The reality TV veteran managed to breathe some life into Owning Manhattan, eking out two stars from The Guardian; the publication gave Buying London a no-holds-barred zero-star review. In general, the New York City-based show has been met with a more positive response than its London-based counterpart, entering Netflix’s Top 10 global chart. That’s not to say that the task of shouldering his own TV show has been easy. In an interview, Serhant told Access Hollywood that filming Owning Manhattan was “the most stressed out I’ve ever been in my life”.
Here’s what we know about the face of Owning Manhattan, who has a net worth of US$40 million, per Celebrity Net Worth, has closed over US$8 billion in sales, and compared selling a house to “going on a first date” to the Houston Chronicle.
What is Ryan Serhant’s background?
The MDLNY star, who just celebrated his 40th birthday on July 2, was born in Hustle Town – Houston, Texas – to John and Ellen Serhant. He was raised in Topsfield, Massachusetts with his two brothers, Jack and Jim Serhant. His father served as the vice-chairman of State Street Global Advisors, and Ryan credits him with “teaching me the value of hard work”, per Authority Magazine.
Ryan describes his mother Ellen as his “best friend”, per Bravo, and once shared in a Facebook post for Mother’s Day that she had given birth to him in their house without an epidural.
How did Ryan Serhant get into real estate?
Before getting into real estate, Serhant studied English literature and theatre at Hamilton College – where, he admitted, he was a bit of a loner despite being in a fraternity, according to an article on the university’s website.
He moved to the Big Apple with Hollywood dreams, per the same source, landing appearances on the soap opera As the World Turns and on Broadway, and even dabbling in hand modelling. However, he got “no Blockbuster movie contracts like I had hoped”, he told Authority Magazine. When Hollywood didn’t seem like it would be knocking on his door any time soon, a friend suggested that he give real estate a shot.
He wasn’t successful at first
“I wasn’t very successful at first, and even got my credit card declined once when buying a yogurt at a bodega … no one around me was offering advice or even sharing a few helpful tips. I had to figure everything out on my own,” Serhant told Authority Magazine about his early days in property.
Soon, he joined NestSeekers International, a property brokerage, and rose up the corporate ladder. He was named the 15th best broker in New York in 2012 by Real Deal Magazine around the same time he found his first taste of reality TV fame. Eventually, he founded his own real estate brokerage, Serhant.
Property is not his only business
His firm’s website describes Serhant as an “innovator, entrepreneur, producer, bestselling author, podcast host, public speaker, educator, content creator and star of multiple TV shows”.
As an author, he has published three books: Sell It Like Serhant, Big Money Energy and Brand It Like Serhant. Before Owning Manhattan, he also got two MDLNY spin-offs: Ryan’s Wedding, which chronicled his nuptials to wife Emilia, and Ryan’s Renovation, which followed the couple as they remodelled their home. He also has a podcast on iHeartRadio called Big Money Energy and a bestselling online course named Sell It Like Serhant – which is also the name of his Bravo show. Add to that his title of executive producer for the YouTube network Listed, and you have a serious multi-hyphenate.
He had a big fat Greek wedding
The couple has one daughter, Zena, who turned five in March. Zena was conceived through IVF, per Bravo. The family lives in Brooklyn with Bechrakis’ mother, who helps look after the toddler.
He gives back to the community
Serhant takes philanthropy seriously. He and his firm have donated to charities like Feeding America, the Ali Forney Center, the NYC Sanitation Foundation and Project Sunshine, per Serhant’s website. He has also contributed to the Royal LePage Shelter foundation, and supported the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2021, he was appointed the national ambassador for the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign.
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