Merging her values with business operations, Cheryl Kunimoto has developed her property management company into one of the top businesses in Hawaii, and she doesn’t plan on slowing down.
Inspired by her years in the industry, Kunimoto jumped at the opportunity to become owner, president, and principal broker at Marie Hansen Properties in 1994. Kunimoto thought long and hard about how she wanted to run her own business. It is her family’s experience, leading a life full of values, honest communication, and joy, that inspired her to infuse Marie Hansen Properties with the same core values as the foundation of her company.
Today, Marie Hansen Properties is thriving—an achievement Kunimoto credits to leading a values-driven business. “It’s absolutely possible to run a company in a way that holds people accountable in an uplifting manner,” she says.
Values Create Success
When Kunimoto first started her career in property management, she witnessed turbulence stemming from frustrated clients and overworked property managers. When she purchased Marie Hansen Properties, she decided to take a different approach with her company and properties. Kunimoto communicated regularly with owners and tenants, tackled repairs before they became emergencies, and maintained properties to attract quality tenants and uphold owners’ investments. These practices laid the groundwork for the successful relaunch of Marie Hansen Properties, which she bought from a local real estate maven.
Kunimoto grew the company’s portfolio in Honolulu from 60 units to more than 500. Her team of nine includes property managers who are members of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM); Kunimoto herself holds the esteemed—less than 1,000 designated in the United States—NARPM Residential Management Professional designation. These credentials ensure that her team stays educated on the complicated, ever-changing rental laws—everything from fair housing practices and lead-based paint management to emotional support animals—landlords must abide by.
“Owners are only as protected as their property manager is educated,” says Kunimoto.
The company’s signature values, intended to serve the best interests of clients, employees, and the business itself, are a major draw for clients. Kunimoto calls the team’s values “a clear roadmap for employees and relationships.”
She says, “When communication is practiced well, people know what is expected of them, and they’re less likely to be frustrated or angry.” Accountability is another value heavily practiced by the team. “Project management can be a litigious business, so we hold tenants and ourselves accountable in an uplifting way,” Kunimoto says. “It’s a more positive way to operate a business.” As a boutique company, Kunimoto chooses clients whose values align with hers.
As to whether values can beget business success, Marie Hansen Properties is proof positive. In 2023 and 2024 the company was in the KITV4 Viewers’ Choice Awards as the Best Property Management Company in the State of Hawaii, coming in first place both years. Cultivating an uplifting environment has paid off as Kunimoto’s team has seen little turnover and some employees have been with her for decades. “When people hand over the biggest investment of their lives to us, it’s a huge responsibility, and we take it to heart,” she concludes. “We put love and passion into our work.”
Media Contact
Company Name: Marie Hansen Properties
Contact Person: Cheryl Kunimoto
Email: Send Email
Phone: 805-591-1110
Address:3124 Brokaw Street
City: Honolulu
State: HI 96815
Country: United States
Website: https://www.mariehansenproperties.com
