Should you love watching actuality TV, largely as a result of actual property runs rampant on the display and in your coronary heart, keep tuned to Actual Tea. Inman’s Dani Vanderboegh sits down together with your favourite celeb brokers to get the news on the latest releases, go behind the scenes, and spill the tea on all of your burning questions from final season.
Promoting the OC dropped on Netflix on Aug. 24, 2022, marking the introduction of the Oppenheim Group’s latest luxe brokerage in Orange County, the place the heels are excessive, the style is nice and the competitors is fierce.
Between all of the drama with all of the brokers named Alex (Alexandra Rose, Alex Corridor, Alexandra Jarvis) and proverbial pissing contests in Season 1, Gio Helou, the self-described “fucking rockstar” and “prime canine” of the Oppenheim Group’s Newport Seaside workplace, had some candy moments along with his mother, Lisa Helou. Lisa Helou, who’s been an agent since 1976, in accordance with her bio, additionally hangs her license on the Oppenheim Group.
She began in LA however has been promoting within the OC for a very long time, Gio says. “Priding herself on her old-school strategy and techniques,” she was fast to supply mentorship to Gio and his castmates.
Whereas there’s no official launch date from Netflix on Season 2 as of but, Season 3 is at the moment being filmed, “like proper now,” Gio Helou stated.
Get the Actual Tea on rising up with mother and fellow agent on the Oppenheim Group Lisa Helou, working with Jason Oppenheim and staying aggressive in at the moment’s market. What follows is Inman’s dialog with Gio Helou, which has been edited for size and readability.
Not-so-humble beginnings
How did you get into actual property?
It’s sort of an in-the-blood kind of factor. My dad is a builder. I truly began working with him. And it was actually nice studying the constructing aspect of issues and understanding how a lot issues value for shoppers in the event that they need to transform or construct their dream dwelling from scratch. So it was nice to have the ability to deliver that to the gross sales aspect once I joined my mother about 4 years in the past.
Since then, she’s taught me nearly all the pieces I learn about actual property gross sales. We’re very completely different in that we each have very completely different kinds. And I believe that performs [in] our favor. I’m undoubtedly not a carbon copy of her, and I believe she loves and appreciates that I’ve grown into my very own, so to talk, however it was a household enterprise. Nonetheless is, and I simply naturally fell into their footsteps and by no means seemed again.
That occurs quite a bit in actual property, and I like the household tales.
With that, although, there additionally come the challenges of household, that everyone knows and love. I imply it’s exhausting whenever you’re in work mode through the day after which, let’s say you’re at a household dinner, that doesn’t shut off. That work convo continues … My spouse seems to be at me generally at [family dinners], and he or she’s like, ‘Actually? We’re nonetheless speaking about that itemizing?’ … It doesn’t ever finish!
There’s a cute scene the place your mother compliments a colleague on door-knocking after which goes into how, again within the day, her dealer used to drop her off within the neighborhood to door-knock. They didn’t have a selection. And also you examine it to the strolling uphill each methods in 6 ft of snow with no sneakers trope that oldsters love to inform. Are there another momisms she provides frequently?
Something beneath $3 million … it’s a really small sale [to me], and he or she’s like, “Again in my day … $3 million would have been like a $30 million sale now,” and I’m simply shaking my head on a regular basis to that.
No, the door-knocking one is sort of distinctive. She simply doesn’t let up on that. Simply because I don’t love to do it.
I used to be going to ask that subsequent. Is door-knocking a part of your enterprise?
It was once I began. The primary couple of years, I did fairly a little bit of it. And it’s very humbling … it’s a number of doorways thrown in your face. There’s something helpful to it that I miss, and I believe sticking to the basics is all the time good.
It’s humorous, I used to be speaking to my spouse about this, and I used to be like, “You understand, given the market now, perhaps it’s time to return to these fundamentals and simply begin doing issues like door-knocking once more.”
That’s what you see with a few of the greatest top-producing brokers. They don’t cease on the basics, and I’ve gotten a bit of lazy, to be trustworthy. The present doesn’t assist as a result of it is vitally time-consuming, and it does monopolize (after we’re in manufacturing mode) all of my hours. In order that’s been a problem … However on the finish of the day, regardless of the drama, regardless of all that enjoyable a part of the present, it’s an actual property present.
You continue to need to get listings and need to make gross sales. And if you happen to begin falling quick in that area, you’re gonna lose your respect and [storylines]. In order that’s the center of it.
Your castmates sort of offer you a bit of little bit of the enterprise about rising up in Newport. What do you say to that?
I believe if any of them may commerce locations with me, they might have. As a result of rising up in Newport was simply superb. So I believe, it comes out of perhaps a bit of little bit of jealousy.
