Selling Sunset's Jason Oppenheim hits back at 'fake' agent claims following 'exposé' Tik Tok
He's standing up for his employees
Netflix's Selling Sunset has taken over our lives and the globe. Over the past few weeks, we've all been watching the binge-worthy show, which follows the LA-based brokerage group, The Oppenheim Group, sell multi-million pound mansions to the rich and famous.
It's provided us with lots of juicy drama - from Christine Quinn's Gothic wedding, to Chrishell Stause's shock divorce from Justin Hartley, and Maya Vander's two pregnancies. But despite season three having just finished, there seems to be more drama happening off-screen, as the brokerage's boss Jason Oppenheim has now had to defend his team of high end real estate broker's following 'fake' agent claims.
Some critics of the show have been claiming the show is 'fake' and 'scripted', with the women in the programme PRETENDING to be brokers. Yet, Jason has shut down the claims, providing evidence to the Daily Mirror to show this isn't the case.
The documents revealed when the agents - Chrishell Stause, Mary Fitzgerald, Davina Potratz, Christine Quinn, Maya Vander, Heather Young and Amanza Smith - became licensed real estate agents and when they joined The Oppenheim Group.
In a statement, Jason reiterated, "Mary, Heather, Maya, and Christine were licensed and successful real estate agents at The Oppenheim Group many years prior to filming our show. Amanza worked with us as a designer, and has been a close friend of Mary’s and mine for many years."
He went on to say, "Chrishell was a practising agent at another brokerage, many years previous to filming Selling Sunset. As a licensed agent, Davina had transacted many deals before joining the team in 2018.
"Any insinuation that the agents on our show are not experienced, successful, or licensed, evidences a complete disregard for the facts. Even a superficial investigation would identify previous team photos, hundreds of millions in transacted sales, and more than 50 years of combined licensed real estate experience from these agents."
Jason's defiant comments come after a developer posted a Tik Tok of her house, which was featured on the show. It was a mansion in series one where Christine and Heather attempted to show a client around, despite the front door being locked after the "seller flew to Europe."
The developer, who goes by the username @petite_sayo on the platform, slammed the show, revealing she was never in Europe and claimed the show used this to develop the storyline and friction between Christine and Heather.
Check out the best Selling Sunset facts
1. The Oppenheim Group actually has 17 agents
Although Mary, Chrishell, Davina, Maya, Heather, Emma, Nicole, Bre, Amanza and Chelsea all feature as real estate agents on the show, there's actually four other agents at the business - these are Peter Cornell, Alice Kwan, Omar Abaza, Alexander Huerta, Romi Jordan Mouillon, Kane Lim, and Minoo Malek.
2. Romain used to be a pastry chef
French model Romain Bonnett, who married Mary Fitzgerald on season 2 of Selling Sunset, actually used to work as a pastry chef!
Back in 2019, he wrote on Instagram: 'Since so many asked me if it was true that I was a pastry chef, here is some of the pasty I used to make. YES IT WAS TRUE !!! 😜😬'. (sic)
3. Selling Sunset is created by the same man who created The Hills
Yes, that's right! The Hills producer Adam DiVello is the creator of Selling Sunset - that guy certainly knows how to make great TV!
4. Jason once had Orlando Bloom's house on his books
The Oppenheim Group's President Jason Oppenheim has worked with some major stars over the years! Not only has he sold houses for the likes of Alex Rodriguez and Lea Black, he was also selling Orlando Bloom's house!
He told us in 2019: "My favourite guy that I worked with is Orlando Bloom. But that's why I'm selling his house right now because he's going to be a dad. So families and marriages are good for real estate."
5. Mary has a son called Austin Babbitt
Selling Sunset fans met Mary Fitzgerald's son during season 2 of the show in 2020, when Austin walked his mum down the aisle for her wedding to Romain.
6. Chrishell was once engaged to Matthew Morrison
Before marrying (and then divorcing) American actor Justin Hartley, Chrishell Stause was once engaged to Glee star Matthew Morrison.
