Chris Friese

Born in Berlin, Germany, I emigrated to the United States with my family when I was 11. Moving from a cosmopolitan city when I was on the cusp of becoming a teenager, O‘ahu’s slow pace of life came as a surprise. Wearing the Hawaiian mu‘umu‘u was commonplace then, and a significant change from my city life.

After graduating from the University of Hawaii in Contemporary German Literature, I opened my first restaurant in downtown Honolulu. That experience led me to discover a passion for the world of real estate. I started my first real estate firm with three partners in 1979, called “Barefoot Realty.” I later joined Kahala Associates, which was acquired by List Sotheby’s International Realty in 2014.

I joined the team at Hawai‘i Life in 2018. I like taking new ideas and new concepts and incorporating them into my everyday work. Hawai‘i Life and our culture are positive icons in the real estate industry, given our company’s tech-savvy and knowledge for all things digital in marketing. It gives me the freedom to be myself, and I can rely on the latest and greatest technology and info on an island-wide basis, with experts on every island.

I've been in the real estate industry for such a long time in Hawai‘i that I have helped different clients sell the same properties two or three times over, especially in the prestigious Diamond Head, Black Point, and Kahala areas of Honolulu. I've closed more than 1,000 real estate transactions throughout my career, serving clients across the island of O‘ahu.

I was honored with the Realtor Emeritus Award last year for 40+ years of membership and service to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). I have served twice as co-chair of the Professional Standards Committee and taught Ethics & Orientation classes for the past 12 years.

My classes have included industry ethics instruction to both new agents and experienced ones as part of a continuing education curriculum. I enjoy assisting other agents when they hit a roadblock or are looking for an answer on some complex matter.

I love staging an ‘ugly duckling’ from the ’50s — a home with good bones — and bringing it to life again, adding a few hand-picked furnishings and deco pieces I have in my magic box. I like turning an ordinary home into something beautiful and extraordinary, by incorporating fresh landscaping, interior design, and art.

Using the talents of a master photographer and videographer to capture property images, I market my clients' properties in various ways. When the outcome is successful, which it usually is, the client feels good, and that makes me happy.

I enjoy the new opportunities that each day brings, along with the unique challenges that each transaction presents. I love digging deep to solve the problem and engaging with realtors I have not worked with before — winning them over to create a successful, happy ending for our clients.

I am committed to service excellence with a focus on achieving exceptional results for my clients, and that keeps my clients coming back. Buying a home is one of the most important financial decisions a person will make in their lifetime. It deserves a skilled professional to see the process through from beginning to end.

I am actively involved in the community and I've provided leadership support to the Salvation Army’s Family Treatment Services which offers social services to women and children. I am an avid supporter of the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Volcano Community Art Center, and the Hawaiian Humane Society.

I am passionate about art, enjoy painting, and have shown my contemporary work in several local exhibitions. I am bi-lingual in German and English.

Please contact me with any real estate questions you may have.