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Buying Beverly Hills Season 2 drops on Netflix on Friday, March 22. The Umanskys and the rest of The Agency are back at it, building client relationships, closing deals and navigating a challenging market — as well as a bit of interpersonal drama.
The new season brings new cast members into the fold, most notably, another one of Umansky’s daughters, Sophia. Estates Division Director Zach Goldsmith and Managing Partner Michelle Schwartz also join the cast for Season 2.
Filming took place during late spring of 2023, which means the firm’s agents were newly adapting to the ULA Tax, which levied a hefty tax on the transfer of properties priced at $5 million or more — and, unfortunately, served to dissuade many a potential client.
Set against this backdrop, The Agency’s new and seasoned agents alike strive to keep the transactions coming, despite the market’s stubbornness.
Here’s a taste of some key themes viewers can expect to see as the season unfolds.
Sophia Umansky joins the brokerage
Last season, viewers of Buying Beverly Hills saw Alexia Umansky get her feet wet at the firm, navigating the industry as a new agent and dealing with all the trials and tribulations that come along with that.
During Season 2, it’s Sophia Umansky’s turn at bat. Fortunately, the 24-year-old has her older sisters, Alexia and Farrah Brittany, as well as her dad, Mauricio, to guide her as she learns the ropes. She’s also no stranger to reality TV, having appeared alongside her family on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
“Working with my sisters and my dad on the show and in the office has been so fun and has brought us so much closer,” Sophia told Inman in a recent interview. “And this whole experience has taught me so much about real estate and about life, and I’m just so lucky to have them to teach me and mentor me.”
The newbie added that she has a tendency to bristle at authority, so working under her family has been a challenge at times, but she’s also grateful for their advice.
“Taking orders from my dad is a little hard for me,” the younger Umansky said. “I like to be my own boss, so being bossed around by anyone, especially my dad, is tough for me — but it’s also a blessing, so I’m thankful for it.”
Agents battle a tougher market and new regulations
During the late spring of 2023, as filming for Season 2 took place, The Agency’s agents were adjusting to a slower market and a new “mansion tax” that threatened the tempo of luxury transactions.
Some of the firm’s newer agents in particular suffered, with a smaller client pool to begin with. Viewers will see some, like Sonica Vaid — who we learn hasn’t closed a deal in a year — have their status at the brokerage threatened amidst this tougher market environment.
The slow-moving market also spurs The Umansky Team to bring an $18 million property to auction in partnership with Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions in the hopes of creating a bit of urgency to drive up demand and, therefore, the sale price.
Agent drama within and outside of The Agency
It goes without saying that reality TV means interpersonal drama — and Season 2 brings plenty of that as well.
Tension bubbles between Alexia and Joey Ben-Zvi when she confronts him about not respecting her as a colleague, despite his wanting her name as a co-listing agent on his properties.
Meanwhile, still-green agent Brandon Graves wonders what went wrong when he discovers that Ben Belack unfollowed him on social.
And the never-ending rivalry with Hilton & Hyland resurfaces when Mauricio learns that Rick Hilton has proposed that one of the firm’s top agents, Zach Goldsmith, join a new real estate firm that Hilton has in the works with his son, Barron Hilton.
On top of all that, Michelle Schwartz makes the bold suggestion that whenever the time comes for Mauricio to create a succession strategy, she should become the firm’s next CEO — and goes so far as to say that naming Farrah and/or Alexia as the next CEO would be “business suicide.”
Facing Mauricio Umansky and Kyle Richard’s separation
Another major source of tension this season is not at the brokerage but within the Umansky family itself. For months, rumors and reports have swirled about the status of Mauricio and Kyle’s marriage.
The couple has confirmed that they are separated while living in the same household and have agreed to date other people, all while remaining legally married.
In a teary conversation with his daughters, Umansky addressed the topic with them head-on in episode 1 of the new season, and elsewhere throughout.
Richards appears in the series and seems to be as supportive as ever, offering counsel to Mauricio when he’s feeling uncertain.
Umansky told Inman in a recent interview that even though he’s extremely proud of the way The Agency has grown in the past year and of his own accomplishments in publishing a memoir and competing in Dancing With the Stars, the thing he’s been most excited about from the last year is his own personal growth.
“I think what I’m most proud of is the way I personally have grown and learned how to be more vulnerable with my family and my kids, more open, more truthful, and I think it’s been an amazing year for personal growth,” the CEO said, noting that he exercises and meditates often, and started going to therapy. “It’s been difficult and because of a lot of those difficult things, I’ve had some great personal growth, so I would say that’s what I’m most proud of this year.”
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