Selling The OC’s Vanessa Hopp has debunked claims that the Oppenheim Group fosters a “toxic” work environment, saying people should simply “quit” if they can’t cope with the pressure.
The luxury real estate agent, who works at the company’s San Diego branch, responded to his former colleague Alexandra Jarvis, who recently criticized the workplace atmosphere following her departure from the Netflix show.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Vanessa said that, like other sectors, the real estate industry can be “ruthless” and “demanding”, as she stated that agents need to have a strong “Type A” personality to be able to thrive; risk of being trampled.
“I feel like the word ‘toxic’ is overused now,” he said. ‘If it seems toxic to you, you should 100 per cent walk away, but real estate is like any other corporate industry: it’s cutthroat.
Luxury real estate agent Vanessa Hopp, an employee at the company’s San Diego branch, insisted that the Oppenheim Group is not “toxic.”
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, he said that while the industry is “ruthless”, it is no different to other careers.
‘It’s also very competitive, but it’s not toxic. Only the strong Survive.’
DailyMail.com revealed last month that Alexandra, who is often referred to by her nickname Jarvis, had become the third cast member to leave the Oppenheim Group’s Orange County office in the space of a year, after fellow agents Sean Palmieri and Tyler Stanaland.
In a recent interview with People, Alexandra revealed that multiple factors influenced her decision to come out, with the publication claiming that “toxic culture” was one of them.
Responding to her comments, Vanessa continued: ‘I understand that Alexandra no longer wants to be exposed to this energy.
‘But that doesn’t mean the Oppenheim Group is toxic. That simply means that this industry is very, very demanding.
‘In the Oppenheim Group I have felt very supported. It’s like a family. Families fight and sometimes reconcile.
“There are so many things that can go wrong and can be misinterpreted and then people feel hurt for nothing.”
‘The thing about this industry is that it’s like a pressure cooker and tempers are always rising.
Following her departure from the Oppenheim Group’s OC office, Alexandra Jarvis (pictured) described the company as “toxic”
Fellow luxury real estate agent Sean Palmieri announced his departure from the business in November 2023.
Tyler Stanaland left the Oppenheim Group in October 2023, following his public divorce from actress Brittany Snow.
‘Everyone has very strong personalities. You have to be Type A in this business, otherwise they will chew you up and spit you out.
“If you don’t stand up for yourself very emphatically, people will walk all over you.”
Type A refers to a pattern of behavior and personality associated with high achievement, competitiveness, and impatience, among other characteristics, according to WebMD.
Turning her attention to her boss Jason Oppenheim, who founded the brokerage and appears on Selling The OC and Selling Sunset, Vanessa stated that he fosters an entrepreneurial environment.
She said: ‘Jason is not toxic. He is very professional and is extremely good at his job. And of course, he demands that the people around him be on his level. I don’t need to say it, he just hires like that.
“He’s also very welcoming and if he sees that you’re doing a good job, then he’s very good at gathering around him a crowd that is successful and striving for success.”
“That’s not for everyone or every stage of life.”
Vanessa emphasized that while she is sad that Alexandra, Sean, and Tyler are no longer agents of the Oppenheim Group, she doesn’t believe there is any bad blood.
“Jason, for example, is always in touch with everyone,” he said.
Elsewhere in her interview, Vanessa insisted that the Selling The OC stories are authentic and in no way fabricated by the producers.
‘As you can imagine, people always ask if the drama in Orange County is real. Everything is real. This is real life,’ she said. ‘It’s true. Everything is happening.
‘By the way, all the co-stars are active agents. I know people say “oh, but they’re not working.” Is not true. Everyone is working hard. They are all rock star agents.
Vanessa has been an agent for the Oppenheim Group in the San Diego office since its opening in April 2023.
While Selling The OC fans have so far only seen a small slice of workplace life, she’s passionate about the idea of a new spin-off based on her office.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Vanessa said: “You have to be type A in this business, otherwise you’ll get chewed up and spit out.”
Vanessa is vying for a Selling San Diego spinoff on Netflix after the office’s grand opening last year.
“They introduced the San Diego office this season, and if you remember in the original Selling Sunset, they did the same thing when they introduced the OC office,” he said.
‘I haven’t heard anything else, but I think they should have a referral from our office.
‘There’s a lot going on. It’s a very competitive business and we have the agreements and we have the mansions.
‘San Diego was the most expensive city in the world a couple of months ago. You can imagine who lives here… and most of the people here are changing the world. “It’s a very inspiring place to be.”
As for her San Diego colleagues, Vanessa also described them as “rock star agents.”
She continued: “I have so many deals at the moment that I am escrow on two large deals, one of which I have double termination, meaning I represent both the buyer and the seller.”
“I feel really supported and have nothing but wonderful things to say about my colleagues.”
