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The Insiders: Q&A With High-end Broker and Reality TV Star Ryan Serhant

The Million Dollar Listing New York cast member talks penthouse living, hot amenities and more

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Real estate and reality star Ryan Sehant

John Lamparski / Getty Images
Real estate and reality star Ryan Sehant
John Lamparski / Getty Images

While he’s probably best known as one of the stars of Bravo’s real estate reality series Million Dollar Listing New York now in its fifth season, Ryan Serhant is also a broker with Nest Seekers International, responsible for agents in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and the Hamptons.

His team sold over $630 million in real estate in 2015. Just this summer, Mr. Serhant launched sales on Gurney’s in Montauk, a collection of 15 oceanfront homes that top out at $12 million. In 2014, he made his feature film debut opposite Ben Stiller in Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young and premiering on September 22, he’ll star in a Bravo spin-off series about his recent wedding.

Previously:‘Million Dollar Listing’ Manhattan Apartment for Sale for $2.4 Million

Mansion Global chatted with Mr. Serhant about luxury real estate, his highly purple apartment and more.

Mansion Global: Describe your dream property.

Ryan Serhant: I am pretty obsessed with the penthouse at 10 Sullivan St. It’s got that SoHo style—the ceilings are 25 feet, for example—without being in the shopping district of SoHo. And the roof deck is amazing because it’s the tallest residential point in SoHo, so the views are incredible.

It’s also massive. It’s like being in a big, beautiful mansion in the sky.

MG: Have you ever had a real estate property that "got away"?

RS: Like, every day. We sold the penthouse at 100 Avenue A, and I’ve regretted it all the time. It’s one of three apartments in that building in that area that has a picture window with a view of Tompkins Square Park, looking out to Manhattan. There was an apartment I could have afforded, and now I think I should have bought it and either held it or flipped it.

MG:What does "luxury" mean to you?

RS: It’s all about the services in a building. Having the luxury to afford "luxury" is what sets Manhattanites apart.

More:A First Look at 432 Park Ave.’s Amenities

MG:What’s the biggest surprise in the luxury real estate market now?

RS: Homes are becoming smaller. As things have gotten more expensive, efficiency of space is important. A lot of developers are ditching things like long hallways.

MG: What’s your favorite part of your home?

RS: I have two. First is the layout. I see layouts all day, and I know how hard it is to find the right light, view and layout, so when I walked into my current place, I knew that it was perfect. It has a 40-foot-wide living room and three bedrooms, with the master on one end and the two others and the living space on the other end.

I also love my terraces. I have two.

MG:What’s the most valuable amenity to have in a home right now?

RS: A garage. Even in Montauk at Gurney’s, we had to push to have parking. That was a big win for us.

More:A Manhattan Penthouse With Built-In Parking

MG: What’s the most valuable thing in your home?

RS: My fiance. (Editor’s note: She’s now his wife.)

Aside from that, the apartment itself is the most valuable, but I have a rug in my living room that is so ungodly expensive. It’s made from some crazy hair, and when you stand on it barefoot, everything is better in the world.

MG:What’s your best piece of real estate advice?

RS: Your home is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it. Comps don’t matter. In any negotiation, the person in the relationship who has all the power is the one who cares the least. I always tell people to remember that.

MG:What is the best area now for investing in luxury properties?

RS: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, because in about one to two years, the shutdown of the L train is going to push people to the buses and to the ferry. We have a project on the water in Greenpoint that we have sold sight unseen. It’s like Williamsburg before Williamsburg was Williamsburg.

MG: What area currently has the best resale value?

RS: Certain areas of Manhattan will always be valuable, like SoHo and the West Village. For resale value, an area where other people want to be is where the best resale value is.

MG: What best describes the theme to your home, and why?

RS: My mind goes to purple—there’s a lot of that color. A lot more than I intended. But I like it. I’d also say it’s a penthouse theme. It’s big and it has a lot of space, two big outdoor spaces, glass windows, an elevator opens up into the apartment. It feels like a penthouse, and I’ve decked it out as such.

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