America’s Best Franchises (ABF) Brand Insight —
HOMEstretch bundles five services a seller normally hires separately — clear-outs, painting, flooring, landscape cleanup, and move-out cleaning — into one call before a home lists. The customer is often a real estate agent as much as a homeowner, so the business runs on referral relationships rather than heavy advertising. Owners manage subcontractors from a home office during regular business hours, with no emergency calls. The brand has scaled quickly since franchising began in 2024.
At a Glance
- Liquid Capital Required: $150,000 (readily available cash or cash-equivalent assets — not from borrowing, selling a primary residence, or relying on future income)
- Ownership Model: Owner-operator or active owner
- Location Type: Home-based
- Time Commitment: 20+ hours weekly minimum
- Experience Required: Prior business ownership experience
About HOMEstretch
Nick Lobert and Derek Shewmon founded HOMEstretch in Cincinnati in 2019 after seeing how few reliable options homeowners had when preparing a house for the market. Franchising began in 2024, and the brand has since awarded 222 territories to 95 franchise partners across most of the country.
Services cover home clear-outs, interior and exterior painting, flooring installation, landscape cleanup, and move-out cleaning. HOMEstretch holds a national partnership with Sherwin-Williams for painting and flooring, quotes jobs within 24 hours, and typically starts projects within two to five days.
Why Own a HOMEstretch Franchise?
- Five services in one call — clear-outs, painting, flooring, landscape cleanup, and move-out cleaning — raise the value of each job.
- Real estate agents become repeat referral sources, so growth comes from relationships more than marketing spend.
- The franchisee network averaged an $8,602 ticket, with a 43.5% quote conversion rate in 2025.
- A subcontractor-based model keeps payroll small and lets owners scale without a large crew.
- Home-based, Monday-through-Friday hours, with no emergency or disaster work.
- Up to 15% of revenue can come from outside the territory, since referral partners work across market lines.
Why This Opportunity, Why Now
ABF Market Analysis —
Every home that sells needs some version of the same work — decluttering, fresh paint, updated flooring, a tidy yard, and a final cleaning. Sellers usually coordinate four or five separate vendors to get it done, and the contracting trades are notoriously fragmented and unreliable. HOMEstretch replaces that with a single point of contact. The model holds up in both buyer’s and seller’s markets, and downsizing seniors create a second source of demand alongside traditional home sales.
ABF Timing Insight —
HOMEstretch began franchising in 2024 and has awarded more than 200 territories, with roughly 200 Class A territories still open for development. Territories cover about 150,000 households each and are defined by zip code. The brand is registered in every state except California, Hawaii, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington, and is not currently accepting E-2 visa candidates. For candidates focused on a particular market, the first question is which territories remain open there now.
Training & Support
- Onboarding begins before in-person training, preparing owners on systems, business development, and operations so classroom time can focus on execution.
- Three days of in-person initial training take place in Cincinnati, covering business development, operations, marketing, and technology, including an on-site project walk-through.
- The national Sherwin-Williams partnership supports painting and flooring work with supplier relationships an independent contractor would not have on its own.
- Ongoing training continues through in-person visits, video content, and written materials as the business grows and owners add staff.
- Technology runs through quoting, scheduling, and client communication, which is how the brand quotes within 24 hours and starts most jobs within days.
Our Ideal Franchisee Candidate
- Relationship builders with a sales background
- Networkers comfortable working with real estate professionals
- Owners with project management and organizational skills
- Community-active leaders who have managed teams
- Candidates interested in real estate, design, or home improvement
Who Is Not A Good Fit
- Candidates who cannot meet the liquid capital requirement without borrowing
- Anyone without prior business ownership experience
- Owners who must keep reporting to a W-2 position
- People uncomfortable with business development and sales
- Candidates looking for passive ownership
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who are HOMEstretch’s customers?
A: Homeowners preparing to sell or who have just purchased, and the real estate agents and brokerages who refer them. Downsizing seniors are also a meaningful client group.
Q: Do I need construction or contracting experience?
A: No, though prior business ownership experience is required. The work is performed by dedicated subcontractors, and the owner’s role is business development, client consultations, and project management.
Q: Can I run this part-time?
A: Owners can operate as an active owner with at least 20 hours a week by hiring a full-time business development lead and project manager, but should control their own schedule rather than hold a W-2 job.
Q: Does HOMEstretch do emergency work?
A: No. HOMEstretch operates Monday through Friday during standard business hours and does not handle floods, fires, or other emergency restoration.
Q: How important is the leadership team when choosing a franchise?
A: Very important. A proven model matters, but the people leading the brand matter too. During due diligence, spend time with leadership and operations—not just franchise development—and ask how they prioritize franchisee profitability, support, and long-term brand health.
Next Steps
If you are drawn to a home-based business that runs on real estate referrals, five services sold in a single call, a subcontractor model that keeps payroll small, and regular business hours with no emergency work, HOMEstretch is worth a direct conversation. Complete the form below to request a qualification review and discuss territory availability for HOMEstretch.
This profile represents general franchise information. Individual results may vary. Refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.