Summary
While similar to other real estate reality shows, this series is easy and addictive to binge on and made me want to buy a house in Beverly Hills.
Another month, another Netflix reality show – we review Buying Beverly Hills season 1, which does not contain spoilers.
What do we think of when someone says Beverly Hills? Sun, sea, money, and amazing houses? Same here. Audiences love to fantasize about things we wish we could afford, and giant houses in exemplary locations have become one of those fantasies. With reality shows such as Selling Sunset and Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles putting the best and most expensive houses in America on the market, it’s no surprise this series has been made to showcase everything Beverly Hills has to offer. Will fans of the other shows enjoy this one? We’ll see. I like the drama and competition around the housing market in LA with these series at the moment.
In this season, we follow the agents and clients within Mauricio Umansky’s billion-dollar brokerage, ‘The Agency,’ where a talented group of realtors raises the stakes in LA’s luxury real estate market. Not only do we get an insight into how Mauricio Umansky’s billion-dollar business is made and kept running, but we also get to see one of LA’s most sought-after areas. We also meet Umansky’s daughters, Farrah Brittany and Alexia Umansky, as well as agents Santiago Arana, Ben Belack, Joey Ben-Zvi, Jon Grauman, Brandon Graves, Allie Lutz Rosenberger, Melissa Platt, and Sonika Vaid.
Umansky is known for starring in the reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alongside his wife Kyle Richards. As founder and CEO of The Agency, Umansky’s brokerage has achieved over $4 billion in real estate sales, including the famous Playboy Mansion. This feels like you’re watching the real deal as if you’re privy to the top 1% of the wealth in the world.
This series has eight episodes to indulge in, lasting roughly 50 minutes each, and is quite iconic. It’s flashy and fabulous and some of these properties are out of this world. My jaw dropped while watching how stunning some of these locations and homes are. The interiors, as well as exteriors, are something to be admired; homes you’re used to seeing in films and can’t imagine someone living in them for real. They show the importance of spaces, especially for content creators and influencers as this is where they spend the majority of their time. One house alone in this series was selling for $65 million, earning one lucky seller $1.3mil in commission. We’re shown bathtubs worth $30,000, and views that are priceless. Might have to sneak my way into this family business…
Don’t worry, drama fans, there is also a lot of gossip, tears, and tantrums in this office. The show is filled with sex, love, ego, and competition. We learn a lot about the family, how the business was first made, and where it is going in the future. Umansky also has the task of choosing which one of his two invested daughters will be the one to take over from him when he retires. Therefore there is this competition element. Even though it’s in the family, he has high standards, so let’s see which daughter can cut it. (I know who I think, but I won’t spoil or put any bias on this — just let us know who you think in the comments)
Overall while this series follows a similar format to other reality-TV shows, this one has a good balance between being about family, drama, money, and business. It teaches about the importance of connections and relationships and how these are what can make you successful in life. I’m sure this promotion will be good for business, and confident we will get a second season soon.
What did you think of the Netflix reality show Buying Beverly Hills season 1? Comment below.
