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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Million Dollar Listing' star used to sling paninis, but now leads a team closing $15 billion in deals—because someone was ‘stupid enough' to hire him
icon Fredrik Eklund came to NYC with no job, connections, or family help. He started off handing out paninis outside David Letterman's late-night show, earning $15 hourly and one penny per sandwich, before a friend recommended real estate as a career. A boutique agency was 'stupid enough' to hire him with no experience, and the rest is history. Now, his team of around 100 agents has closed more than $15 billion in property deals, and his celebrity clientele includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Jonas, and John Legend. Fredrik Eklund has made it in U.S. real estate—the Million Dollar Listing New York star has helped close more than $15 billion in sales all across the country. But things looked a lot different just two decades ago when he first moved to the city. Eklund was handing out paninis in front of the Late Show with David Letterman for just $15 an hour before he got a shot at selling luxe apartments. 'This was at a time when New York—and I didn't know it then—was very undervalued,' Eklund tells Fortune. 'And it was about to explode in what I've been focusing on: new developments, and these new beautiful buildings.' 'I was a little bit lucky to happen to fall into it; I got my license at NYU and I got a job from someone stupid enough to hire me with no experience.' Eklund now leads a real estate powerhouse of around 100 agents, the The Eklund|Gomes Team, at luxury firm Douglas Elliman. He leads offices in 10 markets, with celebrity clientele ranging from Jennifer Lopez to Joe Jonas, as he takes over America's real estate scene. Aside from New York, the self-made millionaire also has his eyes set on Miami as a sales ambassador for a $2 billion luxury living project in Bahia Mar, working with real estate titan Jorge M. Pérez's Related Group. But his rise to fame in the industry—and on Bravo—was anything but meteoric. It took years to achieve success after Eklund cleaned his slate and moved from Stockholm to New York City with nothing. No connections, no business, and no clear plan of what he wanted to pursue. 'It was very scary to not really know the city, because I didn't have any context here,' Eklund says. 'Nobody would give me any business, because I didn't know anybody.' From handing out paninis outside David Letterman to helping close $15 billion in real estate Needless to say, Eklund didn't propel straight into a top real estate firm when trying to find his first gig in New York City. 'We were handing out paninis for free for one of those cafe restaurants right outside David Letterman,' Eklund recalls. 'As part of the job, we got a penny a panini. I think we got $15 to $20 an hour, which is not bad. They had some free lunch.' But Eklund was determined to not hand out paninis for life, and then a friend suggested real estate as a potential career path, fitting for Eklund's outgoing persona. Intrigued by the idea, Eklund soon got his real estate license from New York University, and a boutique property agency offered him a role. Six months later, he landed his first client. And it was all thanks to his friend being perceptive on what profession Eklund could stand out in. 'After the paninis thing, I was like, 'What am I actually going to really do?'' Eklund says. 'A friend of mine told me that I would be really good at real estate, because I have this crazy persona—a very large, eccentric, entertaining, and bubbly personality. But I'm also super driven, cutthroat, and very competitive.' Millions of viewers from across the country would soon tune into his competitive edge on Million Dollar Listing New York. Eklund was an original cast member when the Bravo show premiered in 2012, and stayed on for a full decade until his departure in 2022. Ever since, Eklund had been building his own real estate empire, recording $3.77 billion in sales across New York, California, Florida, and Texas in 2023 alone. Notable clientele include Sex and the City icon Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as Hollywood power couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. And Eklund says he's proud that he's built his $15 billion empire from the ground-up. 'I didn't have all those contacts, or a sort of easy beginning. Nobody did me a favor, or my dad or mom,' Eklund says. 'I did it all by myself—I put it all on this one thing, and it worked.' A word of caution to aspiring real estate millionaires: Success doesn't come fast While Eklund has two decades of accomplishments under his belt, he has a word of caution for other aspiring real estate agents looking to replicate his success. Becoming well established in the profession takes years to get there, and doubt creeps in along the way. 