“It’s really not often that you get to see everyone in the same place,” Jason Oppenheim of The Oppenheim Group said Wednesday. “It’s pretty much just The Hollywood Reporter Power Broker Awards that I get to see everyone in one room. That’s really cool. That makes this special.”
Oppenheim was joined by colleague and Selling Sunset co-star Mary Bonnet to present THR‘s fourth annual Power Broker Awards. Neither was apprehensive. Instead, they were thrilled to be able to present awards of merit to friends and associates. “I would say I’m way more nervous at some other award shows,” Oppenheim said. “But I feel comfortable in front of these people. We do deals with them. I see them every day.”
Eclectic brokers, dressed in everything from evening gowns to well-worn jeans, mingled outdoors at the serene and elegant Swan Lake and the Hotel Bel- Air, where the awards ceremony was held. As with the previous ceremonies, the event was presented by luxury real estate PR firm The Society Group. Event partners included Fleetwood Windows & Doors and interior design and home styling company Vesta Home.
Alexander Ali, Kimberly Koza, Alexis Lopez and Gary Gumbleton
Jason Sean Weiss
The honors were held in conjunction with THR’s 2024 list of Hollywood’s Top 35 Real Estate Agents, which celebrates the top sellers in the greater Los Angeles area based on MLS-listed sales to Hollywood clients, overall deal volume and media visibility.
Guests included honorees like James Harris and David Parnes, Josh and Matt Altman, Tracy Tutor, Cindy Ambuehl, Alexia Umansky, Tomer and Isodora Fridman, Carl Gambino, Michael Nourmand and Rochelle Atlas Maize. The heady grouping of industry luminaires dazzled Chase Koplow, nominated for Condo Sale of the Year.
“It’s very exciting. It’s my first time being here, and I hope for many more,” he said. But even this young newcomer knew that despite the bucolic setting, the soft melodies of the violin players notes, and the polite chit-chat, electricity and ambition permeated the flower-scented air. “There’s a lot of hunters here tonight,” he said smiling. “A lot of wolves.”
Kurt Rappaport, Josh Altman, Brett Baer, Iris Loeffler and Jacob Greene
Jason Sean Weiss
For list main-stay Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman, a gathering of so many other heavy-hitters brought out feelings akin to a family reunion of overachievers. “I really do love them, and sometimes I really hate them,” she joked. “It mostly has to do with how much I have had to drink. If I have a glass of champagne or a shot of tequila, they’re adorable.”
Speaking of champagne, the event kicked off with Bonnet and Oppenheim pouring a Coup Champagne tower, as swans glided across the lake. Guests then found their seats, delighted to come across matte black mini bottles of Coup Champagne with their names etched on them.
Over a meal of delicious steak and salmon (the rolls remained almost universally untouched), agents got remarkably personal, chatting about everything from romances to decisions about children and favorite vacations spots. But the conversation always turned to the top issue on everyone’s mind: the market. “It’s impossible not to talk about real estate,” said Heather T. Roy of Douglas Elliman, her partner Learka Bosnak enthusiastically agreeing. “We’ve been here five minutes, and we already have three addresses we need to look at.”
Brett Baer, Julian Buckner, Maggie Grillon and Kiel Wuellner
Jason Sean Weiss
Agents and presenters alike were honest about the challenging state of luxury real estate over the past year, though a joke was never far behind. “As agents, we have so much more to explain about 2024 to our clients,” Oppenheim said on stage. “First, it was the ULA tax, then the hardest thing to explain though is why are there two brokerages with the name Hilton in it? But for me, the hardest thing to explain to anyone is why Million Dollar Listing is still on the air.”
Ex-couple Bonnet and Oppenheim also engaged in a good-natured spat onstage, with Team of the Year winner Aaron Kirman finally heckling from the audience that the two should get back together. A quick-witted Bonnet cheekily responded, “Have you seen my husband?”
Million Dollar Listing’s Josh Flagg got in on the fun when he accepted the award for Media Maverick for launching Estate Media, which brings together luxury real estate’s biggest personalities to deliver content that entertains and informs. “Thank you guys. Even though my show should not be on the air still, we’re going 20 years now on air. We made it longer than Knots Landing, which made it 13 seasons… I really appreciate it. I don’t have anything to say but thank you. And that’s all I got to say.”
