Nicholas Riccio is a New Hampshire real estate developer and the husband of former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. He built his business by buying and fixing old rental homes near Hampton Beach. His rise was far from easy. Before he owned property, he had faced poverty and periods with no steady home. A local newspaper told his story back in 2005, long before his marriage brought him national attention.
In this article, we look at his early life, his first real estate deals, the growth of his M Street business, and his family with Leavitt. We also look at what older reports tell us about his career and what is known about his life today. Let’s start with the key facts.
Quick Facts About Nicholas Riccio
- Full name: Nicholas Riccio, often called Nick Riccio.
- Known for: Real estate work near Hampton Beach and marriage to Karoline Leavitt.
- Education: Attended Plymouth State University.
- High school: Alvirne High School in Hudson, New Hampshire.
- Business: Riccio Enterprises LLC, named in a 2005 newspaper profile.
- Wife: Karoline Leavitt.
- Wedding: January 2025.
- Children: Son Niko and daughter Viviana.
Who Is Nicholas Riccio?
Nicholas Riccio made his name in the New Hampshire property market. He bought aging buildings, repaired them, and rented them to people who wanted to stay near the coast. Much of his early work was on M Street in Hampton Beach. The area had many troubled properties when he first saw it.
His story became known outside New England because of Leavitt’s political career. She served as White House press secretary from January 2025 until August 27, 2026. Yet Riccio had been in real estate for decades before she entered the White House.
The clearest account of his early career comes from a March 13, 2005, Sunday Herald report by Mike Sullivan. Hampton’s Lane Memorial Library keeps a copy of that article online. It gives a rare look at Riccio’s own words and the buildings he owned at the time.
Growing Up Without a Stable Home
Nicholas Riccio grew up in a family with four children. His parents, Marilyn and Anthony, divorced when he was young. Money was tight, and he moved often. He finished high school at Alvirne High School in Hudson in 1983.
By age 18, he had no steady place to live. He later told the Sunday Herald that he sometimes visited friends so he could use their showers. His housing problems did not end when he began college. At times, he slept in his car because rent was beyond his means.
These details came from the account he gave a local reporter in 2005. They also help explain why his later work with homes was such a sharp change from his youth.
College, Work, and a Real Estate Course
Riccio attended Plymouth State University and paid his own way. He had to balance school with the need to earn money. Later, he worked stocking shelves for the Purity Supreme grocery chain in Massachusetts.
After college, he took a real estate course in 1990. The course came before his first major work in Hampton Beach. He began to learn how buyers found deals and how loans could help them purchase property.
His early loans were costly. The 2005 newspaper report says he sometimes borrowed at interest rates between 50 and 100 percent. Such rates show how much risk came with his first deals. They should not be confused with the terms of any loan he may use today.
How a Drive in 1993 Changed His Plans
In 1993, Riccio and his mother took a drive from Massachusetts to Hampton Beach. They ended up on M Street. Many homes there were in poor shape, and some had been condemned. He saw a chance to buy buildings that other people might pass by.
He wanted to own and restore more than one property. But he lacked the money for a large purchase. He started with a single building and worked from there. The first deal itself was hard to fund.
That visit became the start of his best-known local project. His mother, Marilyn, remained a major influence on his life. She died in 1997, four years after their drive to the beach.
What He Built on M Street
By March 2005, Riccio owned 15 buildings on M Street. Together, they held 70 living units. The Sunday Herald reported that he had repaired many of the buildings and still had work in progress. It also said there were 21 other buildings on the street at that time.
Those figures offer a real measure of his progress. In twelve years, he had gone from one hard-to-fund purchase to a large share of the street. The numbers are a snapshot from 2005, not a count of what he owns in 2026.
His business did not stop at one block. The same report named Riccio Enterprises LLC and said he owned other properties from Boston to New Hampshire’s White Mountains. It did not provide a current list of addresses or the value of those holdings today.
The full 2005 Sunday Herald profile preserved by Lane Memorial Library also includes comments from local police about the changes on M Street.
How the Repairs Affected the Neighborhood
M Street had long faced problems linked to poor housing and noisy summer crowds. Hampton Police Chief William Wrenn told the Sunday Herald that Riccio was trying to improve the area. Wrenn pointed to clean units, new appliances, and repairs that might attract more families.
