If you’ve ever watched Selling Sunset, chances are you’ve imagined living in one of the lavish, open-air Hollywood homes showcased in every episode. But watching the series sparked a different dream for 21-year-old student Chiamaka Chukwuka.
“I always imagined, if I would do something house-related, it would be interior design, or something of that nature,” she tells Tudum. “It wasn’t until I started watching Selling Sunset and similar shows that I really got interested in the business side of things.” After all, “Seeing someone make $100,000 in one check would pique anyone’s interest in real estate.”
Chukwuka has had her real estate license for five months and already has lucrative plans for the future. “I’m still very new to the industry and still learning,” she says. “But I think a long-term goal — fingers crossed — would be to get $33 million in sales, since, at that point, you achieve a GCI [gross commission income] of $1 million.”
The logistics of how commissions work vary by brokerage — sometimes, even agent by agent. In a 2019 interview with Evoke.ie, Selling Sunset star Davina Potratz explained that a commission is ultimately split between the agent who made the sale and the broker who works above them.
“Everyone has different splits based on their background and experience and their relationship with the brokerage,” Davina said, going on to give a hypothetical example of a 2.5% commission being split 25/75 between the broker and salesperson.
Though the most enticing draw, commissions weren’t the only real estate concept Chukwuka picked up from the show. Market value — the actual value of a property when placed on the open market, as determined by buyers — was another. A real learning point for the soon-to-be agent was Davina’s unwavering determination to sell a seemingly-overpriced $75 million Beverly Hills home. The situation became a major point of contention throughout Season 3, since Jason Oppenheim (Davina’s broker and boss) was strongly opposed to the inflated asking price that was way above market. “Davina’s infamous $75 million house dilemma taught me a lot about the industry,” she says. When Chukwuka first started watching the show, she struggled to wrap her head around properties being described as a “steals” and owners being disillusioned by the market value of their home, but “seeing Jason break down how overvalued the estate was taught me that there was actually a method to the madness.”
Vanessa Villela, left, with Amanza Smith.
Davina’s dicey storyline also struck a chord with Noelle Ackland, a 38-year-old teacher and part-time realtor who also recently passed her real estate license exam. “I understood why she wanted the listing, because the commission was insane,” she tells Tudum. “However, I also understood why Jason wanted her to get it reduced to $60 million so it had a better chance to sell.”
Ackland was also interested to learn from that show that Davina could have made the sale on her own since she has her own broker’s license. “When I was studying for my license exams, I learned the term ‘associate broker,’ which is what Davina is,” she says. “I also learned that there are benefits to working [for a large brokerage], such as the added marketing value of having a big name like Oppenheim on your listings.”
Ackland has been fascinated by real estate since she purchased a home in 2017. For years, she followed industry trends and enjoyed home improvement-related shows on television. But, like Chukwuka, it was Selling Sunset that first encouraged her to make a profit out of her passion.
“More so than any other show, Selling Sunset gave me a good idea of how market value is assessed, how commissions are made and split with the brokerage, and what the agent-broker relationship is like,” she says, adding that it was “inspiring” to watch the women of the Oppenheim Group thrive. She especially resonated with Chrishell Stause’s career path, and her candor about her personal and professional life.
“It made me feel like this was a path I could pursue as well,” Ackland says. “My short-term goal is to earn additional income to spend on traveling, but long-term, I would like to use my commission earnings to invest in properties. I’d love to have a vacation property or two!”
Maybe she can start with a vacation home in Los Angeles — after all, Davina’s $75 million house is still on the market.
