Nicole Palermo, a successful Italian-American broker at the prestigious New York agency Serhant, is a key figure in Manhattan’s competitive luxury real estate market, even appearing in the acclaimed television series Million Dollar Listing New York.
With over a decade of experience and over half a billion dollars in apartment and townhouse sales in the Big Apple, her career reflects a combination of professionalism, passion, and a deep connection to her Italian roots. Nicole was one of the prominent brokers who joined the International Real Estate Developers Forum initiative sponsored by ANSVI (National Association of Real Estate Developers). The initiative, divided into two days of meetings and guided tours of some of New York’s most iconic and innovative properties, offered participants exclusive access to prestigious properties and the opportunity to engage with experts in the field and on a global scale, providing professionals with strategic tools to address the real estate challenges that the United States has already experienced and that may soon emerge in Italy as well.
Born and raised in New York City, Nicole boasts family origins that go back to southern Italy, specifically Puglia and Sicily. Her great-grandparents emigrated to the United States during difficult times, bringing with them not only the American dream of a better life, but also a culture of family, traditions and resilience. His childhood in Whitestone, Queens, a neighborhood with a strong Italian-American presence, played a key role in shaping his identity. “The Italian language, food, and traditions were an integral part of our family life, Italian was the secret language of our grandparents so as not to be understood by our parents, while my brother and I learned it with dedication, both in school and through family stories. This cultural heritage has guided me in my career as well.”
Passionate from an early age about fashion and design, she took an art history course in the Italian capital during her college years that marked an important turning point in her journey “Exploring iconic places like the Colosseum and the Vatican, visiting cities like Naples and Florence and appreciating their architecture, made me feel like I was returning to places that had always belonged to me. It was my first time in Italy, and it felt like coming home. My parents and grandparents had never returned to their homeland; I was the first in my family to do so. It is something I am incredibly proud of.”
Nicole’s connection to the Italian-American community is strong and authentic. While in college, she benefited from a scholarship offered by the Columbus Citizens Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting Italian culture and supporting Italian-American families, which enabled her to graduate from the prestigious Fordham University “That scholarship not only helped me financially, but opened the door to an incredible network of mentors. It was an opportunity that I am honored today to be able to give back as a member of the foundation, supporting young professionals and students from Italian-American families and helping them realize their dreams.”
After an initial career path in the world of luxury at Bulgari and later with Harvard Business Review in which she worked with major international brands, it was a natural transition for Nicole to luxury real estate, where beauty, craftsmanship and a sense of detail – traits typical of Italian art and design – are perfectly reflected in her vision of the work. “Italy has always been a source of inspiration for me. Every project I tackle brings with it that aesthetic sensibility and love of architecture that are also part of my cultural DNA.” Nicole Palermo’s journey is a success story built with passion, dedication, and an unbreakable bond with her origins that leads her to a continuous desire to contribute to the initiatives of the Italian community present in New York, such as the recent initiative from ANSVI that emphasized the importance of cultural and professional relations between the two countries. “Italy has an extraordinary real estate heritage and a huge potential to attract American investment. Projects like this are not only an economic opportunity, but a means to promote greater mutual understanding between our countries by creating synergies that strengthen ties between Italy and the United States. Such partnerships allow Italian professionals to explore new perspectives and open up to global markets, contributing to shared growth.”
Today, Nicole Palermo stands out as one of the most dynamic real estate figures in the Big Apple, where her unique approach-founded on professionalism and transparency-has won over American and international clients. Whether searching for strategic opportunities or families looking for the perfect home, her winning ingredient is a genuine passion for her work.
Nicole’s journey is a story about deep roots and global ambitions, proving that the Italian soul, even in a hectic metropolis like New York, can really make a difference. “True success,” she stresses, “is not measured only by numbers, but by passion and respect for people. New York is my home, but Italy always lives in me. I hope one day to sell houses in the Tuscan hills or along the Sicilian coast,” he confides with a smile.
Nicole embodies the balance between roots and ambition, interweaving the opportunities of the American market with Italy’s cultural heritage. Her journey demonstrates how success can come from the fusion of two worlds, where career opportunities and authenticity find common ground.
The article Nicole Palermo: a bridge between New York and Italy in the real estate market comes from TheNewyorker.
