Published: 8:00 AM PST, November 20, 2023

Selling the OC star Sean Palmieri is handing in his keys to the O Group. 

“Unfortunately, the Oppenheim Group was not a culture fit for me and I’m really excited for the future as I just signed as a partner with an amazing, top-producing team and mentor, Steve Games, previous owner of Prudential California Realty and Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty,” the realtor tells ET in an exclusive statement. “Our team recently just launched with Coldwell Banker West.”

“Returning to the serene atmosphere of San Diego County, where I first ventured from Florida to California, brings me great joy,” he adds. “I’m eager to explore the opportunities that lie ahead for my business and success in this vibrant community.”

ET has reached out to Jason Oppenheim, broker and owner of the O Group, for comment.

Sean’s announcement follows the surprise release of a first look at the Netflix series’ third season, which debuted as part of sister show Selling Sunset‘s season 7 reunion special. Sean was noticeably absent from the taping, while co-stars Alex Hall, Polly Brindle, Gio Helou and Brandi Marshall all attended, despite Sean appearing to be most in the mix of the upcoming season’s drama. His fiery face-offs with his castmates, notably Austin Victoria, seem to align with the “culture fit” issues he notes in his statement. 

When ET sat down with the cast in August ahead of season 2’s launch, Sean previewed season 3 as having “double listings, double drama,” and shared some of his learnings from filming the two seasons back to back. 

“I feel like in business, I took the initiative to now, I keep majority of my colleagues at arm’s length, because I started to realize, once I get involved in too much drama … that leads into friendships ending,” he said. “I saw that with, Polly and I were really close. There’s some others in the office that I was close with, and now we don’t really speak that much, because there’s a lot of back and forth. There’s a lot of pointing the finger and it’s, you can’t really win a lot in this office. It’s like, if you call someone out on their BS, it’s like, ‘Oh god, he called me out, and now it’s time I’m gonna go after him!’ Like, ‘How dare he?!’ It’s getting ridiculous.”

“There’s a lot of gaslighting,” he added. “So for me, it’s been a blessing in disguise, because …  1700496983, I kind of just do my thing. I’m respectful with people. I think the only agent that I’m that would say I’m close to is [Alexandra Jarvis], like, since day one. When I first met her, we just got along super well, and she’s been the only agent that I just feel like I could have an actual, good dialogue with, and just be on good terms with and always just have good, fresh energy. But, with some friends, I mean at the beginning until now, I’m just low-key kind of over it. I’m like, you guys, this is too much hypocrisy. It’s very childish. And I’m like, we are in our mid-30s. We are adults, and we need to start acting like it.”

As for what Sean’s change of office means for his future on Selling the OC, that’s unclear. Netflix has yet to pick up the series for any seasons beyond season 3, and Sean reiterates to ET that swapping brokerages was strictly a “business move,” one he’s “really excited” to make. He is now the second Orange County agent to part ways with the Oppenheim Group this year, after Tyler Stanaland announced his own exit in October. 

“Leaving the Oppenheim Group wasn’t an easy decision, but is the right decision for me and my clients,” Tyler said in his own statement. “Not only am I joining my dad and brother at Douglas Elliman, I’m aligning with a brand that has unparalleled reach and presence in the market with a renowned network of agents and industry leaders.”

Seasons 1 and 2 of Selling the OC are now streaming on Netflix. Season 3 is expected to premiere next year.

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