Heather Rae Young net worth is estimated at $3 million, built through luxury real estate commissions at The Oppenheim Group, seven seasons on Netflix’s Selling Sunset, brand sponsorships, Instagram earnings, and her HGTV show The Flipping El Moussas with husband Tarek El Moussa.
She started as a waitress at a pizza place in a small mountain town. Today, Heather Rae Young net worth sits at an estimated $3 million, and she closes deals on homes most people will never step inside. That kind of rise does not happen by accident. It takes sharp instincts, the right timing, and a willingness to reinvent yourself more than once.
Heather grew up in Running Springs, California, a quiet mountain community near the San Bernardino National Forest. She left at 18 to model. Then she pivoted to acting. Then real estate. Then reality TV. Then HGTV. At each turn, she found a bigger stage. Her story is not about one lucky break. It is about stacking multiple income streams and knowing when to walk away from what is not working.
This article breaks down exactly where Heather Rae Young’s money comes from, how she built her wealth step by step, how her net worth compares to her husband Tarek El Moussa and her former Selling Sunset co-stars, and what her financial future looks like heading into 2026.
From Mountain Town to Modeling Career
Heather was born on September 16, 1987, in Anaheim, California, and raised in Running Springs. Her early jobs tell you something about her work ethic: server at a pizza restaurant, ticket checker at a ski resort, video store clerk.
At 18, she left home and pursued modeling. She landed contracts with Carrie Amber Lingerie and DOS Eyewear, among other brands. Then in February 2010, she became Playboy’s Playmate of the Month. That visibility opened doors into acting.
Her film credits include Love in the Time of Monsters (2014), The Internship (2013), Christmas in Compton (2012), Malibu Horror Story (2023), and Clint (2024). None of these roles made her wealthy. But they kept her in the entertainment world long enough to spot the real opportunity: luxury real estate.
She passed her real estate licensing exam at 27. Within the first three months, she sold a $1.5 million condo and a $7.2 million house. Those numbers made her future employer pay attention.
Real Estate: The Core of Her Wealth
Joining The Oppenheim Group
Heather joined The Oppenheim Group in 2014, one of the most prestigious luxury brokerages in Los Angeles. Her client list included celebrities, athletes, and musicians. That is not a small deal. In Los Angeles, a single high-end transaction can generate a six-figure commission.
Real estate commission on a $7 million home, at a standard 2.5% buyer’s agent split, comes out to $175,000. Close four or five deals like that in a year, and you are earning serious money fast.
Her LinkedIn background describes her specialty as “luxury properties” in Los Angeles and Orange County. The Oppenheim Group gave her access to the kind of listings that most agents spend their entire careers trying to break into.
What Real Estate Earns Her
There are no public figures on Heather’s exact annual real estate income. But context helps. The Oppenheim Group operates in a market where the median luxury home listing regularly exceeds $5 million. Top agents at boutique firms like that can earn $500,000 to $1 million or more per year in strong markets.
Heather has been in the industry for over a decade. Real estate alone explains a significant portion of her $3 million net worth.
Selling Sunset: Fame, Platform, and Paycheck
Seven Seasons of Exposure
Selling Sunset premiered on Netflix in March 2019. Heather was part of the original cast. She appeared across seven seasons, making her one of the show’s longest-serving cast members before her exit after Season 7 in 2023.
The show does two things for a real estate agent’s career. First, it pays a salary. Netflix reality salaries for established cast members are not publicly disclosed, but industry estimates for shows of this profile often range from $10,000 to $25,000 per episode. Over seven seasons spanning dozens of episodes, that is meaningful income.
Second, and arguably more valuable, the show builds a personal brand. Heather’s Instagram following grew to over 3 million followers during her time on the show.
Her Exit from the Show
Heather left Selling Sunset after Season 7, though not entirely by choice. She later confirmed on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast that she was not asked back after going on maternity leave to have her son Tristan. Her take: “It was a blessing that I wasn’t asked to come back because I’m so much happier filming my show with Tarek.”
She did guest star in Selling Sunset Season 9, which premiered in October 2025.
Brand Deals and Instagram Earnings
A following of 3 million on Instagram is a business. According to Influencer Marketing Hub estimates, Heather earns approximately $4,600 per sponsored post. She has worked with brands including Vault Lighting and Tru Supplements, among others in the beauty and wellness space.
