Pascal Nicolai

Pascal Nicolai is a French-born real estate developer and entrepreneur, best known as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sabal Development and Sabal Luxury Builder, two Miami-based firms specializing in luxury residential projects across South Florida. With more than three decades of international experience spanning France and the United States, Nicolai has established a reputation as a discerning builder of high-end homes defined by architectural integrity, craftsmanship, and contemporary design.

Born and raised in the south of France, Pascal Nicolai pursued his early education at Lycée Notre Dame de Sion, where he excelled in mathematics. He later attended the University of Aix-Marseille III, earning a Diplôme d’Études Universitaires Générales (DEUG) in Economic Sciences. After completing his studies, he began his career in the financial sector, gaining valuable insight into investment and capital markets before transitioning to real estate — the field that would come to define his career.

In 1995, Nicolai became a licensed real estate agent in France and joined AVP Immo, a regional real estate firm where he developed expertise in property transactions, acquisitions, and development management. Shortly thereafter, he founded his own real estate company, through which he acquired, renovated, and resold residential assets across southern France. His hands-on experience in design, construction oversight, and client relations would later serve as the foundation for his development philosophy.

In 2008, recognizing new opportunities emerging from the U.S. housing downturn, Nicolai relocated to Miami, Florida, where he immersed himself in the evolving American real estate market. He initially focused on the foreclosure and distressed property sector, partnering with investors to acquire and reposition undervalued assets. This phase led to the creation of Capital International Financial Fund (LLC), (AKA Sabal Development) a holding and investment structure designed to channel capital into strategic U.S. property ventures.

By the mid-2012s, Nicolai shifted his focus from investment to ground-up luxury development, founding Sabal Development — later complemented by its construction arm, Sabal Luxury Builder. His objective was to create a vertically integrated platform capable of controlling every stage of the real estate process: land acquisition, architectural design, construction, and sales. This model allowed him to deliver highly customized residences that merged European aesthetics with Miami’s tropical modern style.

Under Nicolai’s leadership, Sabal Development quickly became a reference in the Miami luxury home sector, completing multimillion-dollar residences across Venetian Islands, Palm Island, Sunset Islands, Fort Lauderdale, and Highland Beach.
Among the company’s standout projects are:

- A waterfront residence at 1369 North Venetian Way, sold for over $20 million, designed by Togu Design Studio and built by Sabal Luxury Builder;
- A contemporary oceanfront mansion in Highland Beach, spanning roughly 9,000 sq ft, which sold for $30 million;
- A Fort Lauderdale oceanfront development at 2932 North Atlantic Boulevard, acquired for $10.8 million with an expected end value exceeding $45 million.

Nicolai’s sold over $225M in property and has $220M projects in the coming 2 years with $80M property in Manalapan (Palm Beach County) coming on the market in April 2026.

Nicolai’s approach combines the precision of European building standards with the flair of South Florida design, emphasizing light, proportion, and seamless indoor-outdoor living. His projects often feature collaborations with leading architects and interior designers, aiming to deliver residences that are both highly livable and architecturally timeless.

In interviews, such as his 2023 Profile Miami feature, Nicolai describes himself as a “spec home specialist” who builds as though for his own family — selecting only prime sites and materials that express lasting value. He credits his success to discipline, transparency with investors, and his deep understanding of both the European and American markets.

Today, Pascal Nicolai continues to oversee Sabal Development’s growing portfolio of waterfront and luxury properties throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Known for his professionalism, discretion, and uncompromising attention to detail, he remains one of the key figures shaping South Florida’s new generation of high-end residential architecture.