A real estate industry wizard, Santiago Arana’s net worth is a result of his listings worth billions of dollars. A noted name in Mauricio Umansky’s The Agency and a popular cast member of Netflix’s Buying Beverly Hills, Arana’s journey to becoming a top-order real estate agent in the country is like a rags-to-riches story that is difficult to believe.
Buying Beverly Hills, one of Netflix’s hottest luxury property reality shows, aired its season 2 in March 2024. At its core is Umansky’s The Agency and the ever-widening resume of his real estate empire. Although the company is a family-run business, its global reach and ultra-lavish properties have generated millions for The Agency’s stakeholders.
This is where experienced agents like Arana step in. His business acumen, knowledge and strategic techniques make him sell houses to A-listers like Lady Gaga, LeBron James, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Larry David, Rick Caruso, Tom Barrack and Anthony Hopkins.
All about Santiago Arana’s net worth, real estate career, reality TV show stint and more
Santiago Arana started as a waiter
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Going by his net worth and reputation for selling homes, it is hard to believe that Arana started by waiting tables. Born in Bolivia, he did not understand English. However, a scholarship for higher studies helped him move to the US. In 2003, he arrived in the country with just USD 120.
Speaking to Fox Business in 2019, he said, “I had an aunt that had offered for me to crash on her couch for a month, so I took the offer. I packed my suitcase and I grabbed my savings.”
Since the course was taught in English or Hebrew, Arana was forced to take up the job of a busboy while learning English. Three to four months later, he became a waiter at Cava in Santa Barbara and that’s when he met a lot of influential people, as well as the woman he would eventually marry. A 2022 Business Insider report quoted him saying, “I was waiting on Brad Pitt, Oprah, Kevin Costner.”
The publication also mentions that while at his job, Arana would be networking. He would be on a constant lookout for meeting well-connected customers and an opportunity to shift to a more expensive restaurant to enhance his life and earnings.
Real estate career and The Agency designation
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Arana’s cousin suggested he dip his toes in the realty market. Unsure of it as a career option at the time, he told Fox Business, “When my cousin said, ‘You should do real estate,’ I was like: ‘What is real estate?’”
“You know, in Los Angeles and New York, in big cities like these, you can make a living as a real estate agent, but if you go to Bolivia, it’s not an aspiration when you’re in college,” he added.
Eventually, Arana got his real estate license in 2004, but he found himself floundering in the property business. He would knock on doors and call people to trust him to sell their house. Business Insider states that interestingly, it was only in 2007-2008 when the market crashed that Arana began to do well. The zeal in him drove Arana to post signs before 6 am and encash the “free marketing” policy. By 2009-2010, when nearly everyone had backed off, he was one of the very few agents who survived.
“As the market turned around in 2012, I remember April of 2012 clearly, it activated and it just exploded…People decided, ‘Okay time to buy, time to sell…Let’s call that guy Santiago,’” he told Fox Business. Soon, he became a household name in LA. The same year, he earned USD 1 million in commission. As they say, the rest is all history.
On the other hand, before making his mark as a realtor, Arana served as the director of the New Construction Division of Partners Trust Real Estate Brokerage & Acquisitions. This role allowed him to sharpen his knowledge about new development and investment properties throughout the Westside area. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has worked with Sotheby’s as an agent, too.
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An impeccable track record has earned him fame and quite a few millions. One of the most distinguished professionals working at The Agency, Arana is majorly responsible for its growth and expansion.
He joined The Agency in 2014 as Principal and Partner with high-end residential real estate. His forte: new construction across posh neighbourhoods in the region. Arana is also credited for its Westside expansion as managing partner of the Brentwood and Pacific Palisades offices. According to The Agency’s website, he has closed over USD 4.6 billion in real estate transactions, netting nearly USD 2.5 billion in sales volume from 2017 to 2021. Such staggering figures and more astounding listings lined up are proof that Santiago Arana’s net worth is not only colossal but is far from slowing down.
