Buying a franchise you can run from home can save new business owners a lot of money they’d otherwise have to spend on rent, extra utilities, insurance and other costs.

It also awards you more freedom over how you decide to run your business day-to-day. But while the benefits of home-based franchising can be alluring, it’s important to realize that not all opportunities are the same.

[Read Also:] Buying a Franchise in 2016: 4 Ways to Prepare Today

Franchises are an investment. To make that investment pay off, it’s up to you to carefully research your options and make a well-informed decision.

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Thinking about buying a franchise in 2016? You’re not alone. The International Franchise Association is predicting the franchise sector to outperform the overall economy next year by posting a 5.1% gain versus 3.1% in total.

Residential and commercial service franchises are among the six franchise industries poised for the biggest growth as new housing and business developments will require regular maintenance and upkeep.

No matter what kind of franchise you’re interested in, it’s important prepare as early as possible before getting started. Here are four steps you can take today to ensure your success tomorrow:

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Whether it’s buying a franchise or starting a business from scratch, the dilemma is the same: you need money to make money. Every year, thousands of would-be franchise owners give up their dream of business ownership simply because they don’t have the means to get their franchise off the ground.

First, some much-needed perspective: Just about no franchise owner buys a franchise with all the capital they need right off the bat. Similar to buying a home, franchising only requires a few fees up-front while other expenses can be offset by the revenue you bring in through the business. 

Just about every new business owner and franchisee finances their endeavor one way or another, even when they have the cash to spend. If you’re in need of some funding help, here are three ways to open a franchise with little cash:

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Fees are one of the key decision-making factors for those looking into buying a franchise. What is a franchise fee, exactly? What do they cover? How much are they? When do I need to pay them?  This simple and definitive guide will answer all of these questions and more. 

To keep this as simple as possible, we’ve broken franchise fees down into their two main categories: Initial fees and ongoing fees. Let’s tackle each of them one by one.

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Every franchisee enjoys the freedom and lifestyle that comes with business ownership, but let’s get real––at the end of the day, earning revenue is what drives us to succeed.

With this in mind, you’d think business experts would be clamoring to answer one of the most important questions on the minds of prospective franchise buyers:

How long will it take before I can actually start making money?