Review of Making It in Marbella: Real Estate Netflix Show with Homerun Brokers

• Table of contents
• How Netflix's Real Estate Shows Misrepresent the Marbella Luxury Market 
• Drumelia’s Mission: Elevating the Role of Luxury Real Estate Agents 
• Building the Future of Marbella’s Luxury Real Estate Industry 

One of the favorite jokes from the founder of Drumelia used to be, “Any publicity is good, apart from the necrology one.”  Of course, as we have grown the company over the years, becoming a leading luxury real estate agency in Marbella, we have also refined our approach to marketing and our image. Ultimately, the image your business associates with is fundamental in connecting with your audience and your future results, and it’s very difficult to change it once you have earned it.  

Unfortunately, Netflix's real estate show Making It in Marbella focuses on drama and unhealthy competition within the team. This follows Netflix's guidelines for many previous real estate shows presented on the platform. And it’s understandable; it’s easier and more attractive to watch conflicts than constructive discussions. 

But these real estate shows create a one-sided, strong perception of the real estate atmosphere, making people believe that it’s all about drama, commissions at any cost, and management that fosters and believes in such business ethics.  

After watching a few episodes, I gladly noticed that the properties look great, and the Marbella shots are fantastic, bringing even more attention to our beautiful city. This global exposure benefits everyone working in the industry, as Marbella is becoming the “place to be” in Europe. And the public that watches this show precisely sees it for the drama, most likely, so all great up to here.  

And if you are reading this blog because you thought I would criticize Homerun Brokers, then you can stop reading. This is a great success for their international reach, which I’m sure will convert into thousands, if not millions, of views, followers, and online growth, which can then convert into sales, money, and further opportunities! I must add that I tried to identify what was pure set drama and what was close to reality, and I couldn’t. They are all fantastic actors or just natural on camera! 

But what I do want to address is far more important. With such shows, Netflix is harming the image of a real estate agent. That said, we must remember their main goal is entertainment. It keeps viewers hooked, but let’s be honest, this isn’t what everyday real estate looks like, or at least it shouldn’t be. And in full transparency, we cannot blame Netflix. The real estate agents’ image has never been amazing, but it’s in our power to improve it, and it should be addressed seriously.  

The problem starts with entry-level, which, in most countries, I feel is relatively simple to get a license as a real estate agent. However, a real estate agent or agency license is non-existent in Spain, meaning anyone can open an agency or become an agent. And now that Marbella has been going through a real estate boom since 2020 COVID, this has attracted many people to open real estate companies, some without previous experience.  

The show reflects some realities of Marbella’s luxury real estate market but not the full picture. And I think it is important to talk about this. The image of a real estate agent that we create together through our daily acts will be what people will associate all of us in the future. And will define the future of our business and the real estate market. Here in Marbella, we have associations on the market, like LPA, Leading Property Agents, but I feel that the image of a real estate agent, and therefore the future, should always be on the priority of the agenda; otherwise, what is the purpose?  

At Drumelia, we want to make it our mission to elevate the image and professionalism of a real estate agent, and I am sure there are many who will share this idea with us. We have no drama – it’s all about hard work and teamwork. Unhealthy competition doesn’t exist, and if a situation arises, the company will probably have to take the financial hit and then adapt the processes and guidelines, so it doesn’t happen again. The client's interest should always be above the commission. You can be the best salesperson but will not work in this company if you do not share our values. These are just some of the many messages we transmit in our company daily. My sole purpose in this company is to help team members discover their potential and achieve their goals. But don’t get me wrong, working in Drumelia is very challenging. We don’t aim to position ourselves as the best in the Marbella market; this title is irrelevant, in our opinion. But we want to be the best versions of ourselves, finding motivation in ambitious challenges. And working in such a team will make you go beyond what you thought possible and will test your character, so if you don’t think you have what it takes, don’t even try!  

You might say this is publicity about us, but I truly believe in what I’m saying. What I want to achieve today is to give perspective on a different real estate atmosphere with people and companies that share these beliefs and visions. Of course, we make mistakes every day, and we are far from perfect and far from finished. We are just taking the first steps on a path that is measured in decades, not years.  

And this is not only our future that we are building here. When I talk about the image of a real estate agent, I also talk about the future of the young ones at school. I want my daughter to grow up and respect her father, who is a real estate agent at core. Today, with all the social media and real estate shows, I see and feel that the job of a real estate agent is becoming more popular and more attractive to young people! It’s a beautiful yet tough job, like being an entrepreneur, and the same as being an entrepreneur can be financially very rewarding if you are successful at it. It would be a huge loss if people were put off pursuing a career in real estate. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me; I owe everything I have, even my family, to this career.  

So, I feel a big responsibility to build a real estate company based on strong values to create real future careers for young people. My wish is that someday, a real estate agent will be seen professionally at the same level as a lawyer. Eventually, we have a stronger effect on the client’s life than a lawyer in a real estate transaction.  

And this will only be achieved by sharing this passion and belief with others, and this blog is one little step in that direction. I hope it will give a perspective on different approaches in real estate. And hopefully, some of the ideas might raise interest in other people’s minds who influence this industry. There is an interesting quote from the movie Inception, with Leonardo DiCaprio, about how powerful an idea can be when planted in someone’s mind. Of course, it’s a Sci-fi movie, and it is actually about planting an idea physically while the person is dreaming, but I thought the phrase comes at hand: “An idea is like a virus, resilient, highly contagious. The smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you”.  

Thank you for reading. If you get to the end, receiving feedback and points of view would be great. Unfortunately, our blog doesn’t have a commenting tool, but you can write a Google review with comments. I read every single one. 

Of course, if you’re interested in buying a property in the Marbella area, we have the biggest collection of updated high-end real estate of villas, apartments and plots. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] or call the office at +34 952 76 69 50; you will be very well attended! We want to provide the best real estate service in Marbella and be fully dedicated to finding you the best properties.