Real Estate Agency Startup Cost Comparison

New Orleans, LA vs Houston, TX

New Orleans, LA

$27,000 - $115,000

COL Index: 98.2

VS

Houston, TX

$29,000 - $121,000

COL Index: 96.5

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense New Orleans, LA Houston, TX Difference
Business Registration & Licenses
$900 - $4,700 $1,900 - $6,200 -31%
Broker License & Education
$2,000 - $6,000 $2,000 - $6,000 Same
Office Lease (First + Last + Security)
$5,200 - $25,900 $6,200 - $30,800 -16%
Office Build-Out & Furnishing
$2,700 - $13,500 $2,800 - $13,800 -2%
Technology & MLS Access
$3,000 - $12,000 $3,000 - $12,000 Same
Insurance (Annual)
$2,000 - $8,000 $2,000 - $8,000 Same
Marketing & Brand Building
$3,000 - $15,000 $3,000 - $15,000 Same
Working Capital (3-6 Months)
$7,900 - $29,500 $7,700 - $29,000 +2%
Total Estimated Cost $27,000 - $115,000 $29,000 - $121,000 -5%

Local Market Factors

Factor New Orleans Houston
Cost of Living Index 98.2 96.5
Commercial Rent ($/sqft/yr) $15 - $38 $18 - $45
Labor Rate Index 0.9 0.92
Sales Tax 9.45% 8.25%
Minimum Wage $7.25/hr $7.25/hr
LLC Filing Fee $100 $300

Ready to Start Your Real Estate Agency?

Start your Real Estate Agency LLC in โ€” free registered agent for 1 year.

Form Your LLC for $0 + State Fee โ†’

Trusted by 500,000+ businesses ยท Excellent rating on Trustpilot

Start Your LLC โ€” $0 + State Fee