'I would say it takes five years to really make it,' Eklund warns. 'It's a very difficult industry because it's super, super competitive, so you cannot give up like I almost did. I wanted to give up after two, three years. I was like, 'This is not for me, I'm not doing well enough.'' Being able to tough out the early years can lead to million-dollar closings across New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, but it takes a certain type of person to make the cut. While Eklund says he has the eccentric personality and drive to stand out, there's another part of his persona that's a double-edged sword in the job. It could be the trait that makes or breaks someone in real estate, but he leverages the perceived flaw to his advantage. '[Real estate is] an art and a craft, and the only way to learn is the hard way. You cannot really learn it in school. [You've] gotta be out on the streets, the mean streets,' Eklund explains. 'It takes a long time, and if you're an impulsive and impatient person—which I am, and can make you even more successful at work—it's very easy to kind of find a new hobby or a new thing.' This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Million Dollar Listing' star used to sling paninis, but now leads a team closing $15 billion in deals—because someone was ‘stupid enough' to hire him
icon Fredrik Eklund came to NYC with no job, connections, or family help. He started off handing out paninis outside David Letterman's late-night show, earning $15 hourly and one penny per sandwich, before a friend recommended real estate as a career. A boutique agency was 'stupid enough' to hire him with no experience, and the rest is history. Now, his team of around 100 agents has closed more than $15 billion in property deals, and his celebrity clientele includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Jonas, and John Legend. Fredrik Eklund has made it in U.S. real estate—the Million Dollar Listing New York star has helped close more than $15 billion in sales all across the country. But things looked a lot different just two decades ago when he first moved to the city. Eklund was handing out paninis in front of the Late Show with David Letterman for just $15 an hour before he got a shot at selling luxe apartments. 'This was at a time when New York—and I didn't know it then—was very undervalued,' Eklund tells Fortune. 'And it was about to explode in what I've been focusing on: new developments, and these new beautiful buildings.' 'I was a little bit lucky to happen to fall into it; I got my license at NYU and I got a job from someone stupid enough to hire me with no experience.' Eklund now leads a real estate powerhouse of around 100 agents, the The Eklund|Gomes Team, at luxury firm Douglas Elliman. He leads offices in 10 markets, with celebrity clientele ranging from Jennifer Lopez to Joe Jonas, as he takes over America's real estate scene. Aside from New York, the self-made millionaire also has his eyes set on Miami as a sales ambassador for a $2 billion luxury living project in Bahia Mar, working with real estate titan Jorge M. Pérez's Related Group. But his rise to fame in the industry—and on Bravo—was anything but meteoric. It took years to achieve success after Eklund cleaned his slate and moved from Stockholm to New York City with nothing. No connections, no business, and no clear plan of what he wanted to pursue. 'It was very scary to not really know the city, because I didn't have any context here,' Eklund says. 'Nobody would give me any business, because I didn't know anybody.' From handing out paninis outside David Letterman to helping close $15 billion in real estate Needless to say, Eklund didn't propel straight into a top real estate firm when trying to find his first gig in New York City. 'We were handing out paninis for free for one of those cafe restaurants right outside David Letterman,' Eklund recalls. 'As part of the job, we got a penny a panini. I think we got $15 to $20 an hour, which is not bad. They had some free lunch.' But Eklund was determined to not hand out paninis for life, and then a friend suggested real estate as a potential career path, fitting for Eklund's outgoing persona. Intrigued by the idea, Eklund soon got his real estate license from New York University, and a boutique property agency offered him a role. Six months later, he landed his first client. And it was all thanks to his friend being perceptive on what profession Eklund could stand out in. 'After the paninis thing, I was like, 'What am I actually going to really do?'' Eklund says. 