Million Dollar Listing New York is back for its seventh season on hayu, with powerhouse agents Ryan Serhant, Fredrik Eklund and Steve Gold returning to the NY property scene, hungrier than ever to dominate the real estate market by pulling out all the stops. A couple of weeks into the new season, we got the chance to put some questions to the brilliant Ryan Serhant to find out a little bit more about what to expect from the new episodes, from his personal life, to some of the craziest properties he’s ever worked on.
This is the seventh season of Million Dollar Listing New York; why do you think the show is such a success with audiences?
I think the show is a success with audiences because people are naturally curious about real estate. People love real estate, it’s one of those universally unique topics where everybody wants a home and a lot of people aspire to live in one of these amazing properties in New York City. We’ve pulled the curtain back to show what the homes are like inside these big beautiful buildings that most tourists who come to New York can’t see inside. I think people also like our personalities and that we are three very different characters. You see how the three of us do business in very different ways. There’s also the drama aspect because it’s very competitive. It’s not just showing beautiful properties, but it’s showing the competition around them and that’s a recipe for a lot of fun.
What sort of properties should we expect to see this season? Are there any favourites you’ve had this season?
This year, we’re going to see some of the craziest properties that we have ever sold. I worked on some of the biggest projects of my life. There’s a lot more in Brooklyn, NY this year because Brooklyn is on fire right now and everybody wants to be there. There is one apartment that we worked on where – from the outside – it looks like a brownstone townhouse but once you go inside, the exterior façade is actually a garage door and the whole wall opens up to the street. I think that was by far the craziest listing that I have ever worked on and that we’ve ever put on the show.
You lead the series alongside Fredrik Eklund and Steve Gold; which one of you spends the most time getting ready for the cameras?
Fredrik, one hundred percent.
Do you ever really get used to being filmed when you’re part of a reality show like this?
Honestly, it’s hard for me to remember my life before Million Dollar Listing. The show started for me at the end of 2011. For the last seven years, I have had a camera in front of my face for nine months out of the year, so now it’s very normal. You get very used to it.
What are some of the biggest challenges when it comes to being on reality TV?
You just have to remember that the whole world is watching. Most people go to work every day and the whole world isn’t critiquing how they do what they do. I have to be careful how I put myself out there. Other than that, the upsides of being on television by far outweigh the downsides.
What should we expect from the family side of your life in this new season?
There is a lot of talk this season about Emilia and I starting a family. You will have to wait and tune in to see what happens with that. Overall, it’s a lot of work. Emilia is working too so there’s a lot of back and forth there. The idea of starting a family is hatched this season.
Do you have any advice for others who may be thinking about going into this industry?
Yes, it’s one of the greatest industries you can be in. if you know how to sell and you can sell real estate, you will be employed for the rest of your life. I think that if you can get into the business, make sure you get in and work with somebody who knows what they are doing. Be on a team with a veteran, and really know your stuff.
What else should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
Some of the craziest properties ever. I worked on a property in Brooklyn that is one of the biggest new development projects in all of New York, and I work on trying to get in launched in China. You will see that in the upcoming weeks.
Million Dollar Listings New York season 7 streams Wednesdays on hayu.