Austin Victoria of “Selling the OC” talks about balancing personal expression and professionalism in an industry that is rapidly evolving.
Austin Victoria of The Oppenheim Group and Selling the OC fame didn’t think twice about getting tattoos when he was young. He grew up with a father who has tattoos and, today, has them himself on one arm and his legs.
But before he was a real estate agent, he was a model, and he was turned down for modeling jobs because of those tattoos. Today, when he’s working as an agent, he also tries to be careful about not showing them off right away — in case they turn off a potential client.
Austin Victoria | The Oppenheim Group
“I think it’s all about really reading the room,” Victoria told Inman.
“If you have an older couple that don’t have tattoos and they seem very conservative, then I typically always show up to my first meeting or any events with my tattoos covered. That’s kind of the way I go about it because … [some] people don’t like tattoos, and that’s perfectly fine. They don’t have to.”
Although real estate is modernizing rapidly in ways that were unimaginable in the recent past, many seemingly old-fashioned beliefs, including a negative association with agents who sport tattoos, are still very prevalent.
The topic’s divisiveness even sparked a debate at the end of October, when Lili Mariyati — whose profile describes her as a Keller Williams agent — opined, “Just lost a deal because of my tattoos,” in the Facebook group Real Estate Mastermind. “I’d love to see what tattoos you all have if you rock yours proudly.”
Various agents chimed in with photos and support for other agents with tattoos, while some admitted tattoos just weren’t their thing.
Of those agents who do have tattoos, many seemed to think their businesses were impacted by them, either positively or negatively. But many agents who engaged in the conversation — whether they had tattoos or not — also agreed that displaying body art has nothing to do with how well an agent serves their clients.
“Imagine choosing to judge tattoos over selling your home or buying one you love. Hahaha,” Facebook user Lashana Jefferson commented. “People’s priorities are so insane. Who cares what somebody does to their own body as long as they do their job well, get things done and behave professionally? It is 2025, and people are worried about tattoos?“
Facebook user Bri Hammons, whose profile describes her as a Tennessee-based broker with eXp Realty, said, “Tattoos shouldn’t define who you are as a person/mom/dad/realtor/whoever. It’s your attitude, the way you carry yourself, and the way you treat and communicate with others.”
A substantial number of agents who engaged in the discussion also said that they had gained business because of their tattoos.
Justin Mercer
One agent, Justin Mercer, came up in the online conversation because he has built his brand around the fact that he has so many tattoos. Mercer, who has visible tattoos all over his body, has dubbed his team the Tattoo Real Estate Group.
The team’s web address is calltattoo.com, and a search online for Mercer turns up “The Tattooed Realtor.” Mercer also gives out tattoos as closing gifts, and the team ranks in the top 1 percent of their market in Phoenix.
Tattoos can be a great way to connect to potential clients, Victoria told Inman.
“If I see a client with a tattoo and I’m at a listing appointment or a social event or something and I’m meet-and-greeting people, I think tattoos almost feel like an instant connection,” he said. “It’s someone who has done something permanently to their body that signifies a place that we both were in our lives, and that we both love and respect art. I think it’s an icebreaker from the very get-go.”
Victoria supports individuals who get tattoos. But the luxury agent has three kids now, some of whom are at the age where they’re becoming curious about his tattoos. And, Victoria said, although he doesn’t regret his own tattoos, he would never recommend that his children get them, so they can keep their professional options as open as possible.
Still, Victoria ultimately characterized body art as a personal decision — and one that’s largely independent from business or clients.
“This is my art that I’ve expressed on my body,” he said. “Some of it is regrettable; some of it I would never take away. So this is not something that I need to put on [clients]. I’m trying to facilitate for them a good deal — sell or help them buy a property, and that has nothing really to do with my tattoos. But I know that when you’re choosing an agent, you have a million choices, and I think it does come down to details.”