“Promoting Sundown” will launch Season 6 on Could 19. Search for an upcoming Actual Tea with model new castmember Bre Tiesi subsequent week.
On vogue, dressing for achievement and staying aggressive
The style in your present, properly, each the Promoting Sundown reveals, is next-level. It needs to be quite a bit to maintain up with.
It’s, and I had no thought. I imply, I’m a man so it’s a lot much less concerned, and nobody actually cares practically as a lot as they do about what the women put on, and rightfully so, however even for me this can be very time-consuming as a result of individuals count on you to current your self a sure method on these reveals, and it’s a part of the enjoyable, however geez, I see what my feminine castmates undergo, and it’s quite a bit.
I imply, I’ve to deliver three or 4 wardrobe choices to set each time we movie simply in case, you understand, they’re clashing with one another or one thing like that. And that’s a full-time job simply in and of itself.
Do you’re feeling just like the expectation is completely different on actuality TV than it’s simply being an agent in your market?
Not for me, however I think about myself an exception to the rule there … That’s one thing my mother taught me. From Day 1. You need to look fucking superb day-after-day. You don’t need your wardrobe to discourage any doable lead or itemizing or sale. So once I swimsuit up day-after-day, it’s the identical actual factor that I might put on on digital camera. There is no such thing as a distinction. It’s fairly seamless.
And I believe that could be a enormous oversight on so many brokers: They don’t give how they current themselves sufficient time and sufficient consideration … I believe individuals not solely will respect you extra, sadly, primarily based on the way you seem, but in addition it provides me an additional increase of confidence, and it permits me to actually personal all the pieces that I’m speaking about.
Not that I wouldn’t with out the garments, however you need each little edge when it’s so aggressive. You want all the pieces entering into your favor that you would be able to management, like wardrobe.
I completely perceive. You probably did sort of give me a bit of giggle whenever you stated the garments offer you confidence although. You didn’t strike me as someone who’s missing confidence.
[Laughing.]
No, and I take satisfaction in that. And it’s not that I ever need to be cocky or something like that, however I believe this enterprise requires a sure degree of conceitedness since you’re coping with not solely out-of-this-world properties however shoppers who’ve achieved the height of success of their fields.
So you need to match them on their degree … They need to know you understand your shit and you understand precisely the way you’re going to promote their home or precisely the way you’re going to seek out the precise home for them to purchase. So conceitedness, for my part, is a part of the job description.
“That’s one thing my mother taught me. From Day 1. You need to look fucking superb day-after-day. You don’t need your wardrobe to discourage any doable lead or itemizing or sale.” – Gio Helou
On Season 1
How has your enterprise modified (if in any respect) because the present aired?
In actual property, you might be your individual model, so the present has exponentially elevated my private model as a luxurious Realtor, and that publicity has allowed me to stroll in lots of breathtaking doorways that might have in any other case been closed.
It’s additionally been a possibility to have some levity with potential shoppers who could have preconceived notions of how I’m off-camera / in actual life.
Popping out of Season 1, have been you proud of the way you have been portrayed? Was it what you anticipated?
You understand, once I signed up for this, I knew that I had zero management on how I used to be going to be portrayed and the way the edit would go. So I went in with as open of a thoughts as I may. And I believe, for that purpose, I used to be on cloud 9 as soon as I noticed Season 1 … Yeah, they might have exaggerated some facets of my persona, however I didn’t thoughts.
It’s a TV present. It’s leisure as properly, on the finish of the day, so I used to be thrilled in regards to the edit. I do know that a few of my castmates have been feeling the alternative. And you understand, I felt badly about that.
However everyone knows what we signed up for. We’re all large girls and boys, so I don’t suppose it was actually honest for a few of them to complain as a lot as they did. No less than internally, that was the excitement.
What’s your pit and peak of the season?
You understand I believe my dealer selection was in all probability my peak. I like that scene, and I like that property. It’s so unimaginable, nearly as good because it seemed on digital camera, in particular person, it’s much more spectacular. Pit? I suppose … when me and Alex Corridor sort of had our second on the seaside. I believe that might in all probability be my pit. It was much more dramatic off-camera than on, so I believe that might in all probability get a low level for me.
What did we miss off-camera?
Simply extra of the identical. It was extra of the identical.
On working with Jason Oppenheim
What’s it like working with Jason?
Finest enterprise determination I’ve ever made. He runs his workplace in contrast to another workplace that I’ve been part of, and I used to be at two different brokerages earlier than the Oppenheim Group. And what I used to be so drawn to was how Jason not solely is, the place I discovered quite a bit about how obligatory conceitedness is in his enterprise, but in addition the way you deal with your fellow brokers. He runs his workplace like a household. And he says it, however he truly means it and he acts on that intention.
