Testimonials

Rachel helped us a few years ago while we looked for an investment property. During this time she was nothing but professional and a joy to work with. Unfortunately we never found anything that warranted investing into. This was no fault of the Realtor, in fact due to her great customer service we sought her out when we found a property just recently and insisted she represent us. During the whole process, Rachel was highly professional and just a wonderful person to interact with. We had full confidence in her and she performed her job above and beyond all expectations.

She was always available with answers to any questions throughout the purchasing process. She provided a service that was nothing less than amazing. She really proved that she was working for our best interests and made us feel confident in our choice of Realtor. Apart from her total professionalism, she brought a true feeling of aloha. Rachel has the talent to make a business transaction feel warm and welcoming. A situation that many people can find overwhelming or stressful is neutralized by her ability to make a client feel at ease - a very important quality that we valued immensely. Throughout our dealings with our realtor we never felt abandoned or wanting for answers. She was diligent in keeping in contact and was always available no matter the time of day. One of her greatest strengths for us was her amazing communication skills. In addition, her knowledge of her job and her ability to convey it to her client is an amazing tool she holds. We truly feel blessed to have her as representation in a business transaction, and she will always be our First Choice in future dealings. But more importantly, we feel confident in recommending her to other people looking for a real estate agent.

I am humbly submitting this letter to recommend Rachel Alsagoff for the 2019 Aloha ‘Aina Realtor Award. Her professionalism, dedication and care as a Realtor goes above and beyond my greatest expectations, and her efforts on my behalf have culminated in the acquisition of what was not only my first real estate purchase, but also in an apartment I could never dream of owning. My experience with her as my Realtor has made me a loyal client, and I cannot find any doubt that her exceptionalism fulfills the tenets of this award.

I am an Army reservist and combat veteran whose origins are rooted in Honolulu. I’ve been twice deployed, resulting in the loss of my six-year business and the necessity of starting my life anew multiple times. The constant cycle of starting over financially left me feeling that I would never truly be able to afford buying a home in the place I’ve always hailed from. When I approached Rachel with my perceived difficulties of becoming a Hawaii homeowner, she was able to soothe my doubts and build my confidence as a potential homebuyer, which other Realtors had not been able to do so before. She made a commitment to help me find my dream home, and helped me begin the process of qualifying.

Rachel took great care to understand what I was looking for in a home, delving into my wants and needs, helping me figure out how to meet them all. She sent me between five and fifteen listings a day that would fit my criteria. She would listen to my feedback on each one, whittling down the list and tailoring the choices to better match my wants and needs. She took me on viewing after viewing to help me also understand more what’s really out there, what's possible, and to help me better figure out what I really wanted. Most importantly she walked me through viable home purchasing scenarios, and helped steer me towards options, which were within my means. As someone who’s constantly being sent overseas with little notice, and who is used to coming home to so little, I have a one-foot out the door mentality. But Rachel was able to keep me focused and on the path. This went on for months, and during the whole process she remained 100% committed, never leaving my side, never dialing back her efforts.

It was after a long day of viewing that we would find ourselves at the apartment I would call home, and I hesitated to even look at it. I had had enough for the day, and wanted to retreat and regroup to attack viewings another time. But Rachel sat down with me, went through everything I had been looking for, how my criteria had adjusted, developed, and that this place would fit me. It was the first time she had ever expressed such sentiment in a listing for me, and it was based on all the time she spent with me, figuring out what would make me finally feel at home. And she was right. After months of me saying “no”, I walked in the door and instantly said “yes”.

The apartment was turnkey, in great condition, and was likely listed for less than what it could be sold for. Rachel was confident that she could win them over.

She expressed in detail to them what I went through during my years abroad, my yearning to finally find a home in Hawaii, and what this acquisition would mean to me. They not only agreed to sell to me because of her efforts, they also brought the price down to better suit my budget. She walked me through the whole closing process, maintained constant contact, and protected me through the entire process with the sellers. She dealt with issues so I wouldn’t have to. And in the end, she celebrated with me. After closing she constantly checked up on me as I moved into my new home to see how it was all going, while providing counsel in regards to my questions as a new homeowner. We’re still in contact as of this writing, and she’s still checking up to see how I’m doing in my new place. That level of dedication is very much appreciated.