The couple first met way back in 2006, with a proposal coming just months later. However, things didn't work out and the pair called time on their romance in December 2007.
7. Heather is now married with a baby
After announcing her new romance with Tarek El Moussa during season 2 of Selling Sunset, just weeks before season 3 hit Netflix, Heather Young announced Tarek had popped the question to her!
In October 2021, the pair tied the knot at a luxury ceremony surrounded by their friends and family, including Heather's Selling Sunset co-stars, with footage being shown in series 5.
Heather and Tarek then welcomed a baby boy called Tristan in January 2023.
8. Christine didn't meet her husband by selling him a house
Although season 2 of Selling Sunset seemed to document that Christine Quinn met her husband Christian Richard whilst selling him a house, it turns out the pair actually met through mutual friends.
During an interview on This Morning with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, she said: "Well actually, that was amped up a little, I'm not going to lie. I actually met him through a girlfriend of mine, but Mary spun this story that he was a client.
"We were dating for three months and then we bought a house together, but television is fun."
9. Chrishell wasn't part of The Oppenheim Group before Selling Sunset
She's a valued member of the team now, but Chrishell Stause actually only joined the real estate agency when she was signed to appear on the show.
Selling Sunset creator Adam DiVello said at the time: "She really is a realtor and has a real estate license selling homes when we met her.
"I think we were lucky to get her, I think she adds something that is very unique to Los Angeles, and we're doing a show about realtors in Los Angeles. The fact that we have one who's an actress and happens to be married to an actor who's on a very successful TV series is a plus."
10. Mary actually sold a house on her wedding day
As viewers witnessed in season 2, Mary Fitzgerald doesn't stop work for anything... Even her own wedding!
Whilst getting her hair and make-up applied on her big day, Mary took time out to show round a buyer of the stunning house she was using for her venue.
She later told People magazine: "I end up selling my wedding venue on my wedding day, which was amazing. I paused the wedding and sold it in the middle of getting ready.
"Everyone thought I was out of my mind, but I told the seller when he allowed me to book it for the wedding venue that I won't let the wedding planning or doing it there get in the way of selling it!"
11. The Oppenheim Group now have a Newport Beach office and it's got a spin-off show
At the start of January 2021, Jason Oppenheim confirmed the group have now opened a office in Newport Beach.
In a post on Instagram, he said: 'I'm very proud and excited to announce our new Oppenheim Group office in Newport Beach!! After many years of contemplation, my love for Newport Beach and its exciting real estate opportunities have convinced me to go for it! And if you're going to go, go big, so I found a 4,000 sq. ft. former bank and we are renovating it now - it's going to be the coolest office anywhere, with a full bar, living room, dining area, arcade, pool table, gym, showers, kitchen, vault with whiskey/wine, coffee bar, walls of contemporary art, books, and vintage boom boxes, and who knows, maybe even some desks! Give me a few weeks and I'll post the interior photos 😀'.
It was then confirmed in November 2021 that Selling Sunset will be getting a spin-off show for the new office, called Selling The O.C. - this then aired in August 2022.
Other spin-off shows including Selling Tampa.
12. Emma Hernan once qualified for the Olympics
In series 5, Emma casually dropped the fact she'd once swam a time that would have qualified her for the Olympics! However, she gave up swimming when she was 16 to focus on modelling.
13. The cast pay for their own hair, makeup and wardrobe
You've probably noticed the Selling Sunset girls always look absolutely flawless, dripped head-to-toe in designer gear, but Netflix don't actually pay for any of this!
14. Chrishell Stause and Christine Quinn used to be friends
Despite their now on-going feud, Chrishell Stause and Christine Quinn actually used to be friends - this was until producers pitted them against each other.
Christine once said: "They wanted us to clash obviously and at first, we didn't. We got along great. We were friends. She was at my house. We were drinking, having a good time. I was getting to know her and the storylines came into play. We thought that we were good at separating things."