“It’s not often you see everyone in one place,” says Jason Oppenheim of The Oppenheim Group said Wednesday. “It's pretty much just The Hollywood Reporter Power Broker Awards, where I see everyone in a room. It's really cool. That's what makes it special.”
Oppenheim was joined by his colleague and Selling the sunset co-star Mary Bonnet will present DAY's fourth annual Power Broker Awards. Neither was apprehensive. Instead, they were excited to present merit awards to friends and colleagues. “I would say I'm a lot more nervous at other awards ceremonies,” Oppenheim said. “But I feel comfortable in front of these people. We do business with them. I see them every day.”
Eclectic agents, dressed in everything from gowns to distressed jeans, mingled outdoors at the serene and elegant Swan Lake and Hotel Bel-Air, where the awards ceremony was held. As with 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 firm Vesta Home.
Alexander Ali, Kimberly Koza, Alexis Lopez and Gary Gumbleton
Jason Sean Weiss
The honors were held in conjunction with DAYHollywood Top 35 Real Estate Agents 2024 List, celebrating the top sellers in the Los Angeles metro area based on MLS-listed sales to Hollywood clients, overall transaction volume, and media exposure.
Guests included honorees 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 group of industry luminaries dazzled Chase Koplow, nominee for Apartment Sale of the Year.
“It's very exciting. It's my first time here, and I hope there will be many more,” he said. But even this young newcomer knew that despite the bucolic setting, the sweet strains of the fiddlers' notes, and the polite chatter, electricity and ambition permeated the flower-scented air. “There are 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 mainstay Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman, a gathering of so many other heavy hitters elicited feelings similar to those of a high-performing family reunion. “I really love them, and sometimes I really hate them,” she joked. “It mostly has to do with how much I’ve had to drink. If I have a glass of champagne or a shot of tequila, they’re adorable.”
Speaking of champagne, the event began with Bonnet and Oppenheim pouring a tower of Coup Champagne as swans glided across the lake. Guests then found their seats, delighted to be greeted with mini, matte black bottles of Coup Champagne with their names engraved on them.
Over a meal of delicious steak and salmon (most of the sandwiches remained untouched), the agents got remarkably personal, chatting about everything from romance to decisions about children to favorite vacation spots. But the conversation always turned to the main issue on everyone’s mind: the market. “It’s impossible not to talk about real estate,” said Heather T. Roy of Douglas Elliman, and her partner Learka Bosnak enthusiastically agreed. “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 were candid about the difficult state of luxury real estate over the past year, though a joke was never far away. “As agents, we have a lot more to explain to our clients about 2024,” Oppenheim said on stage. “First, it was the ULA tax, and then the hardest thing to explain is why are there two brokers with the Hilton name? But for me, the hardest thing to explain to anyone is why Million Dollar Quote it's still on the air.”
Former couple Bonnet and Oppenheim also engaged in a good-natured onstage spat, with Team of the Year winner Aaron Kirman eventually yelling from the audience that the two should get back together. A quick-witted Bonnet cheekily responded, “Have you seen my husband?”
Million Dollar Quotes Josh Flagg joined in the fun as he accepted the Media Maverick award for launching Estate Media, which brings together the biggest names in luxury real estate to deliver content that entertains and informs. “Thank you guys. Even though my show isn't supposed to be on the air yet, we've been on the air for 20 years. We've made it longer than Landing nodesthat led to 13 seasons… I really appreciate it. I have nothing to say except thank you. And that's all I have to say.”
“That’s how you become a media maverick,” Oppenheim joked. “You don’t prepare a speech.”
Despite the jokes, there were heartfelt moments of real camaraderie. Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency won the Stratospheric Sale Award (his third in a row) for the $210 million sale of Oakley founder James Jannard’s Malibu estate. “I feel so lucky and blessed to be here and celebrate ourselves, celebrate our industry, which we don’t do enough of,” he said. “I’m very fortunate to work with people. I love working with people, and that’s what deals are all about. It’s about working with people.”
Jason Oppenheim and Linda May
Jason Sean Weiss
Perhaps the most moving speech of the night was when industry luminary Linda May of Carolwood accepted the Philanthropic Impact Award for her close relationships with A Place Called Home, Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, The Wallis Center for Performing Arts, and the LA Philharmonic, among other charities. In her speech, she noted how philanthropy is often intertwined with real estate.
“I loved hearing that I was honored,” she said. “It's really near and dear to my heart. My husband and I are very passionate 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 this, you've sent a check to that client's favorite charity instead of going out and buying a big gift, and they've loved you for that.”
Other winners include Santiago Arana of The Agency for Celebrity Property Portfolio. His client list includes Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and Sofia Vergara. Jade Mills of Coldwell Banker was honored as a Historic Architectural Agent in honor of her longstanding commitment to selling significant historic properties. Mauricio Umansky, Taaseen Qureshi and Michelle Montany of The Agency won Condo Sale of the Year for their $24 million sale of the penthouse at 8899 Beverly Boulevard.
Douglas Elliman's Peter Owens won the Rising Star Award. “It's an incredible honor,” he said. “I was telling some new friends tonight that I started working in residential real estate at a company called Purple Bricks… I was charging $3,000 a listing and I couldn't afford the rent. So to be here tonight, to receive this award, it means a lot to me.”
Aaron Kirkman
Jason Sean Weiss
Indeed, gratitude and a quiet hope were the order of the day. Team of the Year went to Christie's International Real Estate Southern California, who has overcome The real deal 2023 Ranking with $1.1 Billion in Market SalesS. Founder Aaron Kirman congratulated everyone in the room for continuing to excel in a tough market. “I know how hard we work,” Kirman said. “It’s really hard work. It gets harder every day. And at the end of the day, everyone in this room should be super proud of themselves and keep working.”
Below is the full list of winners.
Team of the Year: Aaron Kirman
Philanthropic Impact Award: Linda Maggio
Historical Architecture Agent:
Candidates: The Altman Brothers Team; Jade Mills; Smith & Berg Partners
Winner: Jade Mills
Apartment sales of the year:
Candidates: James Harris and David Parnes (Carolwood) and Ginger Glass (Compass); Sally Forster Jones, Tomer Fridman and Amir Ensani (Compass); Josh Altman and Chase Koplow (Douglas Elliman); Michelle Montany, Taaseen Qureshi and Mauricio Umansky (The Agency)
Winner: Michelle Montany, Taaseen Qureshi and Mauricio Umansky
The Media Maverick:
Candidates: Josh Flagg; Jordan Cohen; Tracy Tutor
Winner: Josh Flagg
Stratospheric sale:
Candidates: James Harris and David Parnes; Kurt Rappaport; Kurt Rappaport and Andreas Elsenhans (Westside Estate Agency) and Helen Chong and Susanna Leung (Haylen Group)
Winner: Kurt Rappaport
Rising Star:
Candidates: Brendan Brown (Plus); Ryan Jancula (Compass); Sasha Kaplan (Coldwell Banker); Peter Owens (Douglas Elliman); Jonathan Perez (Westside Estate Agency); Nick Sandler and Bennet Hirsch (The Agency)
Winner: Peter Owens
Celebrity Property Portfolio:
Candidates: Cindy Ambuehl; Santiago Arana; Justin Paul Huchel
Winner: Santiago Arana