Thursday, October 1, 2026
For nearly eight decades, Newman Realty has remained a fixture in the Long Island real estate market, built on a reputation of trust, local expertise and multigenerational relationships. Today, that legacy continues through Leon Sanchez Jr., who represents the next generation of a family deeply rooted in the business.
“Coming up on 15 years now. Wow,” Sanchez said, reflecting on his own career. “I grew up hearing about real estate because my father was the broker and owner of Newman, so I was constantly hearing him on the phone, hearing deals come together. It always piqued my interest.”
Founded more than 75 years ago Newman Realty has become synonymous with local market knowledge across Nassau County, particularly in Malverne and surrounding South Shore communities.
Although Sanchez initially pursued a business degree at Quinnipiac University and briefly entered the insurance field after graduation, the pull of the family business proved stronger.
“My father wanted me to come in and help with the business and really get involved,” Sanchez said. His father, Leon Sanchez, who has led the brokerage for more than four decades. “My brother had already gotten his license when he was very young, so it just made sense. I got my license, joined the family business, and didn’t look back.”
Sanchez Jr. now works alongside his brother Jonathan daily, creating a cross-generation operational rhythm clients value. “People think it would be hard to work with your family,” Sanchez Jr. said. “It’s the best thing ever. For our clients, it really benefits them because there’s always one of us around.”
The arrangement has created an uncommon level of continuity in an industry where availability often defines service. If one family member is tied up in negotiations or at another showing, another can step in seamlessly.
“My brother is my best friend, and we’ve become business partners,” Sanchez said. “Most of our listings are done jointly. There’s an ongoing joke that people call us the Malverne property brothers.”
That collaborative model has also allowed the brokerage to preserve a boutique level of attention while competing in a fast-moving luxury and residential market.
Sanchez said one of the defining moments of his early career came with his first closing: a newly built two-family home in Long Beach purchased by a chef relocating from New York City.
“It was my first accepted offer, my first inspection, my first negotiation,” he said. “And I remember seeing how excited he was that he was buying a home for his daughter. That’s when it really hit me — you’re not just selling a house. You’re helping build someone’s future.”
That perspective continues to shape his business philosophy today, particularly as repeat clients and referrals now account for most of his work. “Eighty percent of my business now is from past connections and referrals,” Sanchez said. “Those relationships go way past just showing houses. Years later, many of those clients are still close friends.”
Honesty remains central to maintaining that trust. “You just have to be yourself and be honest,” Sanchez said. “If you don’t know something, tell them you’re going to find out. This is the most important purchase many people will ever make, so they deserve every fact.”
For Sanchez, selling Long Island also means selling a place he genuinely loves. “There’s no place like home,” he said. “I’ve traveled, I’ve lived elsewhere, but nothing feels like here. We have the water, the beaches, the restaurants — everything. It’s easy to sell a place you truly believe in.”
As the elder Sanchez gradually steps back and entrusts more of the firm’s future to his sons, Sanchez sees stewardship — not just sales — as the next chapter. “My father always says he’s been preparing us to take over,” he said. “And honestly, there’s nothing like knowing the people beside you are the people you trust most.”
