Century 21 Real Estate
| Company type | LLC |
|---|---|
| Industry | Real estate |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | Art Bartlett, Marsh Fisher |
| Headquarters | Madison, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | 86 countries and territories |
Number of employees | 147,000 sales agents |
| Parent | Anywhere Real Estate (formerly Realogy) |
Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a U.S.-based real estate franchise enterprise established in 1971. It operates approximately 14,000 independently owned franchised broker locations spanning 86 countries and territories, employing more than 147,000 sales agents. The company’s headquarters are located in Madison, New Jersey.
History
The inception of Century 21 dates back to 1971 when real estate professionals Art Bartlett and Marsh Fisher founded it in Orange County, California. Bartlett described the naming strategy as seeking a title that conveyed both a sense of tradition and forward-thinking; after considering names such as "20th Century Realty" and "Green Valley," they ultimately selected "Century 21."
In 1979, Century 21 became part of Trans World Corporation during its expansion into hospitality and housing sectors. Subsequently, MetLife acquired the company from Trans World in 1985. When MetLife decided to exit the housing market, Century 21 was sold to Hospitality Franchise Systems (which later rebranded as Cendant) in 1995. After Cendant's division in 2006, Century 21 transitioned under Realogy, now operating as Anywhere Real Estate.
The Joy of Home Campaign
In November 2024, Century 21 Real Estate unveiled The Joy of Home, an international marketing initiative centered on themes of community and connection. This campaign adopts more personalized messaging and visual storytelling to better resonate with changing consumer expectations.
Legal cases
Century 21’s parent organization Realogy faced several class-action lawsuits in 2019 accusing it of inflating commissions paid by sellers. In September 2023, Realogy consented to an $83.5 million settlement resolving two such legal actions. A month later, a federal jury determined the company’s involvement in a commission conspiracy during the case Burnett v. National Association of Realtors. This settlement also eliminated the obligation for Century 21 agents to maintain membership with the National Association of Realtors.