Here's Where 'Bachelor' Star Arie Is Living These Days

Bachelors and their contestants come from all over the country (and sometimes the world), but there's one place they tend to flock to after their time on the show: Los Angeles. But where does this year's Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. reside when he's not handing out roses? Where does The Bachelor's Arie live now? The 36-year-old, former professional race car driver, first appeared on Bachelor Nation's radar way back in 2012 when he was on Season 8 of The Bachelorette. He went on in order to win Emily Maynard's heart, but ultimately became the runner-up. What has Arie been up to all this time? I'm sure viewers will want to know all about his life ahead of the January (excuse me, Janu-Arie) 1 premiere.

For those viewers who, like me, descended into the black hole that is Bachelor Nation post-2012, I'll give you a little background on who Arie is. First off, it may seem a little jarring that someone from Rachel Lindsay's season isn't the Bachelor this time around. It seems that producers love subversive casting for their Bachelors as of late, since they picked two-time runner-up Nick Viall last season. What about Peter, or Eric, who almost won last season but lost out to Bryan? According to The Hollywood Reporter, Arie was a last-minute decision to be the Bachelor. The others in the running? Peter Kraus, from Rachel's season, and Luke Pell, from JoJo's (poor Luke! He can never catch a break).

Since Arie's stint on The Bachelorette, though, he's kept in contact with producers. After the announcement, he went on Good Morning America to discuss his season and said, We've kept in touch over the last few years, but this just fit perfect, the timing of this really fit." Apparently, an Arie Bachelor season has been in the works for a long time. "I was a little skeptical just because we've been in talks for a few years about doing it," he continued. "But I just kind of went in with an open mind and an open heart and it kind of just hit me right now that I'm here." (So don't worry, Luke, there's still hope for you.)

What has Arie been doing in the meantime, though? Like his father, the legendary Arie Luyendyk Sr., he was a full-time race car driver for a number of years. He was born in the Netherlands and moved with his family when he was 3 years old. The Luyendyks settled in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Last year, though, Arie received his realtor license and now works in Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2016, he announced on Instagram that he was now a real estate broker. "Settling into my winter career and loving it so far," he wrote on his Instagram. "Showing this nice home in Arcadia this weekend and meeting new clients along the way!"

It seems that Arie didn't take the traditional post-Bachelor pilgrimage to Los Angeles and instead settled in Scottsdale. Besides keeping in contact with the show, Arie doesn't look like he's been as entrenched in the Bachelor alum lifestyle as some of the other cast members. Not that it's a bad thing that they do, but it's interesting to note that Arie hasn't been sponsored by Sugar Bear Hair and doesn't go to Los Angeles parties with Ashley I. and the like (for the record, I love Ashley I.). I wonder, then, how The Bachelor will affect his life beyond finding a fiancé

The Bachelorette's Rachel Lindsay, for example, and her fiancé Bryan are living in her hometown in Dallas. This is in contrast to an alum like Nick Viall, who is from Wisconsin but now resides in Los Angeles. Where Arie will settle is uncertain as of now, but it'll sure make for interesting hometown dates during the season.

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