Dirt Digs In: Mauricio Umansky
By Mark David
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Mauricio Umansky is founder and CEO of The Agency , a multi-tiered brokerage that employs more than 650 agents across 37 offices worldwide. A finalist for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in 2017, Umansky has been cited as one of the top ten agents in the country for the past seven years by the Wall Street Journal, regularly appears on Variety‘s Showbiz Real Estate Elite list and has represented some of the world’s most noteworthy properties, including the Playboy Mansion, the Walt Disney Estate, and residences owned by Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Prince. He is a board member at Giveback Homes, an organization dedicated to building homes for families in need, and works on behalf of the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, and the National Breast Cancer Association.
Describe the most beautiful room you’ve ever been in? I have two. One was an open-style living area overlooking the ocean with palapa-like, high ceilings, and a lot of lush vegetation. My favorite urban-style room was a library with dark, moody walls covered in books and art; a room with lots of antiques, candles and elegant lighting.
What is your favorite architectural style? For beach living, I like a warm, modern home with organic timbers, local materials for a very soothing ambiance. For urban living, I like traditional colonial architecture.
What is your idea of the perfect view? My idea of a perfect view is one overlooking the ocean with amazing sunsets facing west.
Where would you most like to live? In a fantasy world, I would like to live four months in a city, four months by the beach, and four months in the mountains.
As a child, which room of the house did you spend the most time in? The family room.
What is the one thing you can’t live without? An active lifestyle, whether it be golfing, biking, or skiing.
What qualities do you appreciate most in your friends? Unconditional friendship, support, and love with no judgment.
Do you think social media gives people false expectations of life? Yes. People often only post the positives of life on social media. The grass always looks greener on the other side.
Which three people, living or dead, would you invite to your dinner party? Napoleon Bonaparte, Tiger Woods, and Albert Einstein.
Who is your favorite architect? Lord Norman Foster
What’s the proper course of action when everything around you is falling apart? Meditate, be positive, and refocus.
When did you first fall in love? The day I met my wife.
What is the most challenging thing about aging? Being an active guy, the joints unfortunately don’t keep up.
What was desperately important to you when you were young that no longer seems quite so pressing? Chasing money. Especially now, you realize it’s not that important.
Which movie can you watch over and over again? “The Green Mile.”
What is your definition of luxury? Having time.
What is your greatest extravagance? Traveling. Every summer, my family and I charter a yacht to vacation in the Mediterranean.
What’s the most widely held misconception about money? That it solves your problems.
What is your idea of fun? Creating memories with my family and traveling together, on the beach, boating, and hanging out.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? My wife.
When and where were you happiest? I try to be the happiest every day I wake up and never look backwards.
How would you like to die? In my sleep, healthy and old.
Which talent would you most like to have? I’d like to be able to play the piano or guitar, or sing.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? The life and memories I’ve created with my wife and children.
What’s your idea of an important achievement? To continue to create memories with my family.
What is your most treasured possession? Time.
What is your greatest regret? The way I look at life, you shouldn’t look back or think about trying to change the past. There is nothing you can do about mistakes, and you can only concentrate on today and tomorrow.
What’s the most significant historical event that’s occurred over the course of your life? It might be happening right now with COVID-19.
What’s important to you today? Time with the important people in my life.
How do you plan to celebrate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic? Spending time with those I love.
The Dirt Questionnaire , a regular feature that invites leading figures in real estate, property development, and architecture and design industries to share their thoughts on all things sacred and profane.
