Rochelle Maize Seamlessly Made the Transition Into Selling Luxury Real Estate

After starting Rochelle Maize Luxury Estates coming from a successful career in wealth management, she earned wide recognition for her strong financial skills, expertise in the marketplace, innovative selling strategies, and unwavering passion and dedication for finding her clients the home of their dreams.

What led you to real estate and the start of Rochelle Maize Luxury Estates?

I came into the real estate business after a successful 15-year career in wealth management. I was Senior Vice President of a well-known investment firm and advised many high-net-worth clients, helping them with their investment needs. When I realized I was ready for a new challenge, real estate piqued my interest, and as a real estate investor myself, I had over a decade of experience buying and selling properties.

Transitioning into the real estate industry was relatively easy, and from the start, people were impressed with my wealth management background and how I approached the market. The decision to brand myself as a luxury market specialist was an obvious one, and Rochelle Maize Luxury Estates was born.

How do you ensure you deliver the best-personalized client service?

To me, it has always been about the service I give to my clients, always providing them with my 100 percent undivided attention. I have an unparalleled and extensive knowledge of the Southern California real estate market, including Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Hollywood Hills, Venice, Santa Monica, Malibu, Laguna Beach and Newport Coast. In today’s world, anyone can be a real estate agent.

What sets me apart from my competitors is my service and unrelenting work ethic, which drives me to do whatever it takes to get my clients the home of their dreams. While clients appreciate my expertise and professionalism, the core of my professional values are integrity and honesty.

How does the expertise and knowledge you gained from a career in wealth management inform your work in real estate?

My career in wealth management has given me extra insight in the business world. There is an immediate comfort level when working with me because of my financial acumen.

Throughout the process, I view real estate from a financial perspective and I strive to find my clients properties that will prove to be fruitful investments. My ability to compute very extensive valuations has become invaluable in this process.

This strong financial skill set coupled with my experience in the marketplace, ensure the success of my clients’ investments. They find this trait invaluable, as I am able to provide them with sound advice about their real estate investments.

With sales over $200 million last year, what primary factors do you credit to your success?

I think it’s all about sticking to what works best for you. I have always had a client-centered perspective and am willing to do whatever it takes to secure my clients the property of their dreams. My diligence and dedication stand out, and my clients recognize and appreciate this; that’s what keeps them coming back to me.

I’ve never been one to stay inside the box. I was one of the first realtors to hire food trucks for open houses. In fact, I own my own Food Truck, RICHEEZE, a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich truck that has won over the hearts and stomachs of many agents in our city.

Smile and say “Richeeze!”

What, specifically, fuels your passion for real estate?

I feel like it’s a natural fit for me. Finding the perfect home is the most important investment in my clients’ lives and I can’t stop until I know it’s the perfect fit! It is so exciting to be a part of that process; to know that I made such a difference in their lives, that means everything to me.

Are there any particular homes you are excited about selling, or past properties that still have a hold on you?

This is a tough question, as there have been many. One standout has to be my recent sale of The Robert Taylor Ranch in Brentwood, the largest property in Los Angeles—112 acres. It holds a special place in my heart because I spent many years attending major charitable functions on the ranch as a young adult. When it came to the market last year, I knew first-hand what a special property it was. At the time, I was looking for a very large private parcel for a client of mine, so it seemed to be the perfect fit.

Unfortunately, my client did not live locally, and I needed to secure the property because I knew it would not sit on the market long. I spent days with a drone company documenting every angle of the ranch, its setting, and the surroundings. I was passionate about this property and the deal, and my client heard that in my voice. Luckily, the client went with my instinct and secured the property without ever physically seeing it.

What can you tell us about your community and charitable involvements, and what you enjoy outside of selling real estate?

I’ve always thought it was really important to you’re in a successful career. I founded the Green Youth Movement (GYM) with my youngest daughter, Ally, in 2005. We decided to pursue this philanthropic endeavor when Ally noticed a void in environmental education in grade-level schools. One of GYM’s biggest accomplishments has been its successful implementation of environmental awareness into elementary school curriculums across classrooms in California.

I am also a strong advocate of several charitable organizations in my community. I am currently a board member of the Friends of Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles. My engagements also extend to the Director’s Circle at LACMA, Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors, Jewish Federation, Giveback Homes, and Creative Bridge Coalition. I am always looking for philanthropic ways to give back and donate a percentage of each transaction to a charitable cause.

I really value my time with my family and feel grateful to have a wonderful husband and two grown daughters. My husband, Richard, holds nearly three decades of finance, marketing, and real estate experience under his belt: He has a bit of an addiction to complex business puzzles. My younger daughter, Ally, is following in my footsteps as an analyst at Barclays Bank in New York City, and my oldest daughter, Michele, spearheads the human resources department at a public relations firm in New York City.

Photo Courtesy of Vincent Vallejo