Kriti Mehrotra
Fans of Netflix’s ‘Selling the OC’ were definitely in for a surprise when season 4 premiered after a wait of almost a year and a half, with the core cast member list looking incredibly different. That’s because literally half of the original stars quit the production following the previous installment owing to how complex, dramatic, and intense things were becoming between them. Amongst them is Sean Palmieri, who decided to part ways with not only the show but also The Oppenheim Group as a whole after several arguments with his fellow realtors in a short period.
Sean Palmieri’s Passion Lies in Real Estate
A native of Palm Beach, Florida, Sean Palmieri has always had a natural interest in all things aesthetic, comfortable, and luxurious, resulting in him gravitating towards the world of real estate. Therefore, upon graduating from The Benjamin School, he chose to hone some particular skills by enrolling at the University of Florida in Gainesville to pursue a Bachelor’s in Advertising. According to records, during this period, he even learned the significance of attention to detail, diversity, and market values through his extracurricular activities. He was an Assistant to the Student Dean as well as a member of the NaviGators Society to help international students integrate into the community.
Sean graduated with full credits in 2016, not long after which he worked hard to earn his realtor license and kickstart his career in the industry he had seriously dreamed about as a child. He actually landed the position of a Sales & Operations personnel in the Zaha Hadid One Thousand Museum group at ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, where he remained until early 2018. He then joined Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty as a Marketing & Operations Director before shifting gears in late 2019 to work as a Luxury Marketing Manager at Coldwell Banker Global Luxury.
Sean held the executive title only til July 2021 since he had finally taken the leap of faith to evolve into a full-fledged real estate agent, leading to him being hired by the Oppenheim Group. He prided himself on having a client-centric approach, meaning he specialized in communication, market trends, and negotiations to ensure they close on their dream home at the right price. However, everything changed around late 2023-early 2024 as his interpersonal relationships with almost all his coworkers spiraled to such an extent that it reportedly started affecting his performance.
Sean Palmieri Continues to Serve as a Realtor, Albeit at a Different Brokerage
It was Sean himself who broke the news of his departure from The Oppenheim Group in the summer of 2024 – before the release of season 3 – by issuing an official statement through People. “After much consideration, I’ve decided to part ways with The Oppenheim Group,” he said. “I am very excited about this new chapter in my career and eager to embark on a journey that closely aligns with my professional aspirations and personal growth.” He gave no additional details, but his former boss and real estate tycoon, Jason Oppenheim, did give an insight to US Weekly not long after.
In an exclusive interview in May 2024, Jason asserted that Sean left the brokerage on his own accord, but all the drama likely did play a significant role in his ultimate decision. “I can’t imagine that it didn’t have something to do with it, but I’m sure that professionally he wasn’t finding a lot of success (either),” he said. “And then I think maybe this added to the frustration, but I don’t know. It’s really a strong question.” Since then, Sean has seemingly chosen to remain well away from the world of reality television/entertainment, but real estate remains his passion to this day.
After all, upon quitting The Oppenheim Group, he hung his licence at the West End Inc. for a few months before joining Equity California Real Estate in Los Alamitos, California. In other words, currently residing in of Beverly Hills, the 30-year-old agent continues to work hard in the industry he has dedicated almost a decade of his life to, and he has no intention of stopping anytime soon. On a more personal level, Sean is extremely passionate about food and travel too, so whenever he is not working, he is either undertaking new experiences, exploring the world, or just enjoying down time with loved ones. In fact, from what we can tell, he most recently traversed to Belgium (April 2025), New York (May 2025), and the Netherlands (September 2025).
