Why List With Malia
Whether you are buying or selling, who you work with can make all the difference.
A truly exceptional real estate advisor doesn’t just facilitate a transaction—they leverage years of experience, deep-rooted connections, and a thorough understanding of the local market to ensure the best possible outcome for buyers. Growing up in the Vail Valley, I have personal ties to several generations of Realtors and tradespeople, thanks to my well-respected parents in the industry, who taught me the importance of hard work, trustworthiness, and connections. These lifelong relationships and my local knowledge are key to how I approach every transaction.
In addition to my real estate expertise, I’ve owned property management and construction companies and am a non-practicing attorney. This diverse background provides me with a unique advantage, as I’ve built connections with trusted vendors and professionals over the years. These connections not only benefit me but also directly benefit my buyers, offering access to some of the best resources and insights available. In a small resort market like the Vail Valley, where relationships matter greatly, this network is of the utmost importance to ensure you get the best results.
While many buyers focus on finding the right property, I focus on ensuring that every aspect of your journey is supported by my network of industry professionals. I bring these connections to the table—connections built over years of living and working in the Vail Valley—to offer you an experience that goes beyond the transaction and delivers exceptional results.
Malia
Strategic Expertise. Unmatched Support. Global Reach. Exceptional Results.
Selling a luxury property in the Vail Valley requires more than just listing a home—it demands precision, strategy, and an understanding of what truly drives buyers to act.
I have built my career on delivering results by combining market intelligence, negotiation expertise, and a deep understanding of buyer psychology. Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, I tailor my listings through a buyer’s lens, identifying the most likely buyer profiles and crafting a marketing strategy that speaks directly to their motivations. Whether the buyer is looking for a second home, an investment property, or a legacy estate, I ensure your property is positioned to resonate with the right audience.
My approach extends beyond marketing—my team and I ask the right questions to uncover what matters most to each buyer during showings, using open-ended conversations to identify their profile and tailor the experience accordingly. By helping buyers envision the home’s value in alignment with their goals, I strengthen negotiations and remove barriers to decision-making, ensuring you receive the best possible terms.
With my deep market knowledge, trusted industry relationships, and data-driven strategies, I provide my sellers with an unmatched competitive advantage. My affiliation with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty and the global reach of Sotheby’s International Realty ensures that your property is seen by the most qualified buyers worldwide.
From expert pricing strategies and tailored marketing to high-stakes negotiations and a seamless closing process, my commitment is to provide you with maximum value, faster sales, and a stress-free experience.
Malia
Unwavering Dedication & Proven Success
"Malia has great instincts and is very intelligent. I'm a majority shareholder in a mortgage banking company and have had the opportunity to work with thousands of amazing real estate agents in my lifetime. Malia is one of the best I've had the privilege to work with."
Malia has consistently ranked among the top individual brokers in the Vail Valley, year after year, including at the very top. However, what she takes the most pride in is not the accolades, but in striving to be the absolute best for her clients. Her rankings reflect her relentless hard work, but they are not the reason for it—her true motivation is delivering unparalleled service and results to every client she represents. She currently holds records for the highest sales in various years, including a landmark $40 million sale in Edwards, and consistently achieves top-tier results for her clients without relying on past achievements alone.
- Ranked among the Top 1% of Real Estate Agents in the U.S. and among the Top 100 Sotheby’s International Realty agents worldwide repeatedly.
- Holds the record for the highest residential sale in Edwards, CO—a $40 million transaction.
- Recognized as a Top 10 Agent in Colorado and Top 173 Agent in the United States.
Malia’s background in law, real estate, construction, and property management provides her clients with a strategic advantage, particularly in navigating complex contracts, understanding risk, and negotiating with precision—all without stepping outside her role as a real estate advisor.
"Malia is a force of nature. The way she transformed our home through her expertly planned and executed preparations was astonishing.
She clearly articulated the benefits of each enhancement, handled every detail seamlessly, and left us so impressed that we almost reconsidered selling."
Unmatched Local Expertise & Market Intelligence
Luxury real estate in the Vail Valley is unique—inventory is limited, buyers are highly discerning, and property values fluctuate based on location, amenities, and market timing. Malia’s extensive experience in real estate, law, construction, and property management provides sellers with a distinct competitive advantage.
Strategic Buyer Identification & Tailored Marketing: Every home attracts different types of buyers. Malia develops a targeted buyer profile for each property and crafts a marketing approach designed to appeal to the most likely purchasers—whether they are lifestyle buyers, investors, or those seeking long-term appreciation.
Making the Decision Process Easier for Buyers: Buyers hesitate when they lack clarity. Malia provides concise, well-researched insights that help them quickly understand the home’s unique value, potential appreciation, and how it compares within the market.
Financial Analysis for High-Level Buyers: Many affluent buyers want to see clear projections of potential income, expenses, and a reasonable expected return over time. Malia integrates these financial insights into her marketing to strengthen the property’s value proposition.
