Nēv Schulman has been hosting the MTV series “Catfish: The TV Show” since 2012 and along with honing the skill of internet stalking, the 40-year-old star has learned a thing or two that he’s putting to use in his new career as a licensed real estate agent in New York City.
Schulman tells CNBC Make It that the No. 1 skill he’s learned from hosting the show is really listening to people when they are talking.
“A part of that is also being able to ask the right questions and help people, in some cases, to discover what it is they are trying to say. When it comes to buying a home, it’s very similar in many ways to falling in love or choosing a partner,” he says.
“There are so many boxes to check and sometimes you have to compromise but understanding what really matters and what your core values are and what the core characteristics of a partner or home is and being able to help someone discuss that and discover it for themselves and community it to me is a very meaningful bonus, having done it for the past 15 years.”
Schulman started working as a licensed real estate agent in August of this year.
Coldwell Banker Warburg
Schulman says hosting “Catfish: The TV Show” taught him how to find workarounds that he is using now to do things like get appointments for his clients.
“I’m so used to being told no and hitting dead ends, especially when it comes to searching for things,” he adds. “I think not getting discouraged and not taking no for an answer is a really good skill that I’ve built over the years making the show.”
Getting into real estate was something that felt very natural to Schulman. He was born in New York City and grew up watching his dad, Robert Schulman, working as a broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg. His grandfather, Lowell Schulman, also worked in the industry, but as a builder and developer, before he died in 2017.
“I’ve grown up in the city and have lived in so many different neighborhoods. Life in New York City is so much about your apartment and your neighborhood. You really want to feel good about where you’re going and your apartment becomes this sort of haven and place to recharge and I think that’s why I’ve always loved it,” Schulman says.
Schulman says his dad approached him about joining him at Coldwell Banker Warburg, and it made the “Catfish” star really start thinking about his future and what else he could do with his career.
“I thought this was the perfect time to give it a try, and here I am,” he says.
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