Itzhak Ezratti is an Israeli-born American real-estate developer best known as the cofounder and chairman of GL Homes, one of the largest privately owned homebuilders in Florida. Starting with a single duplex in 1976, Ezratti and his family helped transform a small building company into a multibillion-dollar business. Forbes now ranks Itzhak Ezratti and his family among the world’s billionaires, while his son Misha Ezratti leads GL Homes as president. Despite his enormous business success, Itzhak has maintained a relatively private personal life, making readers curious about his age, family, net worth, career, wife, children and the story behind GL Homes.
Itzhak Ezratti Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Itzhak Ezratti |
| Also Known As | Itchko Ezratti / Izhak Ezratti |
| Age | 73, according to Forbes in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Israel |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Residence | Indian Creek, Florida |
| Profession | Real-estate developer and homebuilder |
| Famous For | Cofounding GL Homes |
| Company Founded | 1976 |
| Current Role | Chairman of GL Homes |
| Cofounder | Joseph Hanin |
| Son | Misha Ezratti |
| Children | Three |
| Estimated Net Worth | About $1.9 billion, Forbes real-time estimate |
| Source of Wealth | Homebuilding |
| Public Lifestyle | Relatively private |
Forbes lists Itzhak Ezratti as a self-made billionaire whose wealth comes from homebuilding. Its August 2026 profile places his real-time family net worth at approximately $1.9 billion, identifies him as 73 years old and says he has three children.
Who Is Itzhak Ezratti?
Itzhak Ezratti is the businessman behind GL Homes.
He is sometimes called Itchko Ezratti, while some older company material spells his first name as Izhak.
Whatever spelling readers encounter, they are generally referring to the same Florida homebuilding entrepreneur.
Ezratti’s story is unusual because he did not arrive in America as the head of a major property company.
According to Forbes, he originally came from Israel.
He moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a bank teller.
Later, he relocated to Florida.
From those modest beginnings, he entered residential construction and eventually became one of the wealthiest homebuilders in the United States.
Where Was Itzhak Ezratti Born?
Itzhak Ezratti was born in Israel.
Forbes identifies him as originally from Israel and says he later immigrated to Washington, D.C.
GL Homes’ historical account provides additional detail.
The company says Ezratti moved from Israel to Washington in 1974 and found work as a bank teller.
He later decided that the colder weather was not for him and moved to Florida.
This decision ended up changing his life.
Florida was growing quickly.
More people were moving to the state.
New housing was needed.
For a young entrepreneur willing to learn the construction business, the state offered opportunity.
Itzhak Ezratti’s Early Career
Before GL Homes became a major company, Ezratti’s professional life was much more ordinary.
He worked as a bank teller after arriving in Washington.
Historical company reporting also says he had some background in the restaurant business.
There was no billion-dollar real-estate empire yet.
There were no huge master-planned communities.
There was no famous family business.
His story therefore began with regular jobs and a willingness to change direction.
After moving to Florida, Ezratti entered homebuilding.
That decision would eventually become the foundation of his fortune.
When Did Itzhak Ezratti Start GL Homes?
Itzhak Ezratti cofounded GL Homes in 1976.
His business partner was his father-in-law, engineer Joseph Hanin.
The company did not begin by constructing thousands of luxury homes.
Its first development was extremely small.
According to Forbes, Ezratti and Hanin’s first GL Homes project was one duplex in Hollywood, Florida.
That fact makes the company’s later growth even more impressive.
Every large business has a beginning.
For GL Homes, that beginning was not a giant housing development.
It was a single duplex.
What Does GL Homes Stand For?
The initials GL stand for “Good Luck.”
That might sound surprising for a company that eventually became one of Florida’s largest homebuilders.
However, the simple name remained even as the business grew dramatically.
The phrase can also be seen as symbolic of Ezratti’s career.
Luck may have played some role, as it does in most business stories.
But decades of expansion required much more than luck.
Land acquisition, construction, planning, customer service, financing and surviving changes in the housing market all required long-term business decisions.
How GL Homes Became Successful
GL Homes grew steadily over the decades.
One major turning point came after Hurricane Andrew devastated parts of South Florida in 1992.
Forbes reports that GL Homes gained significant momentum during the rebuilding period.
The company sold around 1,000 homes across 1992 and the following year.
This helped accelerate the company’s development.
Over time, GL Homes became known for large residential communities instead of small individual projects.
The business increasingly focused on Florida.
That specialization became part of its identity.
GL Homes Today
GL Homes has grown enormously since 1976.
The company’s official website says it is now among America’s largest private homebuilders and has earned the trust of more than 100,000 residents. It says the business continues to build exclusively in Florida.
