“Being on camera isn’t always easy,” Aman Gulia declares as he sits earnestly across the table from me for a cup of coffee. Dressed sharp in a blue suit paired with a black turtleneck, the 31-year-old exudes a edgy confidence full of intrigue.
The man from Haryana in northern India is the first Kiwi-Indian set to feature in ‘Rich Listers’, a real estate reality show that captures the drama and rivalry among top selling agents in New Zealand’s high-end property market.
“The early shoots were a bit tough…but with time I've become more at ease. I'm loving it,” he says of the show whose first season featured former deputy prime minister Paula Bennett and former Miss Universe New Zealand Holly Cassidy, both property agents now.
The show’s producers say they picked Aman because of his rather short yet remarkable journey in the industry. He became a full-time agent in 2020, and in about three years he is said to have made some big sales, including a few that have reportedly set industry records.
"My journey was quite unexpected and unplanned,” Aman says. “I arrived in New Zealand in 2011 with no real plan or direction, but quickly pursued a mechanical engineering degree at Manukau Institute of Technology."
In the year 2021-22, Aman was reportedly the 11th top-selling Harcourts agent globally, and is said to have achieved $150 million in sales in what was his first full year as a real estate agent.
He says his engineering degree brought him closer to the property market. "Before I knew it, I had done a subdivision and made some money. I loved that process and wanted to help others, so before I knew it, I was speaking to people about development and subdivision and then got told I should sell as an agent.”
Aman’s attitude and ambition got him the role in the second season of Rich Listers, say the producers of the show that is currently under production and expected to air in 2024. The first season launched on the Bravo television network, but media partners for the second edition have yet to be announced.
"We have a research and talent team who keep their eyes and ears on the industry, and we'd seen and heard of Aman and knew he was somebody to talk to,” says Alex Breingan, Managing Director of the show’s production company, Stripe Studios.
“We'd heard he was gunning for the number one slot at Harcourts. We could tell Aman would be good TV talent.”
Before immersing in the property market as an agent, Aman managed a company that helped people subdivide their properties, a time when he bought his first house, in Massey.
He says the experience intrigued him so much he decided to enroll in a professional course and become a sales agent.
Aman, who now works for Harcourts Mt Albert, says he had a bit of a slow start in his career, but when he found a niche in development opportunities, he "got on a roll".
"Most of my [early] sales were just mum and dad homeowners with a nice piece of land. Selling their homes to developers was so rewarding.
“I got the families more than they ever dreamed of, and I got to sell to developers who were excited about the opportunities, making more homes for families and making some money out of their risk and opportunities that I presented them.”
Aman says his success is a result of great guidance and team effort. “My manager David Findlay showed me the ropes when I started out. I want to also give a shout-out to my team member Greer Morris-Clarke who also features in the reality show.”
Aman wants to engage with charities and help mentor those who want to make it big in the country’s property market.
"If a ‘jaat’ from a small village in Haryana can rise to become one of the top agents in New Zealand, then there's absolutely nothing stopping you from achieving your dreams," he says.
When asked about his other plans, he says, "I've got a two-part master plan. First, conquer the real estate world and make my mark on Rich Listers, before making my big Bollywood debut!”