Like a wink and a smile, nothing goes together better than a Bravo star dabbling in some real estate venture. Only this time, one former Real Housewives of New York star has turned into a bona fide realtor, crushing the competition and making bank.
Kelly Bensimon left the Real Housewives of New York in 2011 after three seasons. Leaving the moniker "Crazy Kelly" in the dust, she joined the notorious Douglas Elliman realtor group in Manhattan last year. According to a report from the New York Post, Bensimon has made more than $50 million in her Manhattan real estate deals since the beginning of 2021. The insider revealed:
That’s a lot of very expensive square footage for anyone, especially a newcomer to the business, and the quarter isn’t even over. She’s been killing it.
The former Real Housewives star was notorious for causing a little drama – just ask former co-star Bethenny Frankel. But the two might have more in common now than they ever did on reality television. In an interview with Architectural Digest, Kelly Bensimon shared:
I have always been in love with art and architecture and what’s behind the incredible façades. I’m passionate about real estate because it encompasses my love of aesthetics and the art of the deal.
Ah, the art of the deal. It has become a science that many current and former Bravo stars like to parlay in. Million Dollar Listing and its spinoffs have elevated the likes of Fredrik Eklund and Josh Altman to household names. Kelly Bensimon is in fact a colleague of their's at the Douglas Elliman office.
Real Housewives of New York is equally known to have some of its ladies attempt to get into real estate. Former castmate Bethenny Frankel and Frederick Eklund pursued a home makeover show on the Bravo network but were cancelled after rumors of squabbling between the two persisted. Even the consummate Real Housewives of New York star Ramona Singer announced in January that she was studying for the New York real estate test.
Kelly Bensimon credits the Real Housewives of New York for jumpstarting her career in real estate. Though she left the show many years ago, the franchise allowed her to perfect not only the art of the deal but the art of getting what she wants. She said:
Reality TV gave me a strong social media platform for me to cultivate a loyal following and show them the best of the best in real estate and lifestyle. It takes a village, and I wouldn’t be here without everyone who works with me.
She may give the Bravo show its credit, but it's clear to any fan that Kelly Bensimon helped put the Real Housewives of New York on the map in its first few seasons. Now, she's putting New York real estate on the map in her own way.