That praise did not mean every problem on the street had been solved. Wrenn said some houses were still a concern. Riccio also spoke about making progress over time instead of expecting the area to change at once.
His goal was both a business plan and a physical change to the block. A well-kept rental could draw a different group of guests than a worn-out building. The 2005 interviews show how one local official judged that work while it was still underway.
What Is Known About His Property Business Today?
Riccio is often described as a wealthy developer. But the older report is more useful for explaining how he built his work than for setting a present-day price on it. It named his company, described his buildings, and recorded how his rentals grew.
New Hampshire’s seacoast has a strong summer travel trade. Rental owners there must keep homes in good shape and plan for busy and quiet months. That helps explain the type of market Riccio chose. It does not confirm his current income, the size of his staff, or his exact net worth.
Some recent accounts have linked him to Nautical Beach Properties. The strongest older source, however, names Riccio Enterprises LLC. The ownership of each business and its present holdings would require current company records to establish.
His Interest in Professional Sports
The 2005 profile revealed another side of Riccio. He was a keen sports fan with signed items from stars such as Muhammad Ali and Larry Bird. His home held a collection of sports keepsakes.
He also hoped to own a professional sports team. To learn more, he sought advice from people who had run teams and met with then-President George W. Bush, a former Texas Rangers co-owner. The newspaper said they spoke about baseball ownership during a visit to New Hampshire.
That was an ambition he shared at the time. It is not evidence that he went on to buy a team. His documented business work remains centered on property.
How Nicholas Riccio Met Karoline Leavitt
The couple met in 2022, while Leavitt was running for Congress in New Hampshire. She has said a mutual friend invited Riccio to an event where she was speaking. They got to know each other as friends before their bond became romantic.
The two came from different stages of life. He had spent years in business, while she was building her career in politics. Their 32-year age gap later drew much of the public interest in their relationship.
They became engaged in 2023 and married in January 2025. Their wedding took place shortly before Leavitt began her role as White House press secretary. These dates give a clear timeline without the need for guesses about their private life.
Marriage, Children, and Family Privacy
Their son, Nicholas Robert, known as Niko, was born in July 2024. Their daughter, Viviana, arrived in May 2026. Leavitt has spoken publicly about both children and what being a mother means to her.
In October 2026, she addressed questions about her marriage in an Instagram exchange. She praised her husband as a father and urged women in relationships with an age gap to follow their own judgment. Her remarks were reported in People’s October 14, 2026 article.
She also explained why she does not show her children’s faces on social media. She said threats and harsh comments during her White House job played a part in that choice. She wants her children to have a say in how much of their lives appears online when they are older.
Life After Leavitt’s White House Role
Leavitt left the White House press secretary job on August 27, 2026. The White House marked that date as her final day. Reports said she wanted more time with her young family. In October, news outlets also reported plans for her to work as a Fox News contributor.
Her change in career brought fresh coverage of the couple. It did not alter Riccio’s earlier business record. His public story still has two clear parts: a long career buying and fixing homes, followed by wider notice as Leavitt’s husband.
For readers who first heard his name through politics, the dates matter. He was already a well-known developer in a local newspaper more than twenty years before these recent family interviews.
Final Thoughts
Nicholas Riccio’s path began with unstable housing and low-paid work. In Hampton Beach, he took on old buildings and turned one early purchase into a much larger rental business. The 2005 local reporting gives that part of his life real detail, from the state of M Street to the number of units he owned.
His marriage to Karoline Leavitt brought a new kind of attention. Today, many people know him first as her husband and the father of their two children. Yet his early work stands apart from her time in public office. Both parts of his life explain why readers search for his name.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Nicholas Riccio?
People reported in October 2026 that he was 61 years old. That report also placed him 32 years older than Karoline Leavitt.
Where did Nicholas Riccio go to school?
He graduated from Alvirne High School in Hudson, New Hampshire, in 1983 and later attended Plymouth State University.
How many buildings did he own at Hampton Beach?
A March 2005 report counted 15 buildings with 70 living units on M Street. That is a historical figure, not a current ownership count.
When did Nicholas Riccio marry Karoline Leavitt?
They married in January 2025. They have two children, Niko and Viviana.
You may also read more biographies on US Chronicle Magazine.
