Lifestyles of the not-so-rich & not-yet famous

What’s the next step in real estate-themed reality TV?

ABC Family has turned the focus of popular shows like Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing New York” on its head. Gone are luxurious properties geared toward high-end living. In their place, the new “Next Step Realty NYC,” explores the other end of the market: rentals for new college graduates.

The program, which airs Tuesday nights on the cable network that is also home to hits like “Pretty Little Liars,” shares its name with a Manhattan-based rental brokerage led by CEO Blair Brandt that targets the freshly minted renter.

Brandt, 27, said his firm’s average transaction is a $4,000 two-bedroom apartment. But its deals are often even smaller, like a recent lease for two friends splitting the $2,750 rent for a 707-square-foot one-bedroom in Midtown East.

This being a reality show, much of the focus is on the dramas within the brokerage itself, and there’s no shortage of them. Brandt, for instance, is dating one of the firm’s brokers, which leads to frenzied gossip ahead of a promotion battle. 

“Half of it is internal stuff in the company: politics, romance, relationships, drama, promotions, demotions,” he said. “The other half is real estate porn.”

Despite the focus on new college grads, a certain amount of luxury still seeps in to any show featuring NYC real estate. One segment included a fresh-out-of college woman leasing an 850-square-foot two-bedroom in Midtown for $6,700 per month — with her father cutting the checks.

Brandt said he didn’t imagine doing a reality show when he co-founded the firm in 2010. Production companies approached him and pitched the idea.

“I went from zero to 60,” Brandt said. “When you’re running a business where the service you are providing is working 90 percent of the time, the missing ingredient becomes exposure.”

So far, 10 episodes have filmed. There is talk of a second season, but nothing’s set. Either way, the firm, like its brokers and their clients, is young and hungry for success, with eyes on expanding to London and San Francisco.

“There’s nothing that can replace being the mainstream brand or reaching a mainstream audience,” Brandt said. “There’s a lot of momentum with the show and we look forward to seeing where it takes us.”