Respected by Agents & Buyers Alike: Malia’s reputation for honest, data-backed analysis and deep market expertise means that buyers and their agents trust her insights, leading to smoother negotiations and more decisive action.
A Team Built for Excellence
""Malia didn’t just show our home—she presented it in a way that made buyers immediately see themselves living there. Her strategic approach made all the difference."
Malia understands that every buyer is unique, and she tailors property presentations accordingly. For example, a recent listing—a 1970s-built creekside home with distinctive ski chalet charm—attracted multiple buyer profiles, each with different motivations. Malia ensured that showings highlighted the aspects most relevant to each potential buyer:
- Families looking for a move-in-ready home: She emphasized livability and the home’s potential for future updates.
- Buyers drawn to creekside properties but unwilling to pay a premium: She positioned the home as the best value among comparable options.
- Investors and developers: She outlined expansion possibilities and potential returns on investment.
- Buyers who value authenticity and craftsmanship: She showcased the home’s architectural uniqueness and original details, ensuring they recognized its one-of-a-kind charm.
- By identifying and engaging with each buyer’s mindset, Malia turns showings into strategic selling opportunities, removing obstacles and helping buyers see the full value of a property.
Malia has built an elite, highly efficient team designed to provide seamless service at every stage of the selling process, ensuring that clients receive an unmatched level of care, responsiveness, and market expertise. She has two dedicated full-time assistants, one of whom is a licensed assistant, and a full-time marketing director, all working in concert with LIV Sotheby’s PR, marketing, and support staff. This structure allows Malia to provide unmatched responsiveness and ensures that no showing request goes unanswered unless declined by the client.
"We never had to worry about missing an opportunity—Malia and her team were always available, ensuring every showing was executed flawlessly."
Global Reach & Maximum Exposure
"Malia’s professional marketing and national reputation sold our home. She reached buyers beyond the local market and made sure we got the best offer possible."
Malia ensures that your property reaches the most qualified buyers worldwide through a powerhouse of exclusive networks, elite marketing strategies, and a dedicated team that works tirelessly to position your home for maximum visibility and success.
- Sotheby’s International Realty Network: Global presence in 75+ countries and territories, with over 1,000 offices and 26,000 elite real estate advisors.
- Membership in REALM Global: Providing exclusive access to a network of influential real estate professionals and off-market opportunities.
- LIV Sotheby’s In-House Marketing Agency (LIV Studio): A team of specialists in branding, design, advertising, and digital strategy to elevate every listing.
- Our Trusted Network: Leveraging deep relationships with top-tier luxury agents, private wealth managers, and industry leaders to ensure your home is presented to the right buyers.
- High-Profile Media Exposure: Listings appear in The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Architectural Digest, and top luxury publications.
List with Malia | Elevate Your Selling Experience
Selling a luxury home requires more than just putting it on the market—it requires:
- Deep market knowledge
- Strategic positioning
- The right connections
Malia’s ability to make the process easy for buyers, instill confidence in agents, and create strategic leverage in negotiations ensures that her sellers achieve the best results.
"She exceeded every expectation we had. If you want an agent who will make your sale effortless and profitable, Malia is it."
Contact Malia Below For Private Consultation
Real Estate Agent Relationships
A buyer’s agent works solely on behalf of the buyer to promote the interests of the buyer with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity. The agent negotiates on behalf of and acts as an advocate for the buyer. The buyer’s agent must disclose to potential sellers all adverse material facts actually known by the buyer’s agent including the buyer’s financial ability to perform the terms of the transaction and, if a residential property, whether the buyer intends to occupy the property. A separate written buyer agency agreement is required which sets forth the duties and obligations of the broker and the buyer.
A seller’s agent (or listing agent) works solely on behalf of the seller to promote the interests of the seller with the utmost good faith, loyalty and fidelity. The agent negotiates on behalf of and acts as an advocate for the seller. The seller’s agent must disclose to potential buyers all adverse material facts actually known by the seller’s agent about the property. A separate written listing agreement is required which sets forth the duties and obligations of the broker and the seller.
A transaction-broker assists the buyer or seller or both throughout a real estate transaction by performing terms of any written or oral agreement, fully informing the parties, presenting all offers and assisting the parties with any contracts, including the closing of the transaction without being an agent or advocate for any of the parties. A transaction-broker must use reasonable skill and care in the performance of any oral or written agreement, and must make the same disclosures as agents about all adverse material facts actually known by the transaction-broker concerning a property or a buyer’s financial ability to perform the terms of a transaction and, if a residential property, whether the buyer intends to occupy the property. No written agreement is required.
A customer is a party to a real estate transaction with whom the broker has no brokerage relationship because such party has not engaged or employed the broker, either as the party’s agent or as the party’s transaction-broker.