No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.

Type of workFeeHow it's confirmed
Straightforward purchase or saleStarting from $3,388.87
Our charges · taxes included
Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement.
Larger or more complex dealQuoted to scopeShort call → fixed written quote before any work begins.
Searches, filings & third-party feesAt costItemized on your invoice, not marked up.
Franchisor transfer/application fees, landlord consent costs, and a broker's success fee if the deal was listed — all confirmed once we see your agreement.
Most deals start here

An owner-run business

A single-office franchise with a stable portfolio of long-standing landlord-clients changing hands cleanly.

Start my file
A bit more involved

A larger or more complex deal

A portfolio where some management agreements require individual landlord-client consent to assign, or a franchise where leasing-related registration questions need resolving before closing.

Book a consultation

Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.

№ 01.6Before You Ask

Common questions

What exactly am I buying if there's no storefront or inventory?

Mostly the management-contract portfolio and the client relationships behind it — a lower real-estate-footprint franchise than a retail or restaurant concept, so diligence focuses on the portfolio's stability and the franchisor's standing rather than physical assets.

Do landlord-clients have to consent to their management agreement moving to a new owner?

It depends on the individual agreement — some allow assignment on notice, while others require the landlord-client's active consent. We review each agreement in the portfolio rather than assume one approach covers all of them.

What happens to rent and security-deposit trust funds when the business changes hands?

They're reconciled and formally handed off as part of closing, property by property — this isn't something we treat as automatically transferring with the file; it's verified before funds change hands.

Do I need a real estate licence to run a Real Property Management franchise?

It depends on the scope of work — collecting rent and coordinating maintenance is different from negotiating leases or placing tenants, and Ontario's real estate registration requirements can apply to the latter. We confirm what applies to the specific services your office performs.

Is this the same kind of resale as buying a real estate brokerage franchise like Royal LePage or Sutton Group?

No — a property-management franchise runs on recurring management-fee revenue from an existing client portfolio, while a brokerage franchise is built around commission-driven transactions and individually licensed agents. The diligence priorities are genuinely different between the two.

Related

Where we close franchise resale deals

Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Real Property Management or its franchisor.

Ready to begin?

Tell us about your Real Property Management resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.

Prefer to talk first? Call 1-844-900-1070 — it’s free.
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