The managing partner of Royal Palm Properties, Kelly Brooks, has left the Boca Raton-based brokerage to join Douglas Elliman’s Exclusive Group as a partner. The move was confirmed in a news release and first reported by The Real Deal.
Brooks, who has held a real estate license since 2006, transferred her license to Douglas Elliman on January 9. She previously worked at Royal Palm Properties for 15 years alongside David Roberts, who leads the firm and is recognized as the top-ranked real estate agent in Palm Beach County according to The Real Deal’s 2025 ranking of agents based on on-market sales.
Royal Palm Properties specializes in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club community, which is considered the city’s most expensive neighborhood. The gated golf community spans 450 acres and contains fewer than 700 homes. It features amenities such as a private club with a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and marina.
According to information provided in the release, Royal Palm Properties brokered over 420 sales totaling more than $3.3 billion between 2021 and 2025. In his statement about Brooks’ departure, Roberts said: “Brooks’ contributions were instrumental to our success, and I have no doubt she will continue to thrive at the highest levels of the industry.”
At Douglas Elliman’s Exclusive Group—led by Nick Malinosky and Devin Kay—Brooks will focus on markets including Delray Beach and Boca Raton. Malinosky and Kay formed the team in 2023 with Gary Pohrer, who later joined Ryan Serhant’s expansion into Palm Beach but continues collaborating with them on deals. Last year, Michael Merrill also joined the group to help expand its reach into Vero Beach.
This addition is part of The Exclusive Group’s ongoing strategy to strengthen its network of advisors across luxury markets in South Florida. With recent hires like Merrill for Vero Beach, the group aims to bolster its presence along Florida’s coast.
