US-based Century 21 has announced plans to enter India with a 126-region franchise model that will deploy a chain of regional owners, franchisees and agents under a royalty-based revenue system. The company said franchise owners will collect proceeds from property transactions and pay royalties up the regional chain to the global brand, which will retain a portion of revenue on each sale. Executives noted that the firm has made a significant investment to date and is raising capital to support the India launch, while total planned investment remains to be finalised.

Technology will form a central pillar of the India strategy, with the firm adapting platforms used in the UAE, Australia and New Zealand into bespoke solutions for the Indian market. The proprietary artificial intelligence driven customer relationship management and transaction platform, ConnectR, is intended to link offices and agents across markets and provide access to inventory and transactions. An India specific platform, Senda, will be supported by ConnectR to facilitate cross border listings and client matching.

The company indicated that its model will enable domestic buyers and investors to access international property opportunities and allow international clients to discover Indian projects. It also plans to populate a non resident Indian database to help developers and sellers reach potential buyers across its network. Developers were said to have made early enquiries ahead of the formal market entry.

Executives suggested that cross border activity, notably between India and the UAE, may be a point of difference for the business and that a technology first approach could improve transaction efficiency and transparency. The firm cited industry estimates that the Indian real estate market could reach about US$5.8 trillion (tn) by 2047 and described the residential segment as one of the attractions for market entry given its potential scale.

The company highlighted its global footprint and referred to experience in China, where the brand operates with 150,000 agents and 10,000 offices across 171 regions, as informing planning for India. Executives said this experience would inform its approach to regional expansion in India.