Billy Nash made a name for himself selling jaw-dropping South Florida homes to the ultrarich. Now he’s serving luxe international showings in his new television series Passport Properties.
“The stories beyond the walls of these properties made me very interested in creating this show,” says Nash, a Jupiter resident. “It’s my love letter to the world’s most extraordinary homes and destinations.”
Born in Long Branch, New Jersey, Nash was raised by a hardworking single mom who once nurtured her young son’s wanderlust by buying him a one-dollar globe at a garage sale.
“I still have a picture of me standing in front of that globe,” says Nash, who believes that photo was a sign of things to come.
Another cosmic nudge: during college, Nash became fascinated with Wall Street while waiting tables part-time at a deli frequented by stockbrokers. After graduation, Nash worked in wealth management, managing assets for clients like former NASCAR great Rusty Wallace. He loved his work and the people he served for 22 years. But when Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey Shore in 2013, Nash felt it was time to move on. He retired and moved to Jupiter, where he and his wife, Tracy, have lived since 2014.
“It’s a beautiful, beautiful town,” he says. “It’s laid-back, and it’s got blue water, beautiful homes, great community, and great restaurants.”
Restless as a retiree, Nash began selling real estate in the area, closing deals on increasingly opulent homes. He was soon recognized as a top agent to the one percent, and then by producers for Selling Mega Mansions who liked his social media content. After hosting season three of the show, Nash was determined to create his own program.
“There was nothing out there about culture, people, history, architecture, and true storytelling,” he says. “So, I thought this was a lane we could jump into.”
Nash named the show Passport Properties and assembled a 30-person team to create exactly what he envisioned before licensing it to anyone. It was a risky move that paid off. The show premiered on Poland’s Canal+ Domo on June 6, and Nash says more broadcasters are to come. The first season takes viewers to nine locales, among them Provence, London, Edinburgh, and Lisbon.
“What made it so special was the people we met in each destination, like third generation families that own a shop in Sardinia,” he says. “Being able to put them on camera to talk about their lives is what’s at the core of this show.”
A second season is in the works, he says, this time in Asia.
“I love to travel,” he says. “This show is how I take everyone along with me.”
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