Quasi-Celebrity News

TV-favorite real estate brokerage The Agency opens franchise in Dallas

Mauricio Umansky, founder of The Agency real estate brokerage.

Bravo

A real estate brokerage based in California that's appeared on TV shows has opened a franchise in Dallas: The Agency, which has been featured on shows such as Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and Netflix show Buying Beverly Hills, now has a location in Dallas' Preston Commons building at 8117 Preston Rd. #725.

The Agency was founded in 2011 by CEO Mauricio Umansky, whose initial claim to fame was as the husband of Real Housewife Kyle Richards and brother-in-law to the Hilton family.

It's a miracle that real estate agents have become such common reality-TV show fodder, but that could be because their jobs are not as consuming as "real" jobs and therefore they have more free time on their hands? Just a thought.

The company Umansky founded in 2011 has been on an opening spree, with 26 new offices, both corporate and (mostly) franchise, in the past year. Dallas is their second office in Texas, following Austin, which opened in 2022.

The Dallas office is led by husband-and-wife partners Damon and Megan Williamson.

Damon Williamson, who serves as Managing Director, is a native of Texas and Dallas resident with more than 20 years of experience in real estate, including founding the Damon Williamson Group in 2010.

Megan Williamson, who serves as Managing Partner, specializes in brand development and business strategy, pairing technological solutions with business development strategies.

The duo, who were previously with the Compass group, must have real estate chops since they own a 66-acre property outside of the Metroplex where they garden, good, and raise livestock, boo.

The release promises that, whether corporate or franchise, every office gets access to leadership, marketing, PR, training, tools, technology — and touts from Umansky, who describes the couple as "two of the most celebrated real estate authorities in their region."

Real Estate News

Dallas real estate developer pleads guilty to bribing 2 city officials

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Dallas developer Sherman Roberts

Dallas real estate developer Sherman Roberts pleaded guilty on November 12 to conspiracy to commit bribery, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

Roberts, 70, who previously helmed City Wide Community Development Corporation, was indicted in December 2020. According to court documents, Sherman bribed two city council members — Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway and City Council member Carolyn Davis — to support loans and low-income housing tax credits for his apartment projects.

In return for several thousand dollars in cash – plus the promise of future payments after her city council tenure ended – Davis lobbied for Roberts' real estate projects, including Serenity Place, Runyon Springs, and Patriot’s Crossing.

She promoted Serenity Place to the City Housing Committee, demanded other developers also seeking real estate funding withdraw their applications in order to increase Roberts' chances of success, recommended Serenity Place receive a 9 percent low income housing tax credit, and voted to approve a $1.9 million loan from the city of Dallas.

“Right now you and me are making money,” Roberts texted Davis shortly after the vote.

Later, she repeatedly reached out to ask for more money — "just a few dollars" — and he agreed.

Davis and Roberts then met with Caraway to address a problem with the Patriot's Crossing project. In return for several hundred dollars cash and a $2,000 monthly stipend, Caraway agreed to stop the city from issuing a request for proposal (RFP) for the Patriots Crossing project and to deliver the project for Roberts.

“How much is the project worth?” Mayor Pro Tem Caraway asked. “Once you’re successful with this project, don’t forget about me.”

“I won’t forget about you,” Mr. Roberts responded. “That’s where the money is… the money has never been an issue.”

Roberts now faces up to five years in federal prison. He is slated to be sentenced on March 12, 2025.

Caraway pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and tax evasion and was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison.

Davis pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy to commit bribery concerning an agent of a local government receiving federal benefits, but passed away in a car crash before she could be sentenced.

Roberts was one of three real estate developers charged in connection with the bribery scandal. Devin Hall, the developer behind the Grand Park Place apartment project, pleaded guilty in August 2020. Ruel Hamilton, the AmeriSouth Realty Group executive who backed the Royal Crest housing project, is awaiting retrial on conspiracy and bribery charges.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus Busch is prosecuting the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Max.