'A friend of mine told me that I would be really good at real estate, because I have this crazy persona—a very large, eccentric, entertaining, and bubbly personality. But I'm also super driven, cutthroat, and very competitive.' Millions of viewers from across the country would soon tune into his competitive edge on Million Dollar Listing New York. Eklund was an original cast member when the Bravo show premiered in 2012, and stayed on for a full decade until his departure in 2022. Ever since, Eklund had been building his own real estate empire, recording $3.77 billion in sales across New York, California, Florida, and Texas in 2023 alone. Notable clientele include Sex and the City icon Sarah Jessica Parker, as well as Hollywood power couple Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. And Eklund says he's proud that he's built his $15 billion empire from the ground-up. 'I didn't have all those contacts, or a sort of easy beginning. Nobody did me a favor, or my dad or mom,' Eklund says. 'I did it all by myself—I put it all on this one thing, and it worked.' A word of caution to aspiring real estate millionaires: Success doesn't come fast While Eklund has two decades of accomplishments under his belt, he has a word of caution for other aspiring real estate agents looking to replicate his success. Becoming well established in the profession takes years to get there, and doubt creeps in along the way. 'I would say it takes five years to really make it,' Eklund warns. 'It's a very difficult industry because it's super, super competitive, so you cannot give up like I almost did. I wanted to give up after two, three years. I was like, 'This is not for me, I'm not doing well enough.'' Being able to tough out the early years can lead to million-dollar closings across New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, but it takes a certain type of person to make the cut. While Eklund says he has the eccentric personality and drive to stand out, there's another part of his persona that's a double-edged sword in the job. It could be the trait that makes or breaks someone in real estate, but he leverages the perceived flaw to his advantage. '[Real estate is] an art and a craft, and the only way to learn is the hard way. You cannot really learn it in school. [You've] gotta be out on the streets, the mean streets,' Eklund explains. 'It takes a long time, and if you're an impulsive and impatient person—which I am, and can make you even more successful at work—it's very easy to kind of find a new hobby or a new thing.' This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Million Dollar Listing star Josh Flagg SLAMMED for bragging about selling two homes ruined by LA wildfires
Million Dollar Listing star Josh Flagg has been been blasted as 'tacky' by fans after he bragged about selling two homes that were ravaged in the Los Angeles wildfires. The 39-year-old real estate agent shared a startling image of burned Malibu homes along the Pacific Coast Highway to his Instagram on Tuesday with the caption, 'JUST SOLD!' The grim photo showed an aerial view of the decimated properties along the coastline. They appeared to be completely burned down, with only the skeletal remains of their walls and roofs standing. There was a mixture of rubble, debris and ash still visible from the January fires, which took 31 lives, destroyed homes, displaced thousands, and scorched over 40,000 acres across Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Flagg shared that one of the homes sold for $5,000,000 and the other for $4,650,000, and went on to repost the photo to his Instagram Stories as well. He was slammed by fans for the 'awful' and 'insensitive' post, with one writing, 'This is horrific. Dear god… people died. Pets were lost. So inhumane to post this….' Million Dollar Listing star Josh Flagg, 39, has been slammed by fans after he bragged about selling two homes that were ravaged in the Los Angeles wildfires; Flagg pictured in 2022 The real estate agent shared a startling image of burned Malibu homes along the Pacific Coast Highway with the caption, 'JUST SOLD!' Another wrote: 'Ohhhhh no. Really? You just had to post this picture? Someone's burnt memories?' 'Wow are you really this out of touch??!! Talk about insane privilege. These are people's homes and memories they tragically lost!' 'Posting this is in very poor taste.' 'We don't need to see the ravaged homes that are being resold to corporations and the ultra wealthy to price out average people,' another fan wrote. 'So tone deaf. Very sad reality.' 'Good for you, but this seems very unnecessary. Triggering and heartbreaking for a lot of people. What a disappointing world we live on.' 'You living your best life, commission for ashes is crazy work !!' someone else chimed in. 'Well that's a depressing photo,' another fan wrote, while someone else added, 'You still have time to take this down.' 