Marlene Cernese

Marlene Cernese is the epitome of a native New Yorker. Born in Williamsburg, Marlene got her start as a media buyer for radio and television with Grey Advertising. She was able to meet the sales teams and station managers from all over the country while honing her knowledge of consumer goods and the advertising industry. As a master communicator and natural people person, Marlene was attracted to the excitement of the hospitality industry and purchased her own restaurant/bar in Midtown. As proprietor, she often served the stars of the shows she had earlier negotiated ad buys for her former clients. “Throughout the years, I did what many New Yorkers do—I rented and then I bought and sold apartments,” says Marlene. “I learned so much from others who shared their stories with me during that time, that I did the same, little did I realize I would be slowly building a client base from that!” Marlene turned her interest as a homeowner into a business after selling her restaurant. “I loved serving my customers and now I do that with my real estate clients.” Marlene doesn’t just call Forest Hills home, she has worked exclusively in Forest Hills and Forest Hills Gardens for the better part of a decade. She is responsible for renting hundreds of apartments in Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens and Elmhurst in Queens. “I think it’s my knowledge of the city, the reality of what it’s like living in these neighborhoods and my natural passion to serve my clients that makes me successful in such a competitive industry,” she says. Now being at Citi Habitats has allowed Marlene to expand her skills in both Manhattan and Brooklyn, where it all began.