'Selling the OC' Star Sean Palmieri Claims Oppenheim Group Wasn't His Ideal Workplace Culture

Season 3 of the Selling Sunset spinoff series, Selling the OC, has arrived, and we're all set to binge-watch it later tonight! Like its predecessors, the new season is full of drama, and one real estate agent who finds himself right in the middle of it all is Sean Palmieri.

Not only does Sean butt heads with his close friend Tyler Stanaland, but he also gets into a heated altercation with Austin Victoria. Unfortunately, nothing is fully resolved, but one thing's crystal clear: Sean isn't returning to the Oppenheim Group.

In November 2023, Sean announced that he was leaving the Oppenheim Group. He told Entertainment Tonight, "Unfortunately, the Oppenheim Group was not a culture fit for me."

"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," Sean continued. "Our team recently just launched with Coldwell Banker West."

He added, "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."

Ahead of the Season 3 premiere of Selling the OC, Jason Oppenheim spoke with US Weekly and clarified that Sean was not fired from the agency — he approached Jason about it himself.

"Generally, things work themselves out and I think people make the decisions that are best for them. I think that the fact that Sean came to me and told me that he was going to be leaving probably made things easier," he explained.

Jason added, "I think in my position, I really just want everyone to be doing what they think is best for them, both professionally and personally. I want everyone to succeed, whether it's at the Oppenheim Group or outside the Oppenheim Group."

However, Jason suspected that the drama might have played a role in Sean's decision to part ways with the Oppenheim Group.

"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," he added. "And then I think maybe this added to the frustration, but I don't know. It's really a strong question."

Austin Victoria also spoke with US Weekly ahead of the Season 3 premiere, sharing that he harbored "no hard feelings" about biding farewell to Sean. Additionally, he revealed to the outlet that Sean made things "toxic in the office."

"It felt like when he was there I couldn't be there. Some of us didn't want to be there when he was there. If we had events or anything," Austin said. "It was kind of like we're trying to keep ourselves separate because I don't want that in my life. I have enough going on. I'm a father, I'm a husband, and I am growing my business. That's what my focus is on, and I don't need to deal with lies and rumors."

Austin also disclosed to US Weekly that Sean confided in several colleagues about his dissatisfaction with the lack of screen time he got on the Netflix reality series.

"He had mentioned to numerous people in the office that he didn’t get screen time, Season 1 and Season 2," he claimed. "I know Sean was going through some stuff I know financially as well. So I was there for him, his friend, he opened up to me [on] numerous occasions and unfortunately, I became the target."

All three seasons of Selling the OC are now streaming on Netflix.