De Niro’s real estate success eclipses his famous last name

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From left: Raphael De Niro and his father, Robert De Niro

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It’s been only six years since Raphael De Niro got his broker’s license, and he’s already got $600 million worth of property sales and a roster of high-profile clients under his belt. This weekend, the precocious celebrity spawn added a profile in the New York Times to his tally of coveted real estate prizes. But for the son of an Academy Award-winning actor, critics are quick to raise the question of nepotism: how much of Raphael’s success comes from the doors his father, Robert, has helped open for him? De Niro, whose team ranks among the top 10 at Prudential Douglas Elliman, brushes off his detractors. “People can say whatever they want, but at the end of the day, no one is buying a $10 million apartment because my dad is Robert De Niro,” he said. “Connections alone cannot explain multiple eight-figure deals when similar properties sit idle for months,” the Times concluded. [NYT]