Builder Magazine’s 2026 company profile reported 1,617 closings in 2025 and about $1.894 billion in 2025 revenue.
Those numbers show how far the business has come from its first duplex.
GL Homes now creates entire communities.
These developments can include:
large residential neighborhoods,
clubhouses,
swimming pools,
fitness facilities,
racquet sports,
restaurants,
walking areas,
social spaces,
and other amenities.
In other words, the company increasingly sells a lifestyle as well as a house.
Itzhak Ezratti and Florida Real Estate
One reason for GL Homes’ success is its strong focus on one state.
Many large American homebuilders operate across numerous regions.
GL Homes has concentrated heavily on Florida.
Its official website says this allows the company to design homes specifically for Florida’s climate and lifestyle.
The company has developed communities in areas including Palm Beach County, Broward County, Naples and other parts of the state.
Florida’s population growth created long-term demand for housing.
It also became one of America’s most popular destinations for retirees.
GL Homes positioned itself strongly in both family housing and active-adult communities.
GL Homes and 55+ Communities
A major part of the GL Homes business is housing designed for adults aged 55 and over.
Forbes specifically notes the company’s focus on communities for people in this age group.
These communities are not designed simply as groups of retirement homes.
They often include resort-style amenities and organized social opportunities.
Residents may have access to pools, fitness facilities, restaurants, clubs, sports courts and community events.
This approach helped GL Homes benefit from Florida’s popularity among older adults who want active lifestyles.
The company markets many of these developments under its Valencia brand.
Itzhak Ezratti’s Business Philosophy
Ezratti has maintained a reputation for being deeply interested in how homes are actually built.
Company leaders have described his philosophy as hands-on.
In a GL Homes account of the family’s leadership, Misha Ezratti explained that his father’s vision involved being in the field and understanding what employees throughout the company were doing.
That philosophy later influenced how Misha entered the family business.
He did not immediately receive a senior title simply because he was the founder’s son.
Instead, Misha worked through several areas of the company.
This approach reflects a family-business belief that leadership should come from understanding the work itself.
Who Is Misha Ezratti?
Misha Ezratti is Itzhak Ezratti’s son and the current president of GL Homes.
Forbes says Itzhak stepped down as president in 2016 and remained chairman while Misha took over day-to-day leadership.
Misha did not enter the business directly at the top.
According to company reporting, he joined GL Homes after college and gained experience in areas including construction, finance and land management.
That preparation helped him understand how the company operated before assuming leadership.
Today, the relationship between Itzhak and Misha represents a generational transition.
Itzhak founded and built the company.
Misha now leads it into its next stage.
Is Itzhak Ezratti Still Involved With GL Homes?
Yes.
Although he is no longer president, Itzhak remains chairman of GL Homes.
Forbes continues to identify him in that role.
This means he has stepped away from daily presidential responsibilities without disappearing completely from the family business.
Misha handles leadership as president while Itzhak remains connected at the chairman level.
This structure is common in successful family businesses.
The founder can provide experience and long-term perspective while the next generation manages everyday growth.
Itzhak Ezratti’s Net Worth
Itzhak Ezratti’s net worth attracts enormous online interest.
Unlike many internet estimates, there is now a strong source for his wealth.
Forbes estimates Itzhak Ezratti and his family’s real-time net worth at approximately $1.9 billion as of August 27, 2026.
This places him firmly in billionaire territory.
Forbes first highlighted Ezratti as part of a group of homebuilding billionaires whose fortunes benefited from strong housing demand and America’s housing shortage.
Because GL Homes is privately owned, calculating exact wealth can be more complicated than valuing someone who owns publicly traded shares.
Forbes therefore provides an estimate rather than a figure from a public stock-market valuation.
How Did Itzhak Ezratti Become a Billionaire?
His wealth comes mainly from homebuilding.
GL Homes remained privately held while becoming a major Florida builder.
That ownership is important.
When a founder retains a significant ownership interest in a private business that later becomes worth billions of dollars, that ownership can create enormous personal wealth.
Forbes reported GL Homes’ 2023 revenue at approximately $1.9 billion in its coverage of America’s homebuilding billionaires.
Builder Magazine later reported nearly $1.9 billion in 2025 revenue as well.
Ezratti’s fortune therefore comes from decades of ownership and expansion rather than a short-term business sale.
Is Itzhak Ezratti Self-Made?
Forbes categorizes his wealth as self-made.
This description makes sense when looking at his professional path.
He immigrated from Israel.
He worked as a bank teller.
He moved to Florida.
He and his father-in-law started with a single duplex.
From there, they expanded GL Homes over decades.
That does not mean he built the company alone.
