Upon graduation from college as a Retail Major, Nora's career began as a Buyer for Mercantile Stores, a central buying office in Manhattan. Marrying a year later, she became a member of the Donohoe-Preusser family, an entrance that was to begin her real estate career. In 1968 Hollywood came to Garrison. Landing a job with Twentieth Century Fox, Nora became Personal Assistant to Barbra Streisand. While not yet a licensed realtor, this position would "set the stage" for Nora's vocation of sharing her beloved Hudson River Valley.

In 1976 Nora joined her mother-in-law Agnes, President and Principal Broker of ADP Inc., as a Licensed Real Estate Agent. In 1978 Nora became a New York Real Estate Broker and in 1980 a licensed Insurance Broker. In 1979, she took over the family business, and today she and her sons Edward and John offer the same level of commitment of excellence to anyone who steps through their door.

The building known as VanderGelder's Store during the filming of Hello Dolly, was originally a hotel owned by John P. Donohoe, founder of the family firm. More recently known as The Golden Eagle Building, it was here that Nora operated the business for many years prior to moving to her current location on Main Street, in the nearby village of Cold Spring.