About five and a half years ago, celebrity broker Ryan Serhant launched his eponymous brokerage in Manhattan during a global pandemic. Since then, Serhant. The company has come a long way. And just a few weeks ago, the company entered its 15th state by incorporating in Boston, Massachusetts.
Beyond expanding its market presence, the luxury brokerage firm has also expanded in other ways, including through technology tools such as agent workflow platform S.MPLE, media exposure through the Netflix series Owning Manhattan, and key hires like former Keller Williams principal Josh Team.
But Serhant. The company’s growth isn’t over yet, and CEO Ryan Serhant told Inman that the company has plenty of exciting moves in store for 2026.
Serhant is also scheduled to speak at Inman Connect New York next week. Ahead of his appearance, he took some time to catch up with Inman. His remarks are edited below for length and clarity.
Inman: I saw Serhant. It recently hired fintech veteran Greg Chan as its new CTO and also moved to Boston. What other exciting goals do you have for the company in 2026?
Ryan Serhant | Serhant. studio
Serhant: The company is expanding very quickly. We will continue to expand our market share in the markets we serve while entering many new markets this year. Our model is quite different from our competitors, so it may not actually be suitable for everyone. But I think the proof is in the pudding, so to speak. Therefore, we plan to open more markets this year.
We’re launching a new area within the company, but we’ll talk about that once we get there. It’s fun and exciting for new employees too. It was busy. It’s been a great start to the year. Massachusetts is a great state. I also grew up there. I’m not saying the Patriots are going to go back to the Super Bowl because they open with the Super Bowl, but I’m not saying that’s not why they won the game either, but it’s really, really exciting.
SERHANT. has become the go-to company in every market we participate in. For example, you’re either at Compass or you’re with us. As far as we know, everything else has faded into the distance. I think the industry is moving from brokerage as a place to work to brokerage as a product to leverage and grow your current business. And I think we’re now building an operating system that goes beyond just brokerage.
And Serhant. is clearly a media company, part technology company and part service company working to create the best agent experience on the planet.
We want to learn more about these new employees and their industry. You mentioned Compass earlier, and I’m curious about the completion of the Compass/Anywhere merger earlier this year, what are your thoughts on that? Was there anything that surprised you about that deal?
i don’t think so. Anywhere was a holding company created by a finance team to make money in the public markets. It was Cendant, it was Realogy, and obviously it later became Anywhere. They had to refinance $500 million in debt last year, on which they were paying 10%.
At the end of the day, I think getting acquired was probably Anywhere’s only option going forward because it was simply an unsustainable model. That’s why we’re seeing so many mergers and acquisitions in this space right now. Massive consolidation is happening not necessarily because all companies want it, but because clearly some companies need it.
I think Compass is playing around with platforms. They compete with Zillow, but Zillow is a very different business model than what we have here. I think they’re building operating systems for their products and inventory. I think we’ve succeeded in building an operating system for people. And when you empower people, you empower wealth. And I think they also have $3.1 billion in debt right now.
That’s why it’s different. But overall, I think it’s amazing. I think it’s really great that we have a major player in this industry who is a pro agent who can lobby with real weight on some things that no single player has been able to push back on in the past. This is great because I don’t think there’s ever been a real estate brokerage company in history with a market cap of $10 billion. I think their stock will double. As a brokerage owner myself, I find this very exciting. So all power to them.
wonderful. So, as Serhant. Expand, but are you considering making a major acquisition yourself?
We’re hiring, and we’re hiring as we expand into new markets. There are a lot of great brokers and great agents around the country working in the boutique space. Either they’re a boutique and have a franchise flag with a timeline on it, or they have a great boutique brand that’s hyper-local. And one thing about SERHANT. What we offer as we enter the domestic market is by partnering with hyperlocal brands and agencies to provide a single AI-native infrastructure on the backend. This, combined with global media influence, will change the way brands operate.
Let me introduce an example of what SERHANT is. The effect is from Paradise Valley, Arizona. to Henderson, Nevada. To Delray Beach, Florida. Pretty incredible. And we’re just thrilled to be able to benefit our clients by providing great agents across the country with the reach that no other brokerage can offer.
What do you think 2026 will be like for agents in the transition to broader markets?
I’m obviously very focused on pricing. I believe that real estate is a price conversation, not a conversation about direct inventory, supply, or quality. It all depends on the rate. So, as interest rates come down, we expect to see 5 million deals this year instead of the roughly 4.1 million deals we’ve had over the past three years. I think we have reached the breaking point of the lock-in effect that we have seen with interest rate increases starting in 2022.
And the only thing I’m really focused on, and I haven’t really seen anyone writing about this, is the Trump Gold Card and the Trump Platinum Card. If you look at the Trump Platinum Card for foreigners, the ticket price is $5 million. You can live here, you can work here, you can stay here 270 days out of the year. And no country will ask for income from outside the United States. This is always a big problem.
But foreigners who are here to invest in real estate and are here for long-term stays, and the visa process and all that, if that goes through, we could open up the country to people and companies who can write $5 million checks, and what does that do for luxury real estate trophies… If you think prices are high now, we’re already getting calls from clients trying to stop land grabs in Miami, Palm Beach, Wyoming, Montana, New York City, because obviously the wealth of American bystanders is incomparable. For better or worse, global shadow money will be coming into this country. And I think it’s very likely that it will really drive the luxury market in 2026.
Yes, it’s true. I’ve been hearing about the Trump Gold Card for a few months now, but I haven’t heard much about it recently.
Well, I think it’s blocked now. I think that’s a bit of a problem. But if it’s successful, all you have to do is wait. And what he’s trying to do is say, within reason, instead of America paying other people, other people should also pay us. Want to access, buy property here or set up a business? Great. Please pay. There is an entrance fee and ticket fee, but it is not exorbitant. And when homes are sold to people who can afford them, jobs are created. There is a trickle-down effect.
I also wanted to ask you a little bit about next week’s Inman Connect New York as the event is just around the corner. Do you have any tips for new or veteran attendees on how to get the most out of the event?
Please dress warmly. This year is the coldest winter in the last 10 years. It can get cold and it can snow. But take advantage of the city.
Sirhant. and Sell It will be holding an event on the evening of February 3rd. There are many great opportunities for collaboration. Go to Broadway, go to restaurants, move around town. It’s an incredible environment right now. It’s fully open. This is the year to create business and create markets. Therefore, try to meet as many people as possible while you are here. That’s why it’s called “Inman Connect.” It’s not “Inman sit alone.”
Well put. Is there anything you are particularly looking forward to?
Again, I love meeting new people. I love meeting new people coming to the market and to the city, especially as we are growing. It’s great because everyone comes here — it’s like football, it’s like a home game for us next week. It’s great to be able to play at the national level with home field advantage. Therefore, every year I look forward to many great connections that generate new ideas, new deal flows, and new ways to make the industry better.
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Email Lillian Dickerson
