Do You Need a Celebrity Broker to Stay Competitive in the Luxury Real Estate Market?

The latest in real estate trends: Celebrity brokers are upping the ante on sales in the luxury market. With the popularity of reality TV in regards to the real estate and home improvement market, however, this probably will not come as a surprise to many agents, sellers, or buyers.

Who's cashing in on the celebrity broker trend?

It's no secret. CNBC's "Secret Lives of the Super Rich" asked some of the top celebrity brokers how their starlit status is helping them cash in. Here's what they had to share:

1. Ryan Serhart – "Million Dollar Listing New York"

Actor-turned-agent Ryan Serhart leads one of the top-selling teams in New York. He credits his success in building his brand to the show. He had only been in business a year and a half before his audition, and remembers praying for his phone to ring. Now the phone is ringing, and his status is opening new doors he would otherwise never have been able to.

2. David Parnes – "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles"

David Parnes has also identified his show's capacity as a huge marketing platform, reaching sellers worldwide. "Our business is all about exposure and it really doesn't get better than this," he said. He and his partner James Harris are cashing in on video real estate trends as well, casting themselves and other reality stars in real estate listing marketing videos.

3. Luis Ortiz – "Million Dollar Listing"

Luis Ortiz points to his show's wide reaching exposure as the reason sellers seek him out to add value to their listings. He was once given a $19.5 million dollar listing from a fan.

To view the original article, visit the Properties Online blog.