'This is insanely heartbreaking. I hope the owners are healing.' Another commentator summed up the situation, writing, 'Some sales you don't need to post. Even if you represented the seller.' The grim photo, which he also shared to his Stories, showed an aerial view of the decimated properties along the coastline The Los Angeles fires burned for weeks as firefighters worked to get them under control, and torched acres of land in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena and Altadena. The total economic loss from the fires is estimated to be $250 billion, which includes factors such as anticipated cleanup costs, housing displacement and businesses shutting down. Many of Hollywood's biggest celebrities lost their homes when their affluent neighborhoods were reduced to ash and rubble. The homes of Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Anthony Hopkins, Tina Knowles, John Goodman, Candy Spelling, Milo Ventimiglia, and Miles Teller were among those destroyed. In January, Flagg defended celebrities who faced major backlash for their questionable posts on social media in response to the wildfires, such as Meghan Markle, who was called a 'disaster tourist,' and Mandy Moore, after she asked for GoFundMe donations for her family members. 'I would say everybody's equal. Everybody's having a hard time,' the reality star told He went on to explain that people could be considered 'famous' and not have a lot in their bank account. 'There's plenty of celebrities out there that don't have tons of money. They're just famous people,' he continued. 'Of course, if somebody is privileged enough to have a second home, their life is going to be easier than somebody that doesn't have a second home.' 'But there are plenty of celebrities that don't have a lot of money and have one primary residence that lost their home. And I can guarantee you, it's just as heart wrenching for somebody who's worth a billion dollars than for somebody who's worth a hundred dollars, and it doesn't really matter.' He added, 'Everybody's entitled to feel how they feel. And of course, some people will be hit harder than others, but there's no reason to make a celebrity or somebody with a ton of money feel like they're less important. 'Everybody is equally as important in this world.' At the time, Flagg left Los Angeles to work from his property in New York City, and was focused on placing victims in homes. 'Right now I'm trying to move everybody into houses that lost their home, whether it be a lease or it be a sale for some of my more fortunate clients that can afford to buy another house instead of pay rent or choosing to go that option,' he explained. Flagg is best known for his role on the reality show Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles. The fifteenth season of the show premiered on July 10, 2024. Season 16 has been been put on pause after Josh and Heather Altman decided to leave the show last October.
New York Post
06-08-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Josh Flagg is in contract to buy an East Hampton home
Film and TV producer David Zander, an LA-based buyer of pricey and historic homes, is renting a new-construction spec house in East Hampton's tony Georgica estate section for the summer season, Gimme Shelter has learned. What's more, Zander's rental, which was completed last year, has also just found some new owners. Real estate broker and 'Million Dollar Listing' star Josh Flagg, and his childhood friend Justin Gruenberg, are now in contract to purchase it, as first reported by TMZ. The two are in the works to buy the home for around $8.5 million, sources said. Zander is president and co-founder of MJZ — a global commercial, music video, feature film and television production company. He was last in Hamptons headlines when he sold Lasata — where Jackie Kennedy Onassis spent her childhood summers — to fashion designer Tom Ford for $52 million in 2023. 7 Josh Flagg will be a co-owner of the Hamptons dwelling. Brian Zak/Page Six 7 The great room has plenty of space for entertaining. Real Shot Studios 7 The great room comes with a fireplace and opens to the outdoors. Real Shot Studios 7 One of the bedrooms inside. Real Shot Studios Zander was also recently in the news earlier this year. In April, he paid $57 million for Rod Stewart's former LA mansion, on 4 acres. Another part of the estate including a circa-1911 cabin on 2 acres was sold separately for $29 million, bringing the total sale price to $86 million. Zander could not be reached at press time. The six-bedroom home, on half an acre, first hit the market last year for $10.85 million. It last asked $9.15 million. The buyers signed a contract within a week of seeing the house, sources said. At 4,400 square feet, the property comes with 1,500 square feet of covered terraces and balconies — along with a pool, a pool house and a one-car garage. The traditional-style residence was designed by architect Brian Glasser, built by renowned local builder Phil Kaufman and developed by Robert Zecher's Vault Development Partners. The home has standout touches, like a sink that was once in one of Billy Joel's homes, a source said. Friends, however, tell Gimme that Flagg plans to renovate the home to 'make it look more traditional' and give it 'some soul so that it looks like it has been there for 100 years.' 