Rachel Melby
When I moved to El Cerrito in 2015, I was craving connection and had a strong feeling there were hidden gems tucked into this little hillside town. At the time, I was working as a marketer and media manager at Google, so I did what I knew best: I started a social media account to build community and find my people. Eventually, it worked.
After years of documenting my new hometown, The Little Hill grew a loyal following and helped me feel more rooted than ever. Then something unexpected happened. During the pandemic, people from more urban areas began following along, curious about the slower, sunnier lifestyle El Cerrito seemed to offer. Many of them assumed I was a Realtor who could help them buy a home.
Up until then, I’d never seriously considered real estate. (Though I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t daydreamed about it.) I was a devoted open house goer, a real estate enthusiast with lots of friends in the industry, and a self-proclaimed armchair expert. But me, an agent? No way.
…Or maybe?
As it turns out, the community saw something in me before I did. I stepped into the role, and the rest is history. In my first two years, I was honored with the Rising Star Realtor Award, given to just ten agents statewide. I was also twice nominated for LaSalle Mortgage’s Community Ambassador Award, which I was proud to receive in 2025.
Still, some of my proudest work has little to do with transactions. My business has allowed me to invest directly back into the place that welcomed me so fully. When I do well, I want my neighbors to benefit too. So far, we’ve helped bring creator and music festivals to life, hosted community-wide walking events, and organized and sponsored more than half a dozen murals along the Ohlone Greenway.
When I’m not helping people buy and sell homes, or dreaming up ways to bring neighbors together, you’ll usually find me and my family out on a nearby trail, enjoying the place that started it all.
Rachel Sheftel
I came to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley and, like so many people who arrive here for school, I never left. I fell hard for the East Bay, its neighborhoods, its people, and its layers of character. Over the years, I’ve lived all over Berkeley and now happily call Albany home.
Real estate has been part of my world for as long as I can remember. My dad was a real estate broker, and some of my earliest memories are of listening in on conversations about houses, neighborhoods, and how deals came together. I was probably the only kid you’ve ever met who eagerly waited for the Sunday newspaper just to read the Homes section.
I went on to earn a degree in Cognitive Science, dabbled in product management, and worked in casting for film and television, all while quietly convincing myself that I couldn’t really be a Realtor. Still, real estate was always in the back of my mind. In 2021, I finally got my license, and I’m so glad I did.
This work hits every note for me. I love forming meaningful relationships with clients, many of whom become friends. I enjoy flexing my design eye when preparing homes for market, and I take real satisfaction in bringing structure and calm to the transaction process. The type-A tendencies that once drove my teachers a little crazy now help keep everything running smoothly. There’s truly never a dull moment, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
When I’m not helping clients, you can usually find me at the wheel making pottery at Berkeley Potters’ Studio, sipping an oat milk latte at Hal’s Office on Solano, walking in the Berkeley Hills, or trying new restaurants with my husband.