Sorry, I didn't completely understand your response. So what is it that you are saying exactly? That he is really not successful and only appears that way because of the show? And most of the deals that he is "supposedly" working on, never really are completed. I have read that in fact he is a very successful agent, and has been for a long time. Now I don't know him personally, but that is just going by what I have read.
I am not sure what you do for a living BG, and I have never lived in NYC much less worked there. I would venture a guess however, that real estate is the same there as it is in any large metropolitan city, certainly probably the same as LA. Having worked high end commercial and residential, I can tell you that it is a fairly tough business and very 'cut throat'. Only a handful of agents make what you might call great money, the rest barely survive, and many of the clients are very tough and demanding to work with. People can get ugly when a lot of money is on the table. I have been cut out of deals and back stabbed by people in my own office.
This is not necessarily true. Now I can't speak for the agents in NYC, but I know several, what some would categorize as extremely successful agents out here in LA, some are personal friends, that in this recent down turn lost there homes and cars. Making money is not a guarantee that someone will have the ability to live within their means or spend their money wisely.
I got the impression that you thought my post was ridiculous. My only purpose was to give my opinion and show support for the guy, since many here were talking very negative about him. I just wanted to share that and also to give a little incite into the tough job that I personally feels he has. I still maintain it is a tough business.
I have seen a couple of interviews that he has given and I admire the fact that he did not try to hide his past but rather he embraced.