Ryan Serhant is a real estate agent and television personality. He’s the founder and CEO of SERHANT, the most-followed real estate brand online. Serhant is best known for his appearance in over 70 episodes of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York, a platform that significantly propelled his career.
Serhant’s success in the real estate industry has earned him a spot in the top 15 of New York’s most successful real estate brokers and led to regular contributions to renowned networks such as CNN, Bloomberg TV, and The Today Show. He has also written a national bestseller, “Sell It Like Serhant.” As of 2023, his net worth stands at an impressive $40 million.
Life Before Real Estate
Serhant was born on July 2nd, 1984, in Houston, Texas, but spent most of his childhood in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Serhant attributes his work ethic to his father, John Serhant. As a kid, John paid Ryan and his brother $1.50 an hour to collect firewood and sell it to their neighbors. This taught them the value of hard work at a very young age.
Despite his career in real estate, Serhant didn’t study marketing or business. Instead, he attended Hamilton College, New York, where he studied English Literature and Theatre, and was a member of the Delta Kappa Fraternity.
From Acting to Million Dollar Listings
Interestingly, Serhant’s initial career aspiration was to become an actor. He moved to New York City to pursue this dream and in 2007, he secured his first acting role in “As The World Turns Out,” playing Evan Walsh IV. Although he decided against pursuing acting, his on-camera charisma proved beneficial when he transitioned into reality television.
Serhant began his real estate career in 2008 against the backdrop of Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy and the subprime lending crisis. Despite a tough start, earning only $9,000 in commissions in his first year, Serhant’s fortunes quickly changed. In his first two years, he sold over $100 million worth of real estate, becoming a top-performing broker at Nest Seekers International.
A New Era: Founding the SERHANT Brokerage
After years climbing the corporate ladder, Serhant ventured out on his own, founding the innovative brokerage, SERHANT. His company takes a unique approach to the real estate business, utilizing digital marketing to stand out in a crowded space.
Since 2020, the firm has expanded beyond New York City into new markets across the United States and boasts over 300 agents and 90 full-time staff members. These achievements gave Ryan the credibility to start selling courses to teach other real estate agents how to be successful.
Reality TV Star: Million Dollar Listings
By merging all of his passions, Ryan Serhant saw the potential of using reality TV to boost his career. In 2010, he auditioned for Bravo’s Million Dollar Listings and got the job. The show became a big hit but sadly won’t be filming a new season anytime soon.
However, how much Ryan made per episode hasn’t been revealed. Still, we can assume he earned a fortune from the publicity just from being on the show. In addition to his salary per episode, Ryan made a 6% commission on every property sold – so for every $1 million he earned $60,000.
A Look into Personal Life: Family and Wife
Beyond his professional life, Serhant is happily married to Emilia Bechrakis Serhant, an accomplished attorney, children’s book author, and real estate professional. The couple shares a 3-year-old daughter, Zena. Despite his hectic work schedule, Serhant prioritizes spending quality time with his family, often sharing heartwarming moments with his wife.
