The American Real Estate Association (ARA) on Nov. 9 announced that SERHANT., founded by celebrity agent Ryan Serhant, famous for his Manhattan-based reality TV show, has joined the national trade association.
Since expanding beyond New York in 2023, SERHANT. has grown to 20 states and Washington, D.C., including 2026 launches in California, Texas, Colorado, Massachusetts and Illinois.
ARA, according to a release, is focused on elevating professional standards and the value real estate agents deliver to the public. The release touted Serhant’s brand and global media network, claiming more than 11 million followers, as something that helps expand ARA’s national footprint and strengthens its platform.
“When we launched ARA, our mission was clear: build a unified voice of reason, an association by agents, for agents, that relentlessly fights for the industry,” said Jason Haber and Mauricio Umansky, co-founders of ARA, in a joint statement. “Attaching Ryan Serhant and SERHANT. into this mission is a major step forward. It shows that this industry belongs to true professionals who are fiercely dedicated to their clients and to delivering the highest level of service.”
Asked if ARA is also seeking out partnerships with smaller brokerages or getting involved in other local/state advocacy outside of New York and Missouri, Haber told RISMedia that “we are hearing from many smaller firms in the Midwest, as an example, and we are just as excited to meet with them as we were to meet with SERHANT. Not every firm will make headlines by signing up with us, but we are thrilled to work with them as well.
“There is clearly a hunger, excitement and enthusiasm across this country for a new voice in the industry. In November alone we rolled out our State Chair program, our licensee-in-the-loop legislation and our AI taskforce. Later this month we are giving back to the community by feeding 3,000 people for Thanksgiving. It’s a big month for us at ARA.”
Serhant, founder and CEO of SERHANT., as well as a broker, author and the star and executive producer of Netflix’s “Owning Manhattan,” said that “ARA is doing the hard work to raise the bar for the entire profession while fighting for homeownership across the country. Aligning SERHANT. with ARA gives our agents an even stronger platform to educate consumers, advocate for clients and shape where this industry goes next.”
“The rapid convergence of industry leaders under ARA’s umbrella shows how hungry the market was for modern, agent-first leadership,” said Briggs Elwell, co-founder and CEO of RLTYco and a member of ARA’s board of directors. “Pairing ARA’s advocacy and education with powerhouses like SERHANT. empowers agents to operate as true, highly skilled business owners.”
SERHANT. joins Compass International Holdings, REMAX and Douglas Elliman among the major firms that have aligned with ARA. This year the association expanded its board of directors with Chris Lim, the former president and chief growth officer of REMAX, and investor Andrew Dodge, who serve alongside Douglas Elliman President and CEO Michael Liebowitz, Douglas Elliman General Counsel Deva Roberts and Elwell.
ARA also continues to bring national weight to state fights. In August, Missouri voters rejected Amendments 4 and 5, ballot measures ARA opposed alongside the Missouri Association of Realtors®.