7 The outdoor areas are simply stunning. Real Shot Studios 7 Exterior perks also include a pool. Real Shot Studios 7 The gorgeous home was built last year to be both modern and traditional. Real Shot Studios The dwelling opens to a foyer that flows to a large great room with 38-foot accordion doors leading to a covered porch with a herringbone bluestone floor, an outdoor fireplace, an automated screen and a barbeque. Inside, the ground floor features a chef's kitchen, a prep kitchen, an eat-in breakfast nook and a junior primary suite. Upstairs, a private balcony graces the main bedroom. Downstairs, there's a rec room with built-in wine storage, two guest bedrooms and a large laundry room. Its listing brokers were Martha Gundersen and Paul Brennan. This month, Flagg is renting in Sagaponack, after returning from a trip to the south of France and other glamorous locations, as per his Instagram. Flagg plans to celebrate his birthday with a soirée at the Sagaponack rental, across from the much-hyped General Store. Guests slated to attend include Candy Spelling, whose former LA mansion just sold to Google's ex-CEO Eric Schmidt for $110 million. Flagg's Hamptons deal follows Flagg Family Capital's purchase, with partners Andrew Aryeh and David Elbez, of retail space at 170 Mercer St. in Soho. The deal closed last Christmas Eve.
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bravo TV's 'McBee Dynasty' stars list lavish Nashville home for $1.6 million
A luxurious Nashville property owned by the McBee family from the Bravo reality television program "The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys" is on the market. The four-level home, which currently operates as an Airbnb, offers a fully furnished retreat just minutes from bustling Broadway. The home's exterior boasts a sleek modern wall fountain at the front entrance, hinting at the stylish design found throughout. Featured on the exterior is a massive mural that will be recognizable to fans of the docuseries, which follows the McBee family as they navigate the high-stakes world of farming and ranching in rural Missouri. TV-famous properties: 'Million Dollar Listing' star Ryan Serhant recruited to sell entire waterfront condo The home is also next to a property that hosted a controversial party during the COVID-19 pandemic. The residence once known as the "Fashion House" drew complaints and eventually charges for violating public health orders. According to Benchmark Realty listing agent, Heather Smith, the family is selling the home to reinvest into their car wash business, McBee's Coffee and Carwash. The property is listed at $1,589,900. With a down payment of $317,980 and a 30-year mortgage at a 5.97% interest rate, the estimated monthly payment is $8,169. See the luxurious Nashville property featured on 'The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys' Inside, the home features four designer bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, two laundry-equipped levels, a gas fireplace, and a chef's kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances and a gas stove. The spacious two-car garage includes additional storage, a sink and a refrigerator. The master suite includes a private balcony with unobstructed views of the Nashville skyline, a massive shower with five shower heads and a custom-built closet. A recently added rooftop lounge offers breathtaking panoramic views of Music City. Neighboring 'Fashion House' party drew outrage during the COVID-19 pandemic In August 2020, a large house party drew hundreds to the property on Fern Avenue in East Nashville, despite public health restrictions in place at the time. Promoted as the launch of what was then called 'The Fashion House,' the event went viral on social media, with photos and videos showing attendees without masks and ignoring social distancing guidelines. At the time, Nashville limited gatherings to 25 people and required face coverings in public. The party took place across three units at 21 Fern Ave., primarily in Unit B but also spilling into Unit A, the Tennessean reported. According to reports, Metro Nashville Police responded multiple times but issued no citations for violating the city's Modified Phase 2 health order. The event was eventually shut down. Following public backlash, then-Mayor John Cooper's office called for a review of MNPD's handling of the situation and signaled the city's intent to pursue criminal charges against the organizers. An investigation was launched, and the incident drew widespread condemnation. Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana
