Meet The CHOI Group with Hawai‘i Life: A Supercharged Team of Pros

We recently joined forces with Honolulu’s premiere team of luxury real estate pros to form The CHOI Group with Hawai‘i Life. The move not only added to our Hawai‘i Life office locations statewide (we now have 14), but it also expanded our lineup of exceptional agents and brokers to serve our clients’ diverse needs across the state.

We’ve also broadened our service offerings to include capabilities in commercial real estate and foreign investment. The same CHOI team that’s been serving Honolulu for three decades now brings their specialized expertise to Hawai‘i Life’s clients. They’ve are collectively the preeminent luxury real estate team in Honolulu. They also bring a bevy of relationships to our partnership, both on O‘ahu, and in Asian markets that include Japan, China, and Korea, where they have specialized in assisting foreign investors to select and purchase properties here in Hawai‘i. The CHOI Group boasts Asian language capabilities and cultural awareness that will certainly become assets to our many Hawai‘i Life clients across the state. 

As if all this weren’t enough, they bring the strength of the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, earned by an elite group of commercials agents across the nation. Long established as Honolulu’s leaders in the residential luxury real estate sector, The CHOI Group with Hawai‘i Life also now leads the way in commercial real estate services.

With only about 100 active commercial real estate professionals in Hawai‘i, this is an important addition to the team. This means they are well positioned to serve the needs of high net worth individuals, as well as trusts, corporations, institutions, and other legal entities – both domestically and abroad.

Recognized Leaders

Matt Gabriel (Broker-in-Charge), Patricia Choi (HL1 Director) and Julianna Garris (Broker-in-Charge) of The CHOI Group with Hawai‘i LIfe

The CHOI Group with Hawai‘i Life has been leading Honolulu’s luxury residential real estate market for 30 years on O‘ahu, with Patricia Choi at its helm. Patricia has been the top broker in Honolulu for 16 of the past 19 years, leading the industry throughout her award-winning career that has spanned three decades.

Headquartered in Kahala, her team of pros is renowned for this business acumen, professionalism, and expertise in international and luxury markets. When you combine their Japanese, Korean and Chinese language proficient agents with our exclusive affiliations with Christie’s International Real Estate and Luxury Portfolio International, The CHOI Group at Hawa‘i Life is a powerhouse team.

Patricia Choi will serve as the O‘ahu Director of Hawai‘i Life One (HL1), our exclusive, luxury real estate division. Trained as a commercial broker, Patricia turned her attention to high-end real estate in the early days of her career. She achieved the coveted CCIM designation early in her real estate career, which has spanned three decades on O‘ahu. Patricia has been Honolulu’s top broker for many of those years. While she has remained laser-focused on luxury residential real estate in recent years, she charged her key personnel with leading the commercial real estate division of The CHOI Group with Hawai‘i Life.

Matt Gabriel will serve as Broker-in-Charge for The CHOI Group. Matt joined the team in July 2003 and has assisted in sales transactions exceeding $1.6 billion in sales throughout his career. Matt is sought after for his highly skilled approach to buying and selling luxury property, as well as for his discretion and professional integrity.

Julianna Garris moved to Hawai‘i from Michigan in 1981, and she began her career as an agent in 1992, with the strong influence of her family’s involvement in construction, real estate, and mortgage banking driving her to the industry. Her family’s influence and her personal experience in home renovation projects have given her a deep understanding of design and building issues. This knowledge, coupled with her decades of experience as both an agent and broker in the Honolulu market, make her an excellent resource for her clients. Julianna will serve as Broker-in-Charge for The CHOI Group.

Specialized Skills and Expertise

In addition to the excellent leadership of Patricia, Matt, and Julianna, The CHOI Group will benefit from the specialized skills and experience of The CHOI Group’s team, who have been serving the O‘ahu market and have deep roots in the community. In addition to their extensive luxury real estate experience, Hawai‘i Life clients can access the commercial real estate and international market expertise of The CHOI Group’s agents and brokers.

Mark Storfer manages the commercial real estate division at The CHOI Group. As one of only about 100 active commercial real estate professionals in the state, he works collaboratively with about two dozen other key players, tending to the needs of his clients, for property types that include Retail, Office, Hospitality, Multifamily, Mixed Use, Land, and Industrial. Mark gained the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation in 2007, a marker of his expertise and experience in commercial real estate brokerage, leasing, asset management, valuation, and investment analysis.

Sanjay Arora serves as the Vice President of Sales for Japan, where he was born. He worked for 14 years in finance in Tokyo, covering central banks and hedge funds as a Japan specialist for prestigious firms Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers, following his graduation from Stanford. Sanjay has lived in Hawai‘i since 2000, when he moved here with his family from Tokyo, after investing in Hawai‘i real estate himself. He has a solid understanding of the needs and concerns of foreign investors, having been in their shoes.

Maggie Huang serves as International Vice President, for the Greater China Region. She is one of Honolulu ‘s Top 50 Realtors, according to Honolulu Magazine’s 2015 Best In Real Estate issue. Raised in Wuhan, China and fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese, Maggie travels frequently throughout Asia and has a deep understanding of Chinese business culture. Her extensive client list in China, paired with her expertise in the Honolulu market and language skills, make her an ideal choice for those seeking representation in Hawai‘i.