Joseph Hanin was a cofounder.
Employees, executives and later generations of the family also played major roles.
But Ezratti’s personal journey began far from billionaire wealth.
How Old Is Itzhak Ezratti?
Forbes lists Itzhak Ezratti as 73 years old in its 2026 billionaire profile.
This makes his age one of the better-documented personal details about him.
Many independent biography websites publish exact birth dates, but Forbes does not provide a full birthday on its profile.
Therefore, it is safer to use his verified age rather than repeat an exact date that may not be well documented.
Where Does Itzhak Ezratti Live?
Forbes identifies his residence as Indian Creek, Florida.
Indian Creek is a highly exclusive area in Miami-Dade County.
It has become famous for expensive homes and wealthy residents.
That location fits the extraordinary financial success Ezratti achieved through homebuilding.
Still, readers should distinguish between publicly reported residence information and a person’s precise private address.
There is no reason to publish unnecessary private residential details.
Who Is Itzhak Ezratti’s Wife?
Itzhak Ezratti’s wife has remained considerably less public than her husband and son.
One important family detail is firmly established: GL Homes cofounder Joseph Hanin was Itzhak’s father-in-law.
This tells us that the business was connected through family from its beginning.
However, detailed mainstream profiles do not provide extensive information about Ezratti’s wife.
Some secondary websites publish names and personal details, but these should be treated carefully unless supported by stronger documentation.
The Ezratti family has generally kept personal life separate from company publicity.
How Many Children Does Itzhak Ezratti Have?
Forbes reports that Itzhak Ezratti has three children.
Misha is the most publicly visible because he now runs GL Homes.
The other members of the family do not receive the same level of business-media attention.
This is another example of how the Ezratti family balances enormous business visibility with relative personal privacy.
Itzhak Ezratti and Family Business
GL Homes remains closely associated with the Ezratti family.
That is important because many companies change completely after a founder becomes successful.
Some are sold.
Others go public.
Others are taken over by outside executives.
GL Homes remained private and continued passing leadership through the family.
Misha’s role as president ensures that the Ezratti name remains directly connected with the company.
It also creates continuity.
Customers and employees dealing with today’s GL Homes are still dealing with a business controlled by the founding family.
How Many Homes Has GL Homes Built?
Forbes says GL Homes has completed more than 36,000 homes since its founding.
Meanwhile, GL Homes’ own website says more than 100,000 residents have trusted the company.
These numbers measure different things.
One counts homes.
The other counts people.
Together, they demonstrate the company’s scale.
The single duplex of 1976 has grown into tens of thousands of residences.
GL Homes’ Revenue and Size
Builder Magazine’s 2026 profile of GL Homes gives a useful picture of the company’s scale.
It reported:
1,617 home closings in 2025,
approximately $1.894 billion in 2025 revenue,
and 1,891 closings in 2024.
These are enormous numbers for a privately held builder operating primarily within one state.
GL Homes’ official website also describes it as one of America’s largest private builders.
Itzhak Ezratti and Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew is an important part of the GL Homes growth story.
The storm struck South Florida in 1992 and caused catastrophic destruction.
Housing needed to be rebuilt.
Forbes says GL Homes gained momentum during the reconstruction period and sold approximately 1,000 homes across 1992 and 1993.
That period helped move the company to another level.
It also shows how external events can dramatically change the direction of a business.
Itzhak Ezratti’s Philanthropy and Community Focus
GL Homes frequently presents community support as part of its company culture.
Its official site says the company supports more than 2,000 Florida charities.
Because corporate giving can involve both the company and individual family members, it is important not to automatically describe every GL Homes donation as Itzhak’s personal donation.
Still, the company’s philanthropic activities form an important part of the wider legacy associated with the Ezratti family business.
The company frequently focuses on causes involving hunger, homelessness, children and community support.
Why Itzhak Ezratti Keeps a Low Profile
Despite being a billionaire, Itzhak does not have the same public profile as technology founders or entertainment moguls.
He does not appear constantly on television.
He does not regularly publish opinions on social media.
He does not turn his personal lifestyle into a celebrity product.
Much of what the public knows about him comes through:
Forbes,
business publications,
GL Homes,
real-estate reporting,
and interviews involving company leadership.
This relatively private approach has made online interest in him grow as his wealth has become better known.
Is Itzhak Ezratti on Social Media?
There is no widely prominent verified personal social-media account through which Itzhak regularly documents his private life.
That is consistent with his low-profile public style.
People should therefore be careful when encountering accounts using his name.
A name alone does not establish authenticity.
His son’s company leadership and GL Homes’ official channels provide much stronger sources for information about the family’s business activities.
