Rule Number One: CEO & founder Mauricio Umansky
The Agency CEO and founder Mauricio Umansky
New York City, Beverly Hills, Amsterdam, Maui, Panama City — this is just a short excerpt of the list of 100 locations that The Agency, one of Inman’s Top Luxury Brokerages, calls home.
This year, Oklahoma gets added to that list.
In February, Oklahoma joined the ranks of global Agency partners with a new office opening in downtown Edmond at 111 N. Broadway. This office of The Agency will serve the metro area, including Oklahoma City, Edmond and Nichols Hills, along with other desirable locations and neighborhoods.
“I couldn’t imagine a more perfect time to open our Oklahoma City office,” says The Agency CEO and founder Mauricio Umansky in this interview for Luxiere. “Particularly in such a unique real estate market where buyers are seeking new destinations to live, work and play.”
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
2023 was a record year of expansion for The Agency, with 29 new offices opening around the world, according to the global boutique real estate brokerage’s annual report. The closest regional partners to the new Oklahoma location are Dallas (opened 2023), Austin (2022) and Denver (2021), so the arrival of a global partnership in Oklahoma is
a welcome sight for those seeking luxurious housing options in the heartland.
The Agency landing in Oklahoma would have been unlikely without OKC’s urban renewal efforts, attributable in part to over 30 years of MAPS projects. According to an economic impact study developed by the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and RegionTrack, MAPS is “viewed as the clear catalyst behind the revitalization underway in Oklahoma City.” This report also asserts that the city’s increased public investment in transportation infrastructure and public amenities triggered “significant private development in housing, lodging, retail, office space and recreational offerings.”
Savvy developers, brokers and real estate agents have been reading the signs of OKC’s continued rebirth for years, and have been jumping at the opportunity to be a part of something transformational — and the Agency will now play a role in that transformation, which excites Umansky.
“We’re thrilled about the opportunity for our brand to contribute to the city’s continued growth while elevating the real estate experience for buyers, sellers and agents in the area,” says Umansky.
While Oklahoma’s market has been somewhat insulated from some of the turmoil of the global markets (Redfin reports a 6.2% increase in sale price in Oklahoma City year-over-year), the OKC metro area isn’t fully immune from what’s happening in other markets.
“The city’s growing popularity inevitably leads to an increased demand for housing,” Umansky says. “However, we’ve seen steady price appreciation over the last couple of years in large part due to the region’s affordability, economic stability and rise in new development, helping to mitigate the impact of market challenges such as low inventory.”
Indeed, the affordability of the region does make it attractive for developers and transplants looking to relocate. The median sale price for a home in Oklahoma City in 2023 was $256,990, whereas the sale price for a home in L.A. was $959,000 — which certainly explains why Oklahoma City was the number one spot for relocating Californians.
Umansky points out that it’s Oklahoma’s “incredible growth and resilient economy [that] presents unparalleled opportunities for real estate, especially in the luxury sector.”
THE AGENCY’S GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS
Umansky and co-founder and vice chairman Billy Rose founded The Agency in 2011 — both seeking to disrupt the way that real estate was bought and sold. That came with opening the first office in Beverly Hills, developing and acquiring new technologies and setting up real estate agents with the marketing tools they needed to be successful.
After a strong five years, The Agency’s leadership team made moves to expand. 2016 was the year that The Agency went global, creating its first global partnership office in Los Cabos, Mexico, according to Gina Hall’s reporting for the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Technically, global partners are franchisees of The Agency, but the parent company has a different approach to this form of business expansion. As global partners, these locations have the resources and backing of a real estate brand that has penetrated the cultural consciousness, even outside real estate and development circles. Umansky and The Agency team star in Netflix’s “Buying Beverly Hills,” and his family is part of the recurring cast in the “Real Housewives” franchise. Umansky himself competed on “Dancing With the Stars” just last year.
Wyatt Poindexter
It’s now Oklahoma’s turn to harness this luxury brand’s starpower, as well as The Agency’s cutting-edge approach and proprietary tools and technology. At the helm of the new Oklahoma office is seasoned real estate veteran Wyatt Poindexter, formerly at Keller Williams, who Umansky describes as “the perfect partner.”
“Wyatt is a seasoned professional and true authority in this market,” Umansky says. “We’re confident he will be an incredible steward for The Agency brand, and I can’t wait to witness all of his success.”
Umansky and his leadership team make it clear that they only work with good people. As explored at length in “Buying Beverly Hills” and on the firm’s website, the Agency’s number one corporate value is two words: “No assholes.”
Besides a well-appointed changemaker leading The Agency in Oklahoma, Oklahoma’s special spark — a combination of the people and the culture — should be a driver of The Agency’s success.
“Oklahoma City offers a unique blend of cultural richness, economic growth and a thriving real estate market,” says Umansky. “Oklahoma City has become a hub for business, arts and entertainment, making it a perfect fit for The Agency.” •