I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Rachel as my Realtor. Because of her exceptional commitment to me as a client, I now finish writing this letter from an apartment I never thought I’d be in. In a place I can finally, and truly, call home. I look back on my experience with her, and find myself in awe at how much work she’s done on my behalf, and how she patiently stayed with me through the process. I find myself a loyal and grateful client of Rachel’s, and look forward to working with her again when the time comes. I hope as you weigh viable candidates for this year’s award, you find her at the top of your list. She’s at the top of mine.

We dealt with a few different Realtors in our search for a home to buy. Rachel is in a different league from all of them.

From the very first time I met Rachel, it was clear that she understood what a monumental, scary and complicated, but at the same time, deeply personal process, buying your first house that will become your home is. She is an incredibly honest and open person and immediately proved herself to be a genuine friend and confidant in all her dealings with us, and a diligent, dedicated and vicious ally in all of her dealings on our behalf.

The daunting process of just LOOKING at houses that you're thinking of buying can easily be filled with angst and stress. If you'd prefer to feel like you are being taken care of and are able to take a step back from that and focus on the fact you are searching for your new home, having Rachel be there with you is the only thing I can recommend!

There was not a single part of this overly complicated process that Rachel was not already knowledgeable about, or immediately set herself to finding out about and informing me about. (And I am both, a beginner to real estate, and by nature, an asker of maaaaaany questions) There was nothing but patient and informative responses from Rachel at every point of the process, at all hours, and even from the other side of the planet.(more on that last one to follow)

The "Above and beyondness" that Rachel demonstrated during the entire process was exceptional, there was no part where this ethic was not evident. However you have asked for examples, being as there are too many to list here, I'll just pick my favorites. First is her absolute availability and dedication at all times. It just so happened that the house that we bought ended up being in the final phase of escrow at the same time that Rachel had a long standing family event in Norway. Despite the time difference, the understandably spotty internet connection in the fjords, and our insistence that she did not have to put herself out while she was abroad, she was there at every possible turn making sure that we were up to speed and that everything was on track. Rachel rounded out her over and above performance by volunteering to help us move, like actually show up and haul boxes and furniture into our new house. Which she absolutely did, after showing up early and setting out a cheese plate and hanging a congrats sign! By the end of the move, we were all drenched in sweat and enjoying a glass of the amazing bourbon that Rachel had brought us as just one of our housewarming presents.

Anyone who knows me knows that BBQs at my house are a big deal, and generally a family affair. Rachel and her family have a spot saved for them at every one held at the wonderful house she helped us find and purchase.

I have worked with Realtors before and I can 100% say that Rachel is an amazing Realtor for the following reasons:

Rachel has a lot of knowledge answering all of my husband’s and my own questions. She knows houses inside and out and she provided references and links to questions I had such as ADUs, land purchase and costs to build, general house maintenance issues by area (Ahuimanu vs Kailua). She helped us identify flood insurance maps and costs of flood insurance in certain areas. If she didn’t have an answer, she researched and got back to me right away, at all hours, which was not expected at all.

You’re thinking this is what Realtors are supposed to do. But I can honestly say there are a lot of Realtors that don’t go out of their way. We felt like her only client, even though I know she had others at the same time.

Even though my husband and I had different wants and priorities, she found places that had items from both our lists. She is professional, very sweet and caring, but a bulldog under it all. A perfect combo.

The biggest area Rachel went above and beyond was during and after closing. Most Realtors are out of the picture as soon as the house is sold. Not Rachel. She hand delivered documents late at night for signatures and would deliver them in town for us so we wouldn’t have to take hours off at work. She made sure she learned the items we wanted to upgrade on the house and then helped research pest control, contractors, etc. She even met a few landscapers at the house for me when I was unable to attend. Once we decided on a contractor, she physically checked on the work, stopping by while my husband and I were at work to make sure everything was going smoothly.

She was there through the whole process because she wanted our home to be just what we wanted or as close as we could get it. As far as Realtors go, it is rare to have this level of care and commitment. Rachel is truly special and deserves to be recognized.

Rachel Alsagoff searched countless hours and travelled thousands of miles on my behalf to find me the perfect condo. Though we were outbid by investors on several occasions and in spite of my limited budget, Rachel was relentless. When I wanted to give up, Rachel refused and kept in constant communication with me to coordinate the whole buying process. In the end, it was her personal rapport with the seller and her promotion of me to the sellers as a local buyer that convinced them to sell to me at an outstanding price. Rachel also walked me through the entire financing process, title, closing and every other aspect of the process.

I am 61 years-old and this is my third home purchase but I have never met a more dedicated, hardworking professional than Rachel, in any field, in all my years.

