Your real estate goals are a destination.

My communities

The people and places that make me who I am

Family

Everything I do starts here.

Recreation

Where I recharge

On the mat with my training partners, and out seeing the world.

Work

The people I build with

Great results take a great team. These are the people and groups behind my work.

• The Gellman Team at eXp RealtyWhere I'm a Broker Associate, helping lead the team's new-construction work.
• 
  Nickolas Dalba Real EstateThe boutique brokerage I founded in 2013.
• St. Louis homebuildersRelationships built over 35+ years, from the field to the front office.
• 
  HomeBuildSTLMy free guide for anyone considering new construction in St. Louis. Visit HomeBuildSTL

My path

From the builder's side of the table to yours

Before I represented buyers, I estimated, sold, ran operations and built homes myself. I know how builders price, schedule and negotiate, and what to check before you sign.

• 1989
  Construction estimator for St. Louis subdivisions.
• 1997
  Epic Homes, Sales Director. Led sales across five communities, guiding buyers through homesites, plans, options, selections and financing. Home Builders Association of St. Louis Homer Award, 1997.
• 1998
  Missouri real estate broker. Earned my agent and broker licenses the same year, so the builder could run its own in-house sales team.
• 2000
  Epic Homes, Operations Director. Ran accounting, estimating, purchasing and field operations, tightened change orders, and added a design center in each community. Revenue grew from $2 million to $12 million.
• 2006
  Dalba Development, owner and builder. Built custom homes of 4,500 to 6,500 square feet, priced from $1 million to $2.5 million, in established St. Louis communities.
• 2011
  Grayhawk, VP of Development and Residential Construction. Directed a 2,000-acre gated lake community in Ste. Genevieve: its exclusive builder, a new home line, and designated broker for its resales.
• 2013
  Founded Nickolas Dalba Real Estate, a boutique brokerage for buyers and sellers, with new construction as its specialty.
• 2015
  Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and member of the Home Builders Association of St. Louis.
• 2019
  Licensed Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS #1839931). I help clients with financing alongside their real estate.
• 2026
  Broker Associate, The Gellman Team at eXp Realty, developing the team's new-construction division. Founded HomeBuildSTL.

Education: B.A., Psychology, Southern Methodist University.

People I admire

The people who shape how I think and work

Walter Payton"Sweetness." Chicago Bears #34.

Warren BuffettBerkshire Hathaway, the Oracle of Omaha.

Charlie MungerBerkshire Hathaway vice chairman.

Rickson GracieBrazilian jiu-jitsu legend.

My Professors

Mother TeresaMissionaries of Charity. Nobel Peace Prize, 1979.

Khabib NurmagomedovUndefeated UFC lightweight champion, 29–0.

Mom and Dad

Tomb of the Unknown SoldierAn American Soldier known but to God

Get to know me

10 things to know about Nick

1. Where did you grow up?

   I grew up in St. Louis until I was 14, when we moved to Vail, Colorado, in 1980. In 1984, I left for college in Dallas, Texas, where I attended Southern Methodist University and graduated in 1989.

2. Where do you live now, and why there?

   My wife Laura and I live in Chesterfield because we are close to everything, and it is an area that continues to develop exciting projects for the future.

3. Tell us about your family.

   My wife Laura and I met in 1985 and were married in 1991. We have two beautiful girls, one living in Virginia and the other in Cincinnati. Laura works as the Senior Designer at Fischer and Frichtel Homes. She has been with the company since 2003.

4. What do you do when you're not working?

   When I am not working, I run at Queeny Park, train jiu-jitsu and try to challenge myself with outdoor activities such as shooting, distance runs and plans for mountaineering training in the near future.

5. Favorite book?

   A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.

6. Favorite spot in St. Louis?

   The Hill.

7. Best advice you ever got?

   Keep it playful!

8. Proudest moment?

   Anytime I can be a part of contributing to the happiness of others.

9. A place you've crossed off the list, or want to?

   Paris in 2026. We had been planning it since 2006! Haha!

10. Why do you do this work?

    I grew up around the business my whole life. I have been lucky to have stayed within this industry my whole career. It is what I know. It is the place I can make a contribution for the betterment of those I know and those I will meet in the future, should they end up involved in a real estate transaction or home build.