The Untold Truth Of Million Dollar Beach House

Million Dollar Beach House is similar to TV reality shows like Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles that boast the winning combination of attractive realtors with outsized personalities and intense interpersonal drama. Netflix got in on the action with California-set Selling Sunset in 2019, mining a similar format that put an even greater emphasis on agents' personal lives, and, in August 2020, Netflix debuted Million Dollar Beach House, set on the opposite coast. 

Million Dollar Beach House follows a group of hungry, young (and, naturally, camera-ready) realtors who sell multimillion-dollar properties in the Hamptons, a summertime playground for New York City's elite. According to Netflix's synopsis of the show (via Cosmopolitan UK), Million Dollar Beach House offers "a bird's eye view into the day-to-day life of the Hampton's youngest and most exclusive group of real estate agents, documenting their private lives and posh coastline listings."

With stiff competition from numerous shows, this reality series promised to up the ante by bringing viewers "all the views, all the schmooze, and brokers with a lot to lose." Keep on reading to discover the untold truth of Million Dollar Beach House. 

Given the similarities between the two shows, comparisons between Million Dollar Beach House and Selling Sunset were pretty much inevitable. When the first trailer for Million Dollar Beach House debuted on YouTube, those comparisons came at a fast and furious pace. "This new Netflix show is basically Selling Sunset but in the Hamptons," read a headline in Cosmopolitan, while Hello! offered a similar take, describing Million Dollar Beach House as "basically Selling Sunset but, this time, the incredible properties are located in the exclusive and luxurious area of The Hamptons..."

Yet another comparison came from PopSugar, which noted the show is "similar to Selling Sunset," and a headline in Glamour declared that Million Dollar Beach House had "major Selling Sunset vibes." Meanwhile, Britain's Mirror noted that Million Dollar Beach House "promises to be a sassy and entertaining show with enough drama to go around to help with the heartbreak of Selling Sunset's season three coming to an end." 

TheWrap even doubled down on the comparisons, writing that Million Dollar Beach House is both "Selling Sunset-East-esque" and "like Selling Sunset, just 3,000 miles east."

At the center of Million Dollar Beach House are five realtors who work for the Hamptons branch of real estate firm Nest Seekers International. In its initial report on the show in August 2020, TheWrap listed bios of the five: Michael Fulfree, Jimmy Giugliano, Noel Roberts, JB Andreassi, and Peggy Zabakolas.

Michael, described as the "office sweetheart," has been with the firm for a year, as of 2020, and he encouraged his best friend JB to join Nest Seekers. JB, whose previous job was in the financial sector, recently attained his real estate license at the start of the series, and is eager, though inexperienced. 

Jimmy is the team's veteran, a de facto mentor to his less-experienced cohorts, while Noel — a recent transplant from Minnesota — is described as "a no-nonsense broker who isn't afraid to push buttons, especially Peggy's," although he does come across as "pompous." Finally, Peggy is "a 10-year broker veteran" who has transferred to the Hamptons location from Nest Seekers' Manhattan headquarters. In addition to being a realtor, Peggy is also a lawyer, known to have "friction with Noel and doesn't like the idea of back door conversations."

In October 2019, Million Dollar Beach House realtor JB Andreassi was among the experts asked to comment on the proposed sale of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. The hotel had been a source of controversy since it opened for business in 2016, and the Trump Organization's Eric Trump — son of President Donald Trump — explained the rationale for selling the place in a statement obtained by Independent. "People are objecting to us making so much money on the hotel, and therefore we may be willing to sell," he said.

As Commercial Observer noted, JB had worked on several projects in D.C., and his belief was that the hotel's price could be downright massive when it sells. "The building has been an architectural cornerstone and a nation's capital landmark for 100-plus years," he said of the historic structure, which had previously served as the U.S. Post Office Department Headquarters. He further noted that the building's history and the sale's impact on President Trump and his colleagues could bring about "one of the most expensive hotel transactions in history."

Clearly, Million Dollar Beach House's JB knows his stuff — and is considered a real estate expert in the D.C. area.

Million Dollar Beach House realtor Jimmy Giugliano can boast of many big deals that have occurred during his career in Hamptons real estate. However, one of his pricier listings had a connection with rock royalty, with Jimmy representing the seller of a $35 million equestrian facility that has an interesting connection to legendary New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen.

According to a report from the New York Post, Jimmy and another Nest Seekers realtor placed Bridgehampton's Campbell Stables on the market. The deluxe compound had previously been used as a training facility by the Boss' daughter, Jessica Springsteen, an accomplished equestrian with an eye toward competing at the Olympics (via NBC Sports). Campbell Stables has also been used by Jennifer Gates, daughter of billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

According to the listing, the property consists of five structures situated on an 18-acre lot. "This prestigious property boasts 27 stalls, 14 paddocks, three outdoor rings with viewing stands, and a 15,000-square-foot indoor ring complete with a second-floor viewing lounge," noted the listing.

Before he embarked on selling wildly expensive Hamptons houses to well-heeled clients, Million Dollar Beach House realtor Michael Fulfree had a whole other career — as a male model. A profile on Michael in Social Life Magazine revealed that he appeared in ad campaigns for such designers as Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, and Alexander McQueen. In addition, he could boast of working with such luminaries as acclaimed photographer Bruce Weber, the stunning actress/model Brooke Shields, and Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel. 

As if that's not impressive enough, Michael was named 2008's Model of the Year by the International Modeling and Talent Association. His modeling career allowed him to live in Italy for several years. That international perspective may come in handy when dealing with the worldwide clientele attracted to the Hamptons.

"I have worked with people from all over the world. Many of whom call a piece of the Hamptons home," he explained to Social Life. "It's a challenge, but this is one of the best real estate markets in the world. It's so gratifying when I am able to bring a buyer and seller together."

