Spotlight on Linda Hussey – A Devoted Volunteer & Animal Lover Who Embraces the Spirit of Aloha

When you meet Linda Hussey, you’re immediately struck by her incredible vitality. Always encouraging and positive, she’s without a doubt the best cheerleader you could want on your team. Born and raised in Portland Maine, Linda has been an enthusiastic Big Island resident since 2006. “I love living here in Hawai’i because as small as this island is, I still manage to see or learn something new just about every day,” she told us.

Knowing her caring nature and her ability to stay calm under pressure, it’s no surprise that Linda worked as an EMT back in Maine before moving to the islands and launching her real estate career. “I moved to Gorham, Maine and lived there with my husband and daughter for 14 years until we moved here to Hawai’i in July of 2006,” Linda told us. Her husband Evert was a firefighter and a skilled carpenter back in Maine.

“Fun Fact: I was adopted at birth and raised as an only child. I actually found my birth mother and have met all seven of my half siblings :)”

Fast forward to her life in Hawaii, where together they operated a property maintenance business for more than 11 years, an experience that Linda claims gave her great insight into the vacation rental world, as well as luxury residential real estate. She’s been a licensed real estate agent since 2011, at first dipping her toes in the warm water and working part-time until 2015, when she says, “I jumped in with both feet and started to focus solely on real estate.”

The decision has paid off, both for Linda’s clients and for her sense of fulfillment. “I love that I can work with people to help them make their dream of owning a home a reality,” says Linda, who especially enjoys working with first-time buyers. “There is nothing more rewarding than to see someone who thought they could not buy a home actually realize their goal,” she shared. Of course, as a self-described “crazy animal-loving person” Linda seems to also attract clients looking to move their pets to Hawaii, or those searching for condos that allow furry family members.

The Hussey Family Pack. 🙂

As a former EMT, helping others isn’t new to Linda, who has been giving back to her community both in her professional and personal life. Linda is a volunteer on the Hawaii Life Charitable Fund (HLCF) board of directors, where she serves as the fund’s Vice-Chair and heads up the HLCF’s fundraising committee. She’s also dedicated to animal rescue and rehabilitation and hopes to someday open her own animal sanctuary, with a goal of combining animal welfare with that of people who are recovering from substance abuse and addiction issues.

In the recent lead-up to Worthshop, Hawaii Life’s annual conference series, Linda worked tirelessly to plan a silent auction, prize giveaways, and fundraising efforts. Throughout the conference, she was an exuberant spokesperson for the HLCF, helping to raise more than $12,000 that will go to help local charities across the state. The HLCF runs an annual grant program called Hawaii Love, and proceeds from Linda’s fundraising efforts and others will support four grants the HLCF will award in 2019.

HLCF Chair Mealoha Kraus and Vice-Chair Linda Hussey, busy fundraising at this year’s Worthshop. Photo Credit: AJ Canaria at Planomatic.

Linda has embraced local culture and the spirit of aloha wholeheartedly. Inspired by her friend and teacher Pua Lincoln Maielua, she has been committed to understanding Native Hawaiian culture since her arrival in the islands. She says she’s fascinated by the learning process. “Pua inspires me to keep pushing forward, and when I learn from her I always walk away with a sense of amazement and a deeper understanding of who I am, and how I fit into this beautiful place,” she says.

“I love that I can be me. Hawai’i Life is the only real estate company I know that encourages its agents to be themselves and to embrace that,” said Linda.

To date, Linda has closed 19 Hawaii real estate transactions and has assisted her fellow agents in successfully closing many more. In her typically cooperative and inclusive style, she says, “I believe we can all learn from each other and lift each other up,” when asked about partnering with other real estate professionals. “I approach my Hawai’i Life and my business as I do life in general. I always speak my truth, and I treat others the way I want to be treated. I believe Gandhi said it best:  “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Linda shared.

Real Estate Agent Linda Hussey addressing the crowd at December’s Worthshop 8, held close to her home at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.

Linda has applied herself to the business, earning several advanced designations as part of her continuing education. She holds the e-PRO® Real Estate Technology Training designation – an internet professional certification program approved by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for its members. She also holds the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designation, a benchmark of excellence in buyer representation in our industry. Finally, she’s completed NAR’s Green Designation, which provides advanced training in green building and sustainable business practices, to help industry pros seek out, understand, and market properties with green features.

One of the first things that stood out to her when she joined Hawai’i Life was the idea of teamwork. “Being a realtor can be tough sometimes,” Linda admitted, “Eliminating the stereotypical competitive agent mentality and embracing more of a “we are all in this together” attitude makes things so much nicer. When I was younger, I used to think I had to do everything by myself. Once I removed ego from the equation and learned that many hands really do make light work of almost any situation, I felt a sense of calm. It was this teamwork approach that drew me to join forces with Hawai’i Life and to this day I am grateful that I did. I mean where else can you get away with driving a purple car?!”

Linda’s purple car stands out, with her personalized plate that reads, “KIZMT”

“I love my Hawai’i Life because not a day goes by that I do not acknowledge how lucky I am to live in such a magical place,” says Linda, who loves swimming in the ocean and hiking, if you catch her at the right moment. She frequents Kua Bay, which she claims is her favorite place on the planet. Manini’owali Beach at Kua Bay (featured in the top photo of this blog post) is part of the Kekaha Kai State Park, which is located along the leeward coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. It marks the northern end of the state park and features several hiking trails and a number of lookout points from which you can enjoy great views of the salt-and-pepper coastline.”When I am there I feel a sense of calm and connectedness that I don’t find anywhere else,” she told us.

To learn more about Linda, her Hawaii Life, her passion for animals, her favorite spots on the Big Island, and her real estate practice, please visit her website here, or read her recent blog posts here.

To talk story with Linda, please call (808) 640-6972, or you can email her at lindahussey@hawaiilife.com

HLCF Chair Mealoha Kraus and Vice-Chair Linda Hussey, busy fundraising at this year’s Worthshop. Photo Credit: AJ Canaria at Planomatic.