Reality TV star and luxury broker Ryan Serhant opening Chicago outpost
Serhant, the real estate brokerage firm founded by reality TV star Ryan Serhant, is expanding to Chicago.
The brokerage said Tuesday it will serve Chicago and the North Shore. It has plans for an office in the North Shore area, but for now is in temporary space in Wicker Park.
Ryan Serhant, a long-time real estate broker, became famous on Bravo’s reality TV series “Million Dollar Listing: New York,” leaving after nine seasons. He later starred in and produced Netflix’s “Owning Manhattan,” which follows Serhant and his New York-based brokerage as they sell luxury homes.
He launched his namesake firm in 2020. In 2024, the company launched an in-house AI platform called S.MPLE. It allows agents to access to AI-powered tools for lead generation, marketing and transaction management. The firm also has more than 11 million followers across its social media platforms, touting itself as the most followed real estate brand in the world.
“Real estate in Chicago has run the same way for a long time,” Serhant said in a news release. “Agents here are ready for something built for how buyers and sellers actually live today, and through S.MPLE, we’re giving them the AI, technology and reach to lead that change.”
Serhant Illinois’ office is launching with four founders, who come from @properties and Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty. Dina Lissner, previously managing broker for Baird & Warner’s Highland Park office, will serve as managing director of Serhant Illinois.
“Everything I’ve done in my career, from the classroom to wellness to running a brokerage, has come back to helping people grow, and that’s what I’m most excited to do here,” Lissner said. “Chicago and the North Shore have some of the most talented agents in the country, and Serhant gives them something no one else can: the technology, the media and a brand that puts them in front of the world. I’m thrilled to be building this from the ground up with agents who are ready for what’s next.”
The office will have more than 40 agents and plans to grow its Chicago team.
Serhant is known for handling luxury listings, as well as marketing and selling new construction. Some of its active listings include a $185 million oceanfront estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and a $52 million newly built townhome in Manhattan.
The company’s expansion comes as new brokerages — and mergers — rock the local real estate market. Last year, Baird & Warner acquired Dream Town, forming what was the second-largest brokerage in the region based on 2024 sales volume. And in December 2024, Chicago-based real estate brokerage @properties Christie’s International Real Estate was acquired by Compass.
Serhant first expanded outside New York in 2023. It’s now active in 20 states, with locations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts and Texas opening this year, in addition to Illinois.
