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Just like the names “Shaq,” “Tiger” and “Elvis,” if you mention “Carmelo” in Winter Garden, most people know exactly whom you’re talking about.
RE/MAX real-estate adviser Carmelo Nuccio is a bonafide local celebrity. If you don’t know him personally, you likely have seen his vehicle — a fully souped up, lifted and customized Toyota Land Cruiser FJ80 he’s affectionately dubbed the “RE/MAX Mobile.”
And if you’re looking to buy a home in Winter Garden, you’re probably going to be taking a few rides with Nuccio in his custom 4x4.
Although some might see the RE/MAX Mobile and think it is a bit much, for Nuccio, it’s the culmination of an American Dream fully realized.
Born to an Italian father and Venezuelan mother, Nuccio emigrated from Venezuela at age 22. Eventually, he landed an entry-level job with a title company in downtown Orlando.
Later, he joined Midtown Realty, where he worked with broker Aida Martin to revitalize Church Street. He then joined RE/MAX under Michael Kara, who taught him more about foreclosures and investment properties.
All the while, Nuccio called Winter Garden home, and after the Great Recession, he began focusing on the potential in his adopted hometown. After all, it’s where his family established other businesses, including Liberty Tax Service on Dillard Street and a liquor store.
Throughout his career spanning two decades, Nuccio has fueled his business through his commitment to serving the community he loves. He’s active in his church, Mosaic Church, and supports a plethora of local charities and organizations, including Matthew’s Hope Ministries, Habitat for Humanity and many more.
“I came from nothing,” he says. “Winter Garden adopted me, and I am so blessed and grateful to my adopter.”
So, when future Winter Garden residents ask Nuccio to help them find their dream home, at first, Nuccio doesn’t pick them up in the RE/MAX Mobile. Instead, he opts for his golf cart and heads to Plant Street, where he shows them the Rosalie Cafe and Axum Coffee. He tells them stories of the owners of these staple businesses. He tells them about the town’s citrus history — and even about when the town was known as “Winter Garbage.”
“I want them to know the roots of Winter Garden, of 34787,” he says. “I take them to the (Winter Garden Heritage Museum) because I want to educate them a little bit.
“A house is just four walls,” Nuccio says. “I want them to understand that when they come to Winter Garden, they’re coming into a community. They need to see it. They need to feel it.”
Eventually, homebuyers do find themselves in the RE/MAX Mobile, which Nuccio uses to find the perfect home for each client. And following the sale? Nuccio remains as a trusted adviser.
“I’m sometimes a psychiatrist, sometimes a marriage counselor,” he says, laughing. “I remember birthdays, anniversaries. I’ve helped people move. I’ve been a handyman at midnight.”
And although Nuccio likely could increase his profits by adding agents to his roster, he’s decided to remain a one-man operation.
“I’m the only solo, local agent,” he says with pride. “I have no team. I do everything by myself, 100%. Buying a home is 100% emotional. It’s scary, and a customer needs to know he or she is heard and understood.”
Nuccio says the vast majority of buyers or sellers do not remember their agent’s name. He wants to buck that trend.
“I got to see Winter Garden (and how it has changed) in the past two decades,” Nuccio says. “I’m very proud of my town. This is my town. Let me make it yours, too.”
CARMELO NUCCIO
OFFICE ADDRESS: 2630 Edgewater Drive, Orlando
PHONE: (321) 441-6951
FACEBOOK: @CarmeloNuccioRealtor
INSTAGRAM: @carmelonuccio