About Rachel Melby

When I moved to El Cerrito in 2015, I was craving connection and had a strong hunch there was more to this hillside town than met the eye. At the time, I was working in marketing at Google, so I did what I knew best. I started documenting what I loved. The trails, the views, the quiet magic between blocks. I called it The Little Hill, not as a business plan, but as a way to find my people.

 

Over time, it worked. The account grew, my roots deepened, and El Cerrito began to feel like home. During the pandemic, people from denser cities started following along, curious about the slower, sunnier rhythm of life here. Many assumed I was a real estate agent who could help them land in this community.

 

At first, that idea felt unlikely. I loved open houses, followed the market closely, and had plenty of friends in the industry, but I’d absorbed the same stereotypes. Was there room in real estate for someone community-driven, thoughtful, and more of a listener than a salesperson?

 

As it turns out, yes. The community saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. Stepping into real estate felt surprisingly natural. The same instincts I’d used to connect people and tell stories translated seamlessly into this work.

 

Today, what matters most to me isn’t just the transaction, but what it allows me to give back. Real estate has become a way to reinvest in the place that welcomed me so fully, from supporting local events to helping bring art and connection to shared spaces.

 

When I’m not working with clients, you’ll usually find me with my family on a nearby trail, enjoying the town that started it all.