Today July 1, 2022 is Kauai Dreams Realty’s 25th Anniversary.
I started Kauai Dreams Realty on July 1, 1997. Prior I was Broker in Charge of Na Pali Properties in Kapa’a under the tutelage of Michael Ching (Ching Young Village). Mike was a great mentor and boss, but the office needed updating, and I thought to myself if I’m going to update the office, I might as well update it for myself. It was a smooth transition. Mike went from real estate office owner to shopping center (Ching Young Village) General Manager. I opened my own brokerage. That was the beginning of Kauai Dreams Realty.
I transferred the location of the office from the old site currently where Tamba Surf shop is to the new location in the Seto building across the Kapaa ball park. From our one office downstairs we added another 2nd office upstairs. It’s been a great location in the heart of Kapaa, with great landlords. Over the years I have had a variety of agents and office staff. Currently including myself there are 8 agents or brokers and 1 employee, our office manager.
My Daughter, Kela Caspillo, Joins the Company.
In 2011 my older daughter Kela graduated college during a recession. No one was hiring. But I was, as I begged her to work with me as my business was booming as I aligned myself with banks who were foreclosing on bad mortgages. She agreed (probably because her cousin Carrice was working for me at the time.) A partnership was in the making. Here is a brief antidote of Kela growing up unreal estate:
“A typical day was going to my Mom’s office after work. Doing homework, getting french fries from Bubba burgers, and then watching movies in the office closet. I cycled through the same 3 VHS tapes; Rush Hour, George of the Jungle, and The Spice Girls.I never wanted to become a real estate agent. Not because of the job description. Purely because I wanted to be my own person and try something different. Being around real estate agents had its perks. A Realtor friend of my Moms would give us stuff from her trips from Taiwan. At Caravans I got to eat snacks and play with gadgets they handed out.
I found my first TLC “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” cassette tape from a box of discarded stuff. If sellers left behind discarded things that were going to be taken to the dump I was allowed to look through and grab what I want.
There are life skills that I learned, like how to get into a house if you are locked out and how to do a garage sale. I remember I helped do a garage sale for a deceased man who had no family coming to get his things. I wanted two of his bath towels I found in the closet and my Mom made me pay for them. I still have them to this day.”
Yes it’s been fun working with my daughter at the office. I also have my niece’s husband, Donovan Gardner on the team too. We have a small family here and we enjoy helping others in the Kauai community with their real estate needs. In preparation for writing this blog I looked at a file of old Thank You cards and letters. It was truly gratifying to reread the cards and letters of appreciation from past clients, agents and employees. Over the years we have been named Best Real Estate Company on the Island of Kauai (or runner up) for multiple years as well as other accolades.
Anniversary Towels:
In celebration of our 25 anniversary we are giving away to our past and present clients and customers custom designed Turkish towels. It’s a pineapple design with our logo embroidered in the corner. On the left, Kela is modeling a towel at Weeping Walls, Kauai. Please stop by to pick yours up or we can mail one to you.
Real estate on Kauai has been a great career. I recommend it if you are a proactive self starter and hard worker. Owning your own company has been a great experience too. Although I probably won’t be working in another 25 years I’m hoping my daughter will be keeping the company open to celebrate it’s 50 year anniversary.
Call 808652-6174 or email me kauaidreams97@gmail.com if you have any questions on Kaua real estate.
