‘Promoting The OC’ Star Gio Helou On Studying Actual Property From His Mother
If you happen to love watching actuality TV, largely as a result of actual property runs rampant on the display screen and in your coronary heart, keep tuned to Actual Tea. Inman’s Dani Vanderboegh sits down along 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 Hall, 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 together 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 ways,” 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 present being filmed, “like proper now,” Gio Helou mentioned.
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 present’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 form of an in-the-blood type 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 purchasers in the event that they wish to transform or construct their dream house from scratch. So it was nice to have the ability to carry that to the gross sales aspect after I joined my mother about 4 years in the past.
Since then, she’s taught me virtually the whole lot I learn about actual property gross sales. We’re very completely different in that we each have very completely different kinds. And I feel that performs [in] our favor. I’m positively not a carbon copy of her, and I feel she loves and appreciates that I’ve grown into my very own, so to talk, nevertheless it was a household enterprise. Nonetheless is, and I simply naturally fell into their footsteps and by no means regarded again.
That occurs rather a lot in actual property, and I really like the household tales.
With that, although, there additionally come the challenges of household, that everyone knows and love. I imply it’s exhausting once you’re in work mode in the course of 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 at me generally at [family dinners], and she or he’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 evaluate it to the strolling uphill each methods in 6 toes of snow with no sneakers trope that oldsters love to inform. Are there some other momisms she provides repeatedly?
Something underneath $3 million … it’s a really small sale [to me], and she or he’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 form 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 corporation?
It was after I began. The primary couple of years, I did fairly a little bit of it. And it’s very humbling … it’s a whole lot of doorways thrown in your face. There’s something priceless to it that I miss, and I feel sticking to the basics is at all times good.
It’s humorous, I used to be speaking to my spouse about this, and I used to be like, “You already know, 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 number of the greatest top-producing brokers. They don’t cease on the basics, and I’ve gotten a little bit lazy, to be trustworthy. The present doesn’t assist as a result of it is rather 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 must get listings and must make gross sales. And when you begin falling brief in that enviornment, you’re gonna lose your respect and [storylines]. In order that’s the guts of it.
Your castmates form of provide you with a little bit little bit of the enterprise about rising up in Newport. What do you say to that?
I feel if any of them might commerce locations with me, they might have. As a result of rising up in Newport was simply wonderful. So I feel, it comes out of perhaps a little bit little bit of jealousy.
“Selling Sunset” will release Season 6 on May 19. Search for an upcoming Actual Tea with model new castmember Bre Tiesi subsequent week.
On style, dressing for fulfillment and staying aggressive
The style in your present, nicely, each the Promoting Sundown reveals, is next-level. It needs to be rather a lot to maintain up with.
It’s, and I had no concept. I imply, I’m a man so it’s a lot much less concerned, and nobody actually cares almost as a lot as they do about what the ladies 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 approach on these reveals, and it’s a part of the enjoyable, however geez, I see what my feminine castmates undergo, and it’s rather a lot.
I imply, I’ve to carry three or 4 wardrobe choices to set each time we movie simply in case, you already know, 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 wish to look fucking wonderful every single day. You don’t need your wardrobe to discourage any potential lead or itemizing or sale. So after I go well with up every single day, it’s the identical precise factor that I’d put on on digital camera. There is no such thing as a distinction. It’s fairly seamless.
And I feel that could be a large oversight on so many brokers: They don’t give how they current themselves sufficient time and sufficient consideration … I feel individuals not solely will respect you extra, sadly, primarily based on the way you seem, but additionally it provides me an additional increase of confidence, and it permits me to essentially personal the whole lot 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 the whole lot getting in your favor that you may management, like wardrobe.
I completely perceive. You probably did form of give me a little bit giggle once you mentioned the garments provide you with confidence although. You didn’t strike me as someone who’s missing confidence.
[Laughing.]
No, and I take pleasure in that. And it’s not that I ever wish to be cocky or something like that, however I feel this enterprise requires a sure stage of conceitedness since you’re coping with not solely out-of-this-world properties however purchasers who’ve achieved the height of success of their fields.