Why People Search for Itzhak Ezratti
Interest in Itzhak has increased for several reasons.
One is his billionaire status.
Another is the enormous size of GL Homes.
Readers also want to understand the family behind one of Florida’s biggest private homebuilders.
Typical questions include:
Who is Itzhak Ezratti?
How did Itzhak Ezratti become rich?
Who owns GL Homes?
What is Itzhak Ezratti’s net worth?
Who is Misha Ezratti?
How old is Itzhak Ezratti?
Where does he live?
How many children does he have?
These searches all lead back to a remarkable business story.
What Makes Itzhak Ezratti’s Story Interesting?
The most interesting detail may be the scale of change.
Ezratti moved to America from Israel.
He worked as a bank teller.
He relocated to Florida.
He cofounded a homebuilder with his father-in-law.
Their first project was one duplex.
Five decades later, GL Homes is producing nearly $2 billion in annual revenue, and Forbes estimates the Ezratti family’s fortune at around $1.9 billion.
That is a dramatic transformation.
It did not happen in a few years.
It took decades.
Itzhak Ezratti’s Legacy
Ezratti’s biggest legacy is GL Homes itself.
The company survived recessions, housing-market crashes, changing interest rates, population shifts and major changes in Florida real estate.
It also survived a leadership transition.
Many family businesses struggle when the founder steps away.
GL Homes continued under Misha.
That gives Itzhak’s story another dimension.
Building a company is one achievement.
Building a company that can continue successfully under the next generation is another.
Final Thoughts on Itzhak Ezratti
Itzhak Ezratti’s story is one of the more impressive success stories in American homebuilding.
He began far from billionaire status.
Originally from Israel, he came to the United States, worked as a bank teller and eventually moved to Florida.
In 1976, he and his father-in-law Joseph Hanin started GL Homes with a single duplex in Hollywood.
Over the following five decades, that small venture grew into one of Florida’s most important privately owned homebuilding companies.
Today, Forbes estimates Itzhak Ezratti and his family’s fortune at around $1.9 billion.
GL Homes has completed more than 36,000 homes, while its own website says its communities have served more than 100,000 residents.
Itzhak no longer serves as company president.
His son Misha now holds that position.
But Itzhak remains chairman, keeping the founder connected to the company while the next generation handles leadership.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of the story is the beginning.
Before the billions, luxury communities and thousands of homes, there was one immigrant entrepreneur, his father-in-law and a single Florida duplex.
Everything else grew from there.
FAQs About Itzhak Ezratti
Who is Itzhak Ezratti?
Itzhak Ezratti is an Israeli-born American real-estate developer who cofounded GL Homes in 1976 and currently serves as its chairman.
Is Itzhak Ezratti a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes estimates Itzhak Ezratti and his family’s real-time net worth at approximately $1.9 billion as of August 27, 2026.
What is Itzhak Ezratti’s net worth?
Forbes currently estimates the Ezratti family’s fortune at about $1.9 billion. Because GL Homes is privately owned, this is an estimate rather than a public stock-market valuation.
How did Itzhak Ezratti make his money?
His wealth comes primarily from homebuilding through GL Homes, the Florida company he cofounded in 1976.
Who founded GL Homes?
Itzhak Ezratti and his father-in-law, engineer Joseph Hanin, cofounded GL Homes in 1976.
What was GL Homes’ first project?
Forbes reports that its first project was a single duplex in Hollywood, Florida.
What does GL Homes stand for?
GL stands for “Good Luck.”
Where is Itzhak Ezratti from?
He is originally from Israel. He later immigrated to the United States and eventually settled in Florida.
What did Itzhak Ezratti do before GL Homes?
After arriving in Washington, D.C., Ezratti worked as a bank teller before moving to Florida.
How old is Itzhak Ezratti?
Forbes lists him as 73 years old in 2026.
Where does Itzhak Ezratti live?
Forbes identifies his residence as Indian Creek, Florida.
Who is Misha Ezratti?
Misha Ezratti is Itzhak’s son and the current president of GL Homes.
Is Itzhak Ezratti still CEO of GL Homes?
He is currently identified by Forbes as chairman. He stepped down as president in 2016, and his son Misha now runs GL Homes as president.
How many children does Itzhak Ezratti have?
Forbes reports that he has three children.
How many homes has GL Homes built?
Forbes says the company has completed more than 36,000 homes since 1976.
How large is GL Homes today?
Builder Magazine reported 1,617 closings and about $1.894 billion in revenue for 2025.
Why is Itzhak Ezratti famous?
He is famous for building GL Homes from a small Florida homebuilder into one of the state’s largest privately owned residential construction companies and becoming a billionaire in the process.
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