Alexia Umansky, daughter of The Agency founder Mauricio Umansky, longest-running Real Housewife Kyle Richards, and niece of Hilton & Hyland’s Rick Hilton and Kathy Hilton, is a unique hybrid of real estate and reality TV royalty. She grew up on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” and after getting her real estate license, she appeared on both seasons of “Buying Beverly Hills.”
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When we left her on Buying Beverly Hills, she was navigating the difficult world of Los Angeles real estate as a new agent, and her parents were starting to get over their separation in public.
Since then, Alexia has hit career highs, helping a buyer client purchase a $14 million property. Married to Jake Zingerman. He then pursued a business as a social media influencer and entered into paid partnerships, including one with Starbucks.
As RHOBH concluded Season 15 with footage from Alexia’s wedding, Inman caught up with her to hear how her career and life have turned out since “Buying Beverly Hills” ended. Below is the conversation, edited for length and clarity.
It’s been two years since I bought Beverly Hills. what is happening?
[I’m] I’m still doing real estate. I still love real estate. I miss the show. I really think so. But even though the market hasn’t been as amazing as it was when I first got into this business, I still very, very much love this market. I’m very happy.
What’s going on at the agency?
We redecorated our office. It was really good. You know, when we recently opened our current office in Beverly Hills, I think our aesthetic was very cool for the time, but we’ve been here a long time, so we went for a more natural, very relaxed look.
There’s more communal seating…we aimed for a Soho House feel so everyone can sit [together] …I started something called “Simply Social” with some people in my office. There, we get together and simply socialize to keep the energy of the office going, to feel connected to everyone, and to keep collaboration going, but it kind of takes away that part of the job a little bit.
We want to maintain family ties with you. And I feel like that’s something our company always does really well. Because my father is that kind of person. He has always been a family man and considers The Agency family. Therefore, having a personal connection is very important. So refreshing our spaces and focusing on our connections with each other has been a huge strength for us over the past two years.
Speaking of family, are your sisters still in the agency?
Farrah [Brittany] teeth. Farah absolutely kills it. She has always been one of my biggest inspirations. sophia [Umansky] Not so anymore. She was doing our marketing for a little while, but now she’s going full throttle with her social media.
Has your father named a successor yet? I know that was a big thing last season.
I feel like my father also went through a period where he felt like he wasn’t going anywhere, but lately it seems like that excitement is coming back. It was always there. But now I feel like he’s an absolute animal.
He travels around the world, opens offices, partners with Tony Robbins, and does all these amazing things. So taking a step back and slowing down feels like the last thing for him. So if anything, he’s focused on taking everything to the next level, both for the company and for himself. He’s in the middle of it right now.
What about the rest of the cast? Are they still there?
melissa [Platt] I’m back in Dallas. We love Melissa. In fact, she was one of the bridesmaids at my wedding. She is one of my closest friends and I love her very much.
And Santiago [Arana]. He’s still killing. He is running the Brentwood office as usual.
John Grauman actually moved from LA and lives in a place like Ojai. [Ed. note: Grauman lives in Napa Valley]or a place with lots of wine. He and his wife love wine, so it was a great fit and they decided to open their own brokerage.
Zack [Goldsmith] Farrah and I are still at the agency. Brandon Graves is still with us. sonica [Vaid]She left the show after season 1.
Ben Belak had just left for Serhant. What is the general view about SERHANT? Are you going to California?
I always thought it was Ryan [Serhant] He is a great agent and I love his marketing. And I think he’s a very charismatic guy, and I’m really excited for Ben. [Belack]actually.
He has always been a leader, and I feel like he has been given a leadership position at SERHANT. And I feel like it’s a great partnership. I’m looking forward to both.
You have the advantage of working with your father. Are there any lessons he taught you that have stayed with you?
This is what he kept saying to me all his life, and he quotes, “Is that Napoleon Bonaparte?” At least that’s what he says. But in reality, it’s “I’m in a hurry, so please take your time getting dressed.” He’s told me that all my life, and a lot of it applies to work as well. [means] If you don’t slow down, things will fall apart. Take a deep breath and get through the day one step at a time.
So, you just got married. Please tell me about your wedding.
i loved every second [wedding planning]and my mom and dad were both very involved in the planning process. It was great to be able to bounce ideas and talk about everything. I ended up creating a Midnight Garden theme, which I was really excited about.
Basically, I wanted it to have a fairytale feel in the mountains of Topanga Canyon, and that’s exactly what it felt like. Everyone always says that your wedding day is the best day of your life, and I’m like, “I really hope so, because there’s a lot of pressure going into this day.” And I’m so happy to say that it was.
And now you’re married and have a career. What happens next?
Well, our honeymoon is scheduled for this summer. Then I feel like I’m in this place where I can enjoy summer, and when that happens, we’ll probably talk about babies right away. I am currently enjoying my married life and definitely want to have children. It’s a question of when.
In the reunion trailer for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Andy Cohen asks his mother, “If you file for divorce, are you asking for half of The Agency?” To which she replied, “Well, that’s mine.” What happens in that case?
That’s a good question. I think only time will tell. But the reality is that my father and mother still care deeply about each other… I don’t necessarily know the inner workings of how it all works, but I do know that my father wants to share his success with his daughters and wife.
And they still have a great relationship. Our families are still very close. We’re still together all the time, so I don’t think it’s a problem…but if it’s hers, it’s hers, and I think my dad would support that.
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