RHONY Kelly Killoren Bensimon's $1m indecent proposal

Former Real Housewife of New York-turned-real estate maven Kelly Killoren Bensimon this week revealed the reason she has been forced to take a step back from showing apartments - an indecent proposal worth $1m from one very pushy potential buyer.

‘I’m trying to show them a $50million apartment and they’re trying to date me,’ said Kelly of her prospective male clients - most of whom are on a considerably smaller budget.

The 54-year-old, who is also a former Playboy model, told Dailymail.com: ‘Some of them do [have the money]. I showed one guy an apartment and he said to me if I was his girlfriend, he was going to give me $80,000 a month.’

She wasn’t tempted by the offer, quipping back: ‘The apartment’s for sale but I’m not.

‘Now,’ she said, ‘I don’t do preliminary showings.’

Kelly moved on to a successful career in real estate after starring on Real Housewives of New York 

Bensimon (third left) with her Real Housewives of New York co-stars (L-R) Jill Zarin, Ramona Singer, LuAnn de Lesseps, Alex McCord, and Bethenny Frankel

Fortunately, she doesn’t have to. Her new career has proved so successful, she can afford to bankroll an army of employees to attend opening viewings on her behalf.

‘Now I have a team of 12 who are working in NY, Florida and the Hamptons,’ she said.

The A-lister made the astonishing revelation in New York, at a glitzy party at Chinese restaurant Hutong, to launch its Bubbles & Bao Brunch on Saturdays. She attended with her two daughters Sea, 25, and Thadeus (pronounced Teddy), 23.

Kelly made history by closing on a $42million property in Downtown Manhattan during the pandemic - despite only taking up the job three years ago.

And, in a thinly veiled dig at her RHONY co-stars, she declared: ‘I’m the most prolific and one of the most educated.’

But, despite graduating from Ivy League college Columbia in 1998, then following that up with an MBA from Northeastern University in 2015, she does not attribute her success to her education.

‘For me, one of the reasons I resonate in real estate is because I understand the balance of transaction and luxury. I’ve written books for Anna Wintour, so I understand what people want, and when they tell me what they need we come to a nice balance.’

Kelly wrote the book American Style for Anna Wintour in 2004.

Kelly (far right) attended the event at Hutong with her daughters Sea, Thaddeus “Teddy”, and PR supremo Anna Rothschild

Kelly made history by closing on a $42m property in Downtown Manhattan during the pandemic

The former Playboy model turned real estate maven has stopped showing apartments after too many clients tried to date her

Kelly now has a team of 12 who are working in NY, Florida and the Hamptons

‘I sold my own home in the Hamptons and now I’m very specific about my clients - whether they are buying or selling, I get them good prices.’

She did, however, concede that she misses being around the glamorous women in the TV show, compared to her New York real estate contemporaries who live in ‘the land of the bad shoes’.

She said: ‘I think some of the housewives, for the most part, dress really, really great. They wear a lot of color but whether you like their style or not at least they are trying versus people that don’t.’

Last month Bravo rescinded offers to Housewives alums including Jill Sarin, Dorinda Medley and Kelly for what would have been Real Housewives of New York Legacy edition, although the network is planning on airing a completely revamped RHONY series which will feature a more ethnically diverse cast including J Crew boss Jenna Lyons, Sai De Silva and Ubah Hassan.

A nostalgic Kelly said she was disappointed she wouldn’t be working around the other housewives anymore. ‘I miss the camaraderie. I miss women who take care of themselves. I like being around women that are hot.’