Ryan Matthew Serhant (born July 2, 1984) is an American real estate broker, author, and reality television personality. He starred on Bravo's television series Million Dollar Listing New York for nine seasons, as well as on its spin-off Sell it Like Serhant. He stars on a Netflix reality show, Owning Manhattan. Serhant runs a New York real estate firm called SERHANT.

Early life and education

Serhant was born in Houston, Texas to John and Ellen Serhant. His father was a Vice Chairman of State Street Global Advisors and advisor to GoldenTree Asset Management. Serhant was raised in Topsfield, Massachusetts, on the North Shore of Massachusetts, along with brothers Jim and Jack Serhant. Serhant attended the Pingree School and Hamilton College, where he majored in English literature and theater and was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. After graduating in 2006, Serhant moved to New York City to launch an acting career, eventually starring as Evan Walsh in 19 episodes of As the World Turns.

Career

Real estate

In 2008 Serhant ventured into the New York real estate market. During his first year, he earned just $9,000. After a year-long pursuit, he closed his first major sale of $8.5 million. By 2012, The Real Deal ranked Serhant #15 out of the 100 most successful agents in New York. In 2008, Serhant was hired at Nest Seekers International, where he became executive vice president and managing director. In 2012, he launched his bi-coastal brokerage team, the Serhant Team, which consisted of 60 people in New York City, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, and the Hamptons. The Serhant Team specializes in high-end residential condo and co-op sales, homes, and new development sales. On September 15, 2020, Serhant announced that he was starting his own real estate firm, SERHANT. The firm has quickly grown into one of the most active real estate companies in the United States, using its large social media presence to sell properties.

Television

In 2010, Serhant auditioned for the Million Dollar Listing New York (MDLNY) reality show and was cast as one of three real estate agents featured on the show. The first episode of MDLNY aired on Bravo on March 7, 2012, and followed Serhant, Fredrik Eklund, and Michael Lorber across some of New York's most exclusive real estate deals. Since his debut on Million Dollar Listing, Serhant has also appeared on Inside Amy Schumer. In 2014, he had a supporting role in Noah Baumbach's 2014 film, While We're Young. In 2017, Serhant produced and launched the Bravo television show Sell It Like Serhant, a spin-off of MDLNY in which he coaches under-performing salespeople. The 9th season of Million Dollar Listing New York premiered in the spring of 2021, along with a new spin-off show starring Serhant called "Ryan's Renovation." The limited series followed Serhant and his family as they renovated their home in Brooklyn. On June 28, 2024, Serhant's reality show Owning Manhattan premiered on Netflix.

Books

On September 18, 2018, the week of his 10-year anniversary in real estate, Serhant published his first book, Sell It Like Serhant: How to Sell More, Earn More, and Become the Ultimate Sales Machine. The book became a best-seller on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times book lists.

Courses

On August 15, 2019, Ryan Serhant launched Sell It Like Serhant: The Course, a real estate sales course.

Apps

S.MPLE by SERHANT is an AI-powered support tool designed for real estate agents to help streamline their tasks, giving them more time to focus on clients. The app allows users to request marketing materials, and other resources through voice commands, providing real-time updates and human assistance. It manages tasks like transaction tracking and client follow-ups, helping agents reduce screen time while boosting productivity. By handling complex tasks quickly, S.MPLE lets agents focus on growing their business.

Personal life

In 2016, Serhant married lawyer Emilia Bechrakis in Corfu, in a Greek church, following Serhant's conversion to the Greek Orthodox Church. A four-part mini-series, Million Dollar Listing New York: Ryan's Wedding, chronicled the event and aired on Bravo in the fall of 2016. Serhant and Bechrakis have one daughter, who was born in 2019. In 2021, the couple finished a 3-year renovation of a $7.8 million townhouse in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn; the renovation was documented in a Bravo four-part mini-series, Million Dollar Listing: Ryan's Renovation, which aired in June 2021.

Filmography

Television

Film