Nobu Ito brings a unique and trained, people-focused perspective to the real estate profession. “I was a social worker for 20 years,” she says, describing how over the years she had always bought, fixed up, and owned homes, even completing construction management and contracting courses to learn how to build homes from the ground up. She eventually took real estate classes so she could make informed decisions on her investments and construction projects. But when she found herself sharing knowledge with others, she decided it was time to become a licensed real estate broker.

Nobu immediately became rookie of the year at KW East Bay and a top-producing agent the next year, before joining Keller Williams San Francisco/Oakland in 2016, where she is the top individual producer in the market center. Now Nobu has created a thriving real estate practice driven by her goal of making everyone she works with feel special. “I love connecting with people. Real estate folds all my skills into one, from contracting and construction management to people skills, listening, and negotiating, which is so important in this business.” She takes her time meeting every person’s individual needs with her ability to listen to what they say, understand what they want, and incorporate that into the house and lifestyle they are seeking. “I had one client last month who said, ‘I can’t even believe you spend so much time with me. I feel like I’m the only client you have,’ but that week I not only got them but four others into a contract!” For a listing, she takes full advantage of Keller Williams syndication to more than 1,000 sites plus targeted social media; brokers’ tours; access to top professionals in staging and photography; and even some 3D Matterport tours. Personalized customer service is the cornerstone of Nobu’s business. “I have a happiness scale when working with clients,” she says, explaining that her scale helps clients determine how happy they are about a particular property as well as the process of working with Nobu. “I want them to be happy no matter what, even if it means walking away from a deal,” she says. “They find exactly what they’re looking for and they appreciate that I have their back.” In gauging each client relationship’s happiness, Nobu creates clients for life. “I’m with them long after the transaction; I’m always here to help them.” Nobu helps by remaining in contact over time and staying engaged in people’s lives and communities. “I also send out newsletters, but I love seeing people, hearing about their lives, and staying up-to-date in person and on social media.” People know how involved she is in giving back to communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. “I’ve been a social worker most of my life, so community involvement has always been important.” Nobu donates to various community events and is a longtime supporter of the dance and the arts in Berkeley and Oakland. “That gives me a large sphere of influence; people know I’m an active community member.” In addition to taking an active role in the vitality of the Bay Area, Nobu does all she can for the real estate profession. “I not only keep my buyers or sellers happy, but I work collaboratively with other agents,” she says. “That fairness has helped my reputation. I want to be fair, to be a good person, and to make every transaction a win-win for both sides. It’s like we become family during these transactions,” she says. With family, clients who become like family, and in the broader community, Nobu cherishes opportunities to connect with people and show them that there are ways of doing things in which everyone can be happy. She’s even considering enhancing the happiness scale by having a cotton candy machine at her open houses. “It’s all about the happiness scale,” says Nobu. “I love what I do.”