I nominate Rachel for this award with the strongest enthusiasm. I consider Rachel not only a great Realtor but a real friend and a one-of-a-kind example of integrity and devotion to service.

Rachel went above and beyond expectations to help me obtain a home that I did not think was possible. As a first-time home buyer in a tough market, who did not know exactly what I wanted, I was skeptical that a Realtor could help me find a home better than I could on my own online.

She works harder than anyone I know. It got to the point that I felt bad for her family and said to stop working so hard for me. She would respond to my texts and emails late at night, while on vacation or between appointments. For the home I eventually bought, she met me at 9 PM to get the first showing because she knew how much I would like it and how we needed to get an offer in as soon as possible.

She wrote a cover letter for me that made the difference in getting me my dream home, even though I was not the highest offer. She wrote the letter after we talked for hours about what I wanted, both in my home and life, and how I got here. She takes the time to be the best she can.

Rachel is the reason I am living my dream. I am extremely grateful for what she has done for me and how hard she worked. I do not believe there are many other Realtors who would have helped me to obtain a home and life I thought was unattainable. I cannot say enough great things about her and have already recommended her to multiple colleagues, who are also very impressed with her and they have recommended her to others. There is no doubt that she is one of the top Realtors in Hawaii and deserves the award for exceptional service.

Rachel is very organized and professional. Her attention to detail is amazing. The house was staged beautifully, giving it the "Wow" factor and making it inviting. I was impressed that she was present at all the showings. She reported promptly on the number of potential buyers and their feedback, giving their likes and dislikes on the property. The tireless effort that Rachel provided on the number of clients previewing the listing was impressive. She made sure that any minor property defects were promptly addressed and remedied. Rachel used her charm, wit, and personality to make the sale.

One example of Rachel going above and beyond in selling the property is that she cleaned the upper deck railings, due to bird droppings, so that clients would not get soiled while admiring the ocean vista. Most impressive!

Another detail is her scrutiny of the Purchase Agreement where she made corrections and recommendations on items that I missed, to my benefit.

Without hesitation, I definitely nominate Rachel for this award. She is the best and deserves it.

I was introduced to Rachel by a Loan Officer that I had worked with. I was living on the mainland and was in the process of purchasing a 2nd home to be able to come back to the island. From the very beginning, Rachel was very attentive and accommodating. She understood what I wanted and were my eyes when I was not able to be on the island. We found the perfect place and I could not be happier!

Rachel was very informative with each step of the process and I always felt she had my best interest first and was there to protect me along the way. Hands down, Rachel is the best Agent I have ever worked with and would recommend her over and over again.

I've worked with several Realtors in the past and Rachel was hands down absolutely the best I've had the pleasure of working with. She always communicated every step of the process and transaction of the purchase. She always looked out for our best interest and always came through with positive results. On a personal level, she was very friendly and easy to work with. She made herself available at all hours to answer questions, even when she was out of state on vacation. I look forward to working with her on any future sales/purchases.

I love enjoying my beautiful new home, and have been reflecting on how everything worked out. Specifically, I have been thinking about all the things that our agent, Rachel, did to get me here.

Rachel came as a recommendation by my Loan Officer. This made my pre-approval process extremely convenient and turn-key. It was so nice that Rachel really took the time to get to know me and my parents while they were visiting.

Rachel took me under her wing like a mama bird. She worked around my difficult work schedule and was persistent to find my ideal home. I had certain requirements for the property, which is extremely difficult to find in Honolulu, but Rachel went on the hunt and didn't waste my time. She showed great knowledge of the market, knew the answer to my questions, took notes and would follow up in great detail via email, phone and text.

We quickly started to see properties that I really liked. Rachel knew enough about me to promise that I could do better if we looked a little longer. It would have been much easier for her to go along with some of those apartments, but combining her knowledge of my situation with an exhaustive knowledge of Oahu's market gave her, and me, confidence I hadn't yet found the perfect place.

I finally found a place that I loved. She recommended an inspection company that did an extremely thorough job. She even haggled me a discount! While I was in escrow, the sellers messed up the parking stall transfer and said it did not come with the unit anymore. Rachel immediately had my back and assured me that I'd get my entire payment back and we'd find a better place!

A few weeks later, an opportunity came up for a newer and nicer apartment and we put in an offer and before I even knew it, I was moving in!

The final thing I wanted to mention is that Rachel doesn't want to be a stranger after I closed. She bought me a nice little gift and even hand-painted me a beautiful little "welcome home" sign!