Representations of Real Estate Brokers in Reality TV – A Multimodal Social Semiotic Analysis with Implications for Real Estate Education

How are real estate brokers portrayed in reality-TV shows, and how can such portrayals be used as material for classroom discussion in real estate education? This article uses a multimodal social semiotic approach to examine representations of residential real estate brokers in four popular TV shows: A Place in the Sun, Selling Sunset, Million Dollar Listing New York, and Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles. Drawing on selected episodes from recent seasons, the study identifies three overarching themes and nine sub-themes that capture how brokers are portrayed as informing stakeholders, establishing trust, and driving business growth. The analysis suggests that the shows foreground high-end listings, intense competition, deal-making, personal branding, and personalized client service, while downplaying routine administrative tasks, regulatory complexity, income uncertainty, and less glamorous brokerage contexts. The article does not test whether reality TV causes students to pursue real estate education. Instead, it argues that these portrayals form part of a wider media environment that students may encounter and that can be critically examined in real estate education. The article contributes by showing how selective media portrayals of brokerage can be discussed in relation to person–job fit, professional identity, regulatory and ethical practice, and career sustainability.