Fredrik Eklund on New Rivals and Conquering a New Market on 'Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles'

Fredrik Eklund has brought the drama to the West Coast!

The 44-year-old real estate broker and Bravo star recently chatted with PEOPLE about how he is now a full-time cast member of both Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles and Million Dollar Listing New York.

Describing his first season of filming in L.A. as "all new and very different than New York," Eklund explains to PEOPLE exclusively, "We filmed in these apartments and developments, and in all sorts of weather."

"It felt super glamorous. I have crazy big listings filming outdoors, in my car negotiations, and then, of course, it's a new cast for me. I know them, but I've never filmed with them intimately and I've never negotiated with them like I do this season," he continues. "So, there is a lot of drama. I was looking back at this season, and ... I feel like I bring a lot of drama."

"It's weird because I used to be, over the many seasons in New York — it's not that I didn't fight with people — but I felt like maybe I wasn't included in all the drama. Now I feel like I bring a lot of drama," Eklund adds. "Is that a good or bad thing? I don't know."

In years past, Eklund has made guest appearances on the West Coast version of the show, despite being based in New York. The father of two is now the first agent in the Bravo franchise to pull double duty as an official cast member on both series.

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Getting to work with new castmembers on the L.A.-based iteration of the series, Eklund says, was like a "mixed bag" as he recognizes that he has "a big personality."

"I really have good intentions. I always do, but I do come across, I've learned, as a bit aggressive sometimes and I'm very tall. I take a lot of space," he explains. "Egotistically, I'm kind of colorful and eccentric, a bit crazy people would say, and I can be very emotional."

"So, I'm not going to change, but it's going to take a minute for them also to fully understand. Some of them I get into a lot, and then we make up, which is nice," Eklund adds. "I feel like after something like that, you can move forward in your friendship and your business relationship. Others, we haven't made up yet after what has transpired on the show. So, we'll see."

RELATED VIDEO: Million Dollar Listing New York's Fredrik Eklund Moves to Los Angeles with Family

During his candid chat with PEOPLE, Eklund also spoke about another big milestone in his life — his sobriety.

Back in March, the reality star revealed at the time that he was "160 days sober" in an Instagram post about his struggle with alcohol addiction.

Now, Eklund says his "personal choice" to stop consuming alcohol led him to a happier, more aware life. "You feel this sense of, I don't know, lightness and freedom, and you want to inspire others. In the end of the day, I know myself, my personality too, it's almost holding myself accountable by putting it out and at the same time, I was blown away," he says, noting that the response to his sobriety has been overwhelming.

"I didn't realize there's a whole world of sober people out there. Probably much, much bigger than I thought because I thought I was alone in this. I felt alone at least, like, 'Oh, I'm stepping away from society. I'm stepping away from being fun. I'm stepping away from my friends, and traveling,'" Eklund continues. "No. You're stepping into your family, stepping into your friends, you're stepping into traveling and into a whole different world that is actually a lot more exciting. It's just a matter of seeing it that way. It was all a part of the same thing by putting it out, and I'm really proud that I did, because God, it's scary."

The latest season of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.