So it’s a must to match them on their stage … They wish to know you already know your shit and you already know precisely the way you’re going to promote their home or precisely the way you’re going to search out the best home for them to purchase. So conceitedness, in my view, is a part of the job description.
“That’s one thing my mother taught me. From Day 1. You wish to look fucking wonderful every single day. You don’t need your wardrobe to discourage any potential lead or itemizing or sale.” – Gio Helou
On Season 1
How has your corporation 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 will have in any other case been closed.
It’s additionally been a chance to have some levity with potential purchasers who might have preconceived notions of how I’m off-camera / in actual life.
Popping out of Season 1, have been you pleased with the way you have been portrayed? Was it what you anticipated?
You already know, after 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 might. And I feel, for that motive, I used to be on cloud 9 as soon as I noticed Season 1 … Yeah, they could have exaggerated some points of my persona, however I didn’t thoughts.
It’s a TV present. It’s leisure as nicely, 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 other. And you already know, I felt badly about that.
However everyone knows what we signed up for. We’re all massive girls and boys, so I don’t suppose it was actually truthful for a few of them to complain as a lot as they did. No less than internally, that was the thrill.
What’s your pit and peak of the season?
You already know I feel my dealer selection was in all probability my peak. I really like that scene, and I really like that property. It’s so unimaginable, nearly as good because it regarded on digital camera, in particular person, it’s much more spectacular. Pit? I assume … when me and Alex Corridor form of had our second on the seaside. I feel that will in all probability be my pit. It was much more dramatic off-camera than on, so I feel that will 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 choice I’ve ever made. He runs his workplace in contrast to some other 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 rather a lot about how obligatory conceitedness is in his enterprise, but additionally 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 wish to put them down, however they’re massive machines. And you already know, 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 rather a lot. I’ve discovered talk with purchasers.
I imply, the opposite massive takeaway with Jason is: Be actual. Don’t bullshit your purchasers, don’t attempt to inflate numbers or something like that to get a list. Be straight, they usually’ll respect you for it as a result of sellers all day lengthy hear what they wish to hear. So generally once you inform them the tough reality, they clearly respect you for it.
Sure, I feel you see that rather a lot 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 over and over, it’s not price 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 when you 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 wish to ring the bell?
It’s form 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 stage.
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 fun each sale you get as a result of each sale on this market is a giant fucking deal … Each sale in coastal OC is price celebrating, and ringing that bell form of symbolizes, you already know, climbing Mount Everest for that itemizing.
And that seems 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 glad for them, however on the similar time, I’m somebody who may be very — passive-aggressive has a really detrimental connotation, however on the subject of competitors, I’m very passive-aggressive. I received’t outrightly say it, however I need nothing greater than to ring the bell 5 instances tougher for a sale 5 instances larger the following time.
Who, once they ring the bell, does it drive you essentially the most loopy? Like, who do you wish to beat essentially the most?
Frankly, they’re all equal. It’s all the identical. Actually, it’s not like I actually wish to say I’m aggressive with one particular person within the workplace as a result of, you already know, I’ve the very best gross sales numbers already … My blood boils after I hear that bell ringing and I’m not the one underneath it. So it’s simply, I feel that’s what you want, although. It’s worthwhile 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 whole lot 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 already know, like the whole lot else, it’s a must to go all out. You possibly can’t half-ass something on this market. That features dealer’s open as a result of your purchasers will choose you for each little choice 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 already know, probably not giving it your all for no matter, then you definately’re not going to get that itemizing extension when you want it … or they’re gonna, you already know, speak to their neighbors about you probably not giving it your all, so to talk.
So a dealer’s open, identical to ringing the bell, it’s a strategy 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 received. Hey, when you can promote it, nice, however within the meantime, let’s have fun me … getting that signed itemizing settlement.”
So it’s a little bit little bit of [nudge, nudge] “Take a look at what I received. So what do you have got happening?” And once you add a little bit little bit of pizzazz on prime of it, like after 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 a tremendous Season 2. It’s going to be higher listings, higher drama. It’s gonna be Season 1 on steroids in the very best 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!