Million Dollar Beach House realtor Peggy Zabakolas spoke with SFGate about the challenges of selling luxury homes in the midst of the 2020 global pandemic. According to Peggy, the unprecedented situation led to some fundamental changes that may actually serve to streamline the home-selling process. 

While that may seem counterintuitive, she explained that while she'd been showing homes virtually, she shot down the "myth" that realtors were no longer offering showings in person. As she explained, buyers who want to get a firsthand look at a property had more hoops to jump through than ever before, including filling out disclosure and limitation of liability forms. (Remember, she's not just a realtor; she's also a lawyer.) This new normal also involved ensuring that gloves, hand sanitizer, shoe coverings, and masks were made available as safety measures.

Peggy pointed out that she'd caught wind of some realtors who'd started requiring pre-approval letters from buyers before even scheduling a showing, thus weeding out buyers who have no intention of buying. "If someone is willing to go through all those steps and then schedule a physical tour," she added, "you know they are serious."

It's obvious this Million Dollar Beach House star stays on top of current events.

In addition to his on-camera role for Million Dollar Beach House and his regular gig as a realtor for Nest Seekers in the Hamptons, Noel Roberts is also the editor and founder of Hamptons Spectator, which is billed as "an online publication that tracks everything lifestyle related in the Hamptons with an emphasis on high end real estate and design."

Noel isn't just the editor, but he also writes extensively for Hamptons Spectator. Along with articles showcasing some of his high-end home listings, he's also written pieces about airport options for flying into the Hamptons, a brief rundown about Sag Harbor, and a list of some of the best surfing spots in Montauk. 

Other pieces that Noel has penned for his online magazine involve Kardashian-approved vacation spots in the Hamptons and a roster of some of the numerous celebrities who own Hamptons homes, a list that includes former 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, and music-industry power couple Beyoncé and Jay Z, who live an insanely glamorous life.

The five realtors featured in Netflix's Million Dollar Beach House all work for the Hamptons branch of Nest Seekers International, and they're not the only reality TV realtors to be associated with that particular agency. Viewers of Million Dollar Listing New York will certainly be familiar with Ryan Serhant, who is a licensed associate real estate broker for Manhattan's downtown/Soho location of Nest Seekers.

Serhant, who also stars in his own Million Dollar Listing spinoff Sell It Like Serhant, may be under the same corporate umbrella as the Million Dollar Beach House team, but don't count on seeing him appear in a Million Dollar Listing-Million Dollar Beach House crossover. Million Dollar Beach House is produced by DIGA Studios, while Million Dollar Listing New York is produced by World of Wonder, a production company led by co-CEOs Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. Given that the shows, despite their similar-sounding names, come from two competing production companies, it doesn't seem likely that viewers will witness a Ryan Serhant cameo on Million Dollar Beach House any time soon.

The drama and rivalries between the show's five realtors is a big part of the appeal of Million Dollar Beach House. However, another reason to watch is the lure of the properties themselves, spectacular Hamptons homes that truly give viewers some insight into how the one percent live it up in one of America's wealthiest zip codes.

In fact, some of the homes featured on the show are downright bonkers, such as a $35 million equestrian facility sitting on 20 acres of prime Hamptons real estate. For a slightly more budget-conscious option, anyone with a spare $28 million can plunk it down to purchase a nine-bedroom, 12,000-square-foot oceanfront home described as the "ultimate beach compound" in its Nest Seekers listing.

While those properties may seem pricey, Million Dollar Beach House realtor Noel Roberts, writing in his Hamptons Spectator online publication, pointed out that the most expensive home ever sold in the Hamptons was a 20,000-square-foot mansion purchased by hedge fund executive Barry Rosenstein. According to Wall Street Journal, he bought it for a mind-boggling $137 million back in 2014.

While viewers can learn all about the five realtors at the heart of Million Dollar Beach House by watching the show, there's another way to get to know them even better: social media! In fact, all five of the Nest Seekers realtors are active on Instagram, and there's plenty of information to be gleaned from their personal lives — or, at least, from what they've decided to share of them. 

For example, Jimmy Giugliano became a dad in 2020, and his Instagram account is bursting at the seams with photos of wife Kelsey and their adorable son, Rocco. And then there's Mike Fulfree, also a family man, who shares plenty of pictures of wife Samantha and their son, Luca.

JB Andreassi's Instagram, on the other hand, reflects the work-hard, play-hard ethos of a single guy who enjoys partying with pals and hitting the waves off the Montauk coast for a little fishing. Noel Roberts' Instagram is representative of his ambition, chock full of posts about his real estate listings along with highly stylized photos depicting a life lived large. Finally, Peggy Zabakolas showcases her active lifestyle, which includes riding horses, on her page.

Million Dollar Beach House is the first completed project to emerge from a bold partnership between the Nest Seekers real estate agency and TV production company DIGA Studios. According to a June 2019 report from Real Screen, which also appeared on DIGA Studios' website, DIGA agreed to "develop unscripted formats for television and digital distribution that focus on the inner workings of the real estate industry by tapping into Nest Seekers global access and insights into the field."

In addition to Million Dollar Beach House, DIGA placed other projects related to Nest Seekers in development. "Nest Seekers International understands the power of entertainment in a way very few brands really do," said Nick Rigg, DIGAS's executive vice president of unscripted for DIGA Studios. As he pointed out, "only a select few have had access" to this elite sector of the real estate market, which he believed would offer "some very compelling narratives we're excited to capture."

Nest Seekers International CEO Eddie Shapiro concurred, citing DIGA's "expertise in storytelling" as being "an ideal complement to the exclusive access to properties and personalities" offered by his firm.