So each different brokerage I’ve been with, and I’m not going to call them as a result of I don’t need to put them down, however they’re large machines. And you understand, they’re simply pumping out, trying on the backside line.
The place Jason actually does care, and he treats every of us like equals. If any of us name him day or evening, 1 within the morning or 1 within the afternoon, he solutions, and he’s current … He’ll drop what he’s doing and simply be there for you. So working for him has been a godsend. I imply, I’ve discovered quite a bit. I’ve discovered tips on how to talk with shoppers.
I imply, the opposite large takeaway with Jason is: Be actual. Don’t bullshit your shoppers, don’t attempt to inflate numbers or something like that to get a list. Be straight, and so they’ll respect you for it as a result of sellers all day lengthy hear what they need to hear. So generally whenever you inform them the cruel reality, they clearly respect you for it.
Sure, I believe you see that quite a bit with Jason on digital camera, particularly when the subject of overpriced listings comes up.
He’s a straight shooter. And it’s so tempting on this enterprise to attempt to do or say no matter it takes to get a list, and I’ve discovered time and again, it’s not value it. As a result of on the finish of the day, it’s not about simply getting the itemizing — it’s about getting it offered. And if you happen to stroll into an appointment with a bunch of humorous numbers, and also you get the itemizing and also you don’t promote it, then what was the purpose?
Nice level. However we have to know: What’s it prefer to ring the bell?
It’s sort of an in-your-face second to your fellow brokers. I imply, frankly, that’s what it’s. It’s “Hey everyone, have a look at me. I made a sale, and I need you all to lose your listening to for the remainder of the afternoon due to it” … It’s a really satisfying feeling … There’s one thing about that deafening noise that motivates me on some bizarre degree.
It’s a privilege, and it additionally makes gross sales … a lot extra enjoyable, too. I imply, once more, no different place I’ve been in do they have a good time each sale you get as a result of each sale on this market is an enormous fucking deal … Each sale in coastal OC is value celebrating, and ringing that bell sort of symbolizes, you understand, climbing Mount Everest for that itemizing.
And that appears like that little little bit of gamification among the many officemates actually works.
Oh, yeah. After I hear another person ringing that bell, Dani, it lights a hearth in my stomach. I imply, I’m pleased for them, however on the identical time, I’m somebody who may be very — passive-aggressive has a really damaging connotation, however relating to competitors, I’m very passive-aggressive. I received’t outrightly say it, however I need nothing greater than to ring the bell 5 instances more durable for a sale 5 instances larger the subsequent time.
Who, after they ring the bell, does it drive you probably the most loopy? Like, who do you need to beat probably the most?
Frankly, they’re all equal. It’s all the identical. Actually, it’s not like I actually need to say I’m aggressive with one particular person within the workplace as a result of, you understand, I’ve the very best gross sales numbers already … My blood boils once I hear that bell ringing and I’m not the one beneath it. So it’s simply, I believe that’s what you want, although. You want to have that drive on this enterprise. In any other case, you’ll fizzle away.
You talked about the drama earlier. Definitely, there’s loads of drama, and there are a number of opinions on the market amongst completely different solid mates. However one factor it looks like everyone agrees on is that you simply throw a imply dealer’s open. What’s your secret?
You understand, like all the pieces else, you need to go all out. You may’t half-ass something on this market. That features dealer’s open as a result of your shoppers will choose you for each little determination you make.
In the event that they really feel such as you’re going low cost for a dealer’s open otherwise you’re, you understand, not likely giving it your all for no matter, then you definately’re not going to get that itemizing extension if you happen to want it … or they’re gonna, you understand, speak to their neighbors about you not likely giving it your all, so to talk.
So a dealer’s open, identical to ringing the bell, it’s a method to showcase to your colleagues. I imply, like, that’s the purpose of a dealer’s open.
“Hey, come have a look at this baller itemizing I acquired. Hey, if you happen to can promote it, nice, however within the meantime, let’s have a good time me … getting that signed itemizing settlement.”
So it’s a bit of little bit of [nudge, nudge] “Take a look at what I acquired. So what do you will have happening?” And whenever you add a bit of little bit of pizzazz on prime of it, like once I added the sushi factor in Season 1, that’s all of the extra like, “Geez, Gio’s killing it.”
On Season 2
What ought to we count on with Season 2?
It’ll be an incredible Season 2. It’s going to be higher listings, higher drama. It’s gonna be Season 1 on steroids in the most effective of the way … The actual property porn in Season 2 goes to be off the charts.
Will mother be again subsequent season?
I hope so. I hope, fingers crossed!
