“Owning Manhattan” star launches in CA

On April 14, 2026, Ryan Serhant, the celebrity real estate broker and star of Netflix's Owning Manhattan, officially launched his namesake brokerage, SERHANT., in California. This expansion marks the firm's most significant market entry to date by sales volume, featuring a founding team of agents who have closed more than $2 billion in transactions over the previous year (Ritter, 2026).

Strategic Entry into the Golden State

Despite a complex economic landscape—marked by the aftermath of the 2025 wildfires and a proposed 5% "billionaire tax" on wealthy residents—Serhant maintains that now is the ideal moment for his firm’s arrival. He cited his history of launching ventures during periods of volatility, such as entering the industry at the start of the Great Recession and founding his brokerage during the COVID-19 pandemic (Karruli, 2026).

Rather than expanding market-by-market, SERHANT. has launched a statewide presence simultaneously in five key regions:

• Los Angeles

• San Francisco

• San Diego

• Orange County

• Lake Tahoe

Leadership and "Media-First" Model

The California operations will be led by Managing Director Ezra Leyton, based in the Beverly Hills headquarters. In a notable industry move, Serhant also recruited Ben Belack, a top producer and star of Netflix's Buying Beverly Hills, to serve as Executive Vice President of California (Karruli, 2026; Ritter, 2026).

The brokerage intends to distinguish itself from traditional "legacy" firms by focusing on its proprietary AI platform and its "media-first" approach. Agents will utilize specialized "clubhouses" designed for high-end content creation, reflecting Serhant’s belief that real estate is now a business driven by "content-to-commerce" (McLean, 2026).

Growth Strategy

Unlike competitors that often scale through acquisitions, Serhant emphasized that his firm’s growth in California is entirely organic. The brokerage aims to double its initial $2 billion sales volume within the first year by leveraging its technology-driven model to attract high-performing agents who prioritize production volume over total agent count (McLean, 2026; Ritter, 2026).

References

• Karruli, K. (2026, April 14). EXCLUSIVE: 'Buying Beverly Hills' Star Ben Belack on Joining Forces With Ryan Serhant—and the $65 Million Asset He's Bringing With Him. Realtor.com. https://www.realtor.com/news/reality-tv/ben-belack-ryan-serhant-netflix-buying-beverly-hills/

• Karruli, K. (2026, April 14). Ryan Serhant Announces Major Expansion Across California—and Reveals How He Plans To Navigate Wildfire Fallout and Billionaire Tax Backlash. Realtor.com. https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/ryan-serhant-expansion-california-wildfires-billionaire-tax/

• McLean, T. (2026, April 14). Celeb-led real estate brokerage making a big bet on California. SFGATE. https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/serhant-real-estate-california-22204180.php

• Ritter, M. (2026, April 14). Celebrity agent Ryan Serhant bets on California in latest brokerage expansion. Homes.com News. https://www.homes.com/news/celebrity-agent-ryan-serhant-bets-on-california-in-latest-brokerage-expansion/455930567/

• The Real Deal. (2026, April 14). “It's Ryan f-cking Serhant”: “Owning Manhattan” star launches in CA. https://therealdeal.com/la/2026/04/14/ryan-serhant-expands-brokerage-to-california/