Awards and recognitions
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His achievements and successes as a real estate agent have also earned Arana a number of accolades.
The Agency website states he is ranked the No. 6 real estate agent in the country, No. 3 in California and No. 1 west of the 405 freeway. For 12 consecutive years, he has also been featured among the Top 250 Realtors in the United States on the annual REAL Trends Inc. ranking in The Wall Street Journal.
Counted among the leading names in the luxury realty segment of Los Angeles, Santiago Arana also held a place in The Los Angeles Business Journal’s Most Influential People in Real Estate for seven consecutive years.
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In 2023, he appeared as one of the top agents who are considered a tour de force in the L.A. real estate market by The Los Angeles Business Journal. The publication placed him among the outstanding professionals on its annual list of “Who’s Brokering L.A.”, and “Leaders of Influence” in the industry as well.
The Hollywood Reporter has been including Santiago Arana among Hollywood’s Top 30 Real Estate Agents for the past 12 years, while Variety has named him among the Showbiz Real Estate Elite for 13 consecutive years.
How much does Santiago Arana earn from Buying Beverly Hills?
Such outstanding accolades and an incredible clientele make Santiago Arana one of Mauricio Umansky’s right-hand men. In fact, he is a part of the power trio of the real estate industry, comprising Umansky and The Agency’s co-founder and chief culture officer Billy Rose.
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Arana joined the cast of Buying Beverly Hills in the first season in 2022 and is known for his calm and cool demeanour, friendly approach towards clients, thorough understanding of the craft and a deep passion for selling the best and the most expensive mansions.
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While it may not be clear how much he makes exclusively from the reality TV show, it can be deduced that it is quite a hefty amount that complements his real estate earnings and boosts Arana’s net worth.
What is Santiago Arana’s net worth?
In March 2024, The Cinemaholic stated that real estate transactions in LA come with a commission of five per cent of the final price, which is then divided between the buying and selling sides. Further, those associated with The Agency have to share 20 per cent of their side of the commission with the company.
Considering Arana’s listings have reached as high as USD 60.85 million, and generally oscillate in the eight-figure zone, it can be deduced that he earns a mighty commission from every property. This leads the publication to estimate Santiago Arana’s net worth to be around USD 30 million.
Santiago Arana’s education
Born in 1980, Santiago Arana hails from Sucre, Bolivia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing. His international background and flair for technique-driven property dealings propelled Arana to greater heights. A fantastic work ethic seasoned with impressive negotiating skills, years of experience, marketing abilities and a strong network make him a coveted real estate agent and an ideal Buying Beverly Hills season 2 cast member.
Personal life
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Not much is known about his family, as he prefers keeping his personal life away from the public eye.
His Instagram posts suggest he was once married to Kyle Arana and the couple have two boys. He met her during his days working as a waiter. However, they called it quits, and currently, he shares two children, daughters born in 2022 and 2023, with Ukrainian model and motivational speaker Alessandra Shulgina.
It is unclear if they are married, but both Arana and Shulgina, their little girls, and the older boys spend quality family time together.
Arana has a philanthropic arm as well. He has been involved with the Giveback Homes and Habitat for Humanity.
(Hero and feature image Courtesy: Santiago Arana/ @santiagoarana/ Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-Who is Santiago Arana?
Santiago Arana is a well-established real estate agent in Los Angeles. He works as the principal and partner at Mauricio Umansky’s real estate firm The Agency and is a cast member of Netflix’s Buying Beverly Hills.
-Who is Santiago in Buying Beverly Hills?
Santiago Arana is a recurring cast member of Netflix’s Buying Beverly Hills. He works at The Agency and is a well-known real estate agent in Los Angeles.
Trinetra is an ardent foodie and bibliophile who writes about films, travel, food and lifestyle. As a writer and literature student, slam poetry and storytelling are her go to jam. When not working, Trinetra is busy looking for her next place to visit or binge-watching Instagram videos for travel inspiration.
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