“That’s how you become a media maverick,” an amused Oppenheim joked. “You do not prepare a speech.”
Despite the banter, there were heartfelt moments of true camaraderie. Westside Estate Agency’s Kurt Rappaport won the Stratospheric Sale Award (his third in a row) for the $210 million dollar sale of Oakley founder James Jannard’s Malibu estate. “I just feel so lucky and blessed to be here and celebrate us, celebrate our industry, which we don’t do enough,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to work with people. I love to work with people, and that’s what deals are about. It’s about working with people.”
Jason Oppenheim and Linda May
Jason Sean Weiss
Perhaps the most touching speech of the night came when industry luminary Linda May of Carolwood accepted the Philanthropic Impact Award for her close relationship with A Place Called Home, Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, The Wallis Center for Performing Arts and the L.A. Philharmonic, among other charitable organizations. In her speech, she noted how philanthropy is often woven into the real estate business.
“I loved hearing that I was going to be honored,” she said. “This is really near and dear to my heart. My husband and I really care about philanthropy. A lot of times when I’m working hard on a deal and at the end of the deal, I’m sure a lot of you have done it, you’ve sent a check into that client’s favorite charity instead of going and buying a big gift — and they loved you for it.”
Other winners included Santiago Arana of The Agency for Celebrity Property Portfolio. His client roster includes Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and Sofía Vergara. Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker was honored as an Agent of Historic Architecture in celebration of her longtime commitment to selling significant historic properties. The Agency’s Mauricio Umansky, Taaseen Qureshi and Michelle Montany won Condo Sale of the Year, for the $24 million dollar sale of the penthouse at 8899 Beverly Boulevard.
Peter Owens of Douglas Elliman won the Rising Star Award. “This is an incredible honor,” he said. “I was telling some new friends tonight that I got my start in residential real estate at a company called Purple Bricks…I was charging $3,000 per listing and couldn’t afford rent. So, to be here tonight, earning this award means so much to me.”
Aaron Kirkman
Jason Sean Weiss
Indeed, gratitude and a quiet hopefulness were the order of the night. Team of the Year went to Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California, which topped The Real Deal’s 2023 rankings with $1.1 billion in on-market sales. Founder Aaron Kirman congratulated all the attendees for continuing to excel in a challenging market. “I know how hard all of us work,” Kirman said. “It’s a really tough job. It’s getting harder every day. And at the end of the day, everybody in this room should be super proud of themselves and keep it rolling.”
See the full list of winners below.
Team of the Year: Aaron Kirman
Philanthropic Impact Award: Linda May
Agent of Historic Architecture:
Nominees: The Altman Brothers Team; Jade Mills; Smith & Berg Partners
Winner: Jade Mills
Condo Sale of the Year:
Nominees: James Harris & David Parnes (Carolwood) and Ginger Glass (Compass); Sally Forster Jones, Tomer Fridman & Amir Ensani (Compass); Josh Altman & Chase Koplow (Douglas Elliman); Michelle Montany, Taaseen Qureshi & Mauricio Umansky (The Agency)
Winner: Michelle Montany, Taaseen Qureshi & Mauricio Umansky
Media Maverick:
Nominees: Josh Flagg; Jordan Cohen; Tracy Tutor
Winner: Josh Flagg
Stratospheric Sale:
Nominees: James Harris & David Parnes; Kurt Rappaport; Kurt Rappaport & Andreas Elsenhans (Westside Estate Agency) and Helen Chong & Susanna Leung (Haylen Group)
Winner: Kurt Rappaport
Rising Star:
Nominees: Brendan Brown (Plus); Ryan Jancula (Compass); Sasha Kaplan (Coldwell Banker); Peter Owens (Douglas Elliman); Jonathan Perez (Westside Estate Agency); Nick Sandler & Bennet Hirsch (The Agency)
Winner: Peter Owens
Celebrity Property Portfolio:
Nominees: Cindy Ambuehl; Santiago Arana; Justin Paul Huchel
Winner: Santiago Arana