She has also teased the launch of Heather Rae Essentials, her own toxic-free beauty brand. That kind of direct-to-consumer venture, if successful, can generate significantly more income than flat brand deals.
Her HGTV bio notes she regularly shares her wellness routine, workout content, and supplement stacks with her audience, making her a natural fit for health and lifestyle brand partnerships.
HGTV and The Flipping El Moussas
A New Chapter on HGTV
After leaving Selling Sunset, Heather moved her television presence to HGTV. She co-hosted and co-produced The Flipping El Moussas with husband Tarek El Moussa. The show offered something Selling Sunset never could: creative control.
“We’re co-producers on our show so we pick the hours,” she said publicly. That kind of production involvement also means a share of backend earnings, not just an appearance fee.
The show ran for two seasons, concluding its run in 2025. In March 2023, Heather and Tarek also launched Home By THEM, a luxury home goods brand. She described it as “genuinely our dream-come-true company.”
The Flip Off
Heather also appeared in The Flip Off, an HGTV competition show pitting her and Tarek against his ex-wife Christina Haack in a renovation showdown. The show was expected to premiere in early 2025, adding another income stream and profile boost.
Net Worth Comparison: How She Stacks Up
Here is how Heather Rae Young net worth compares to key people in her orbit.
| Person | Estimated Net Worth | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|
| Heather Rae Young | $3 million | Real estate, TV, brand deals |
| Tarek El Moussa | $15 million | HGTV shows, house flipping |
| Chrishell Stause | $5 million | Real estate, Selling Sunset |
| Jason Oppenheim | $50 million | Brokerage ownership |
| Brett Oppenheim | $50 million | Brokerage ownership |
Tarek’s net worth is significantly larger, built over years of HGTV shows and direct house-flipping profits. But Heather has closed the gap faster than most in her position, going from waitress to $3 million in under 15 years.
What Her Financial Future Looks Like
Heather is 37 years old as of 2025. She is at a stage where her income streams are diversifying, not shrinking.
Her beauty brand launch could be the biggest wealth multiplier she has not yet tapped. Beauty direct-to-consumer brands with a built-in audience of 3 million often reach seven-figure revenues within the first year if executed properly.
Real estate in Los Angeles and Orange County remains resilient for luxury properties, despite broader market fluctuations. Her decade of experience and her name recognition in high-net-worth circles puts her ahead of most agents her age.
Her combined household with Tarek, who carries a $15 million net worth, also creates financial stability and shared investment capacity that individual net worth figures do not fully capture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Heather Rae Young net worth in 2025?
Her estimated net worth is $3 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This includes income from real estate commissions, Netflix salary, Instagram brand deals, and HGTV.
How does Heather Rae Young make her money?
She earns through luxury real estate at The Oppenheim Group, television appearances on Selling Sunset and HGTV, sponsored Instagram posts, and her Home By THEM brand with Tarek.
Is Heather Rae Young still on Selling Sunset?
She left as a series regular after Season 7 in 2023 and guest-starred in Season 9. Her primary TV focus has shifted to HGTV.
What is Tarek El Moussa’s net worth compared to Heather’s?
Tarek is estimated at $15 million, significantly more than Heather’s $3 million, largely due to his longer HGTV career and house-flipping profits.
Did Heather Rae Young choose to leave Selling Sunset?
Not entirely. She went on maternity leave after Season 7 and confirmed she was not invited back. She has called it a “blessing” and says she is happier filming with Tarek.
The Bigger Picture Behind the Numbers
Heather Rae Young net worth of $3 million reflects something specific: a career built on constant reinvention. Modeling, acting, real estate, reality TV, HGTV, brand building. Each phase added income and visibility. None of them were passive moves.
She is not the wealthiest person to come out of Selling Sunset. But she built her wealth on her own terms, moved away from a situation she called toxic, and came out the other side with a stronger platform, a new TV deal, a product brand in development, and a household built with one of HGTV’s most recognized names.
The real question is not where her net worth stands today. It is where it stands five years from now. With her beauty brand, continued HGTV presence, and real estate portfolio, a significant upward move looks more like a matter of timing than speculation.
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