Agents Weigh in on Rivalry Between Josh Altman and Paul Daftarian

The real estate industry is sharing its thoughts on the Orange County rivalry between Josh Altman and Paul Daftarian.
Two men in business attire stand in front of a large, illuminated luxury mansion at dusk with a manicured lawn and fountain in the foreground.
Two men in business attire stand in front of a large, illuminated luxury mansion at dusk with a manicured lawn and fountain in the foreground.
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Key Details:

  • The sale of a $23.5 million mansion in Newport Beach has brought an Orange County agent rivalry to the forefront of the industry.
  • Josh Altman and Paul Daftarian are at odds about what helped seal the deal—as well as who deserves credit for securing a buyer.
  • Agents reacted to a recent Instagram post from The Real Deal, taking sides about who deserves credit. 

On August 4, after the sale of 1 Island Vista in the exclusive Pelican Crest community closed for $23,495,000, the two brokers who listed the property took to social media to share their wins. 

But, as The Real Deal reported earlier this week, they don’t exactly agree on what sealed the deal. 

The Sale of 1 Island Vista

Josh Josh Altman, co-founder of The Altman Brothers at Douglas Elliman and star of Million Dollar Listing, shared this post on Instagram.

In the caption of the post, Altman credited his team’s global reach, stating, “OC/ Newport Beach takeover continues. If a local reach can’t get it done and you need to bring in the big reach and global marketing machine, we got you covered. And another one…”

In an interview with The Real Deal, Altman also stated the video he produced for the property is what caught the attention of the buyer. 

But Paul Daftarian, co-founder of Daftarian Group at Luxe Real Estate, sees things differently. Here’s his post on social media:

Daftarian’s post pointed out his team’s local reach: “Congratulations to our entire team for once again delivering market-leading results with the sale of 1 Island Vista in Pelican Crest.  Also, congratulations to our clients on both sides of this sale for their trust and loyalty. LOCAL EXPERT REPRESENTATION makes all the difference!” 

Team Altman or Team Daftarian?

Many real estate agents were quick to take sides in the comment section of a recent TRD Instagram post

Team Altman

Team Daftarian

Enough with the Drama

Several called out both brokers out for bringing drama into a multi-million dollar deal:

Bring on the Popcorn

And others are just here for the show:

But wait…what about the eXp agent who brought the buyer?

Perhaps not surprisingly, the rivalry doesn’t end with local vs. global reach. The rest of the story is all about who deserves credit for bringing the buyer. 

In his Instagram post, Altman credited eXp agent Rossette Winkler for bringing the buyer and working as the buyer agent for the initial stages of the deal.  

“… big shout out to @laguna_aloha with EXP Realty for bringing the buyer ✔️”

Josh Altman

Daftarian, on the other hand, stated Winkler was a referral for the buyer. He credits Sam Zargari and his team for securing the buyer, thus representing both sides of the deal. 

Paul Daftarian
While Winkler did receive a $25,000 referral fee, numerous agents feel she was taken advantage of. At the time of this post, Winkler did not respond to comment on the story. 
Paul Daftarian
Paul Daftarian
Paul Daftarian
Paul Daftarian
What are your thoughts? Are you team Altman, Daftarian, or Winkler?

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About the Author

Meet Vanessa Bowman, senior editor at BAM. Combining her background in elementary education and journalism, Vanessa has been crafting content for the real estate industry since 2017. From BAM blogs to ebooks, courses, and everything in between, she brings a unique perspective to her work. But her favorite part? Collaborating with BAM's incredible creators and contributors to bring fresh and exciting ideas to life.

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