Rachel Melby and Little Hill Real Estate Celebrate Third Best of El Cerrito Win
EL CERRITO, Calif. — Rachel Melby, founder of Little Hill Real Estate, has once again been recognized by the community she has made the focus of her real estate career, winning Best Real Estate Agent in El Cerrito – Rising Star in the 2026 Best of El Cerrito awards.
The honor marks Melby’s third win in the category. She was previously voted a Best of El Cerrito winner in 2023 and 2025. The El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce did not hold the contest in 2024.
Presented by the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce, Best of El Cerrito celebrates the businesses and professionals that local residents value most. The annual community-choice contest typically receives between 10,000 and 20,000 votes and includes more than 120 business categories, representing the wide range of businesses and professionals serving the El Cerrito community. The goal of Best of El Cerrito is to encourage residents to shop locally while recognizing the hard work, dedication and contributions of the businesses that help make El Cerrito a vibrant community.
For Melby, the recognition is especially meaningful because El Cerrito played an important role in starting her business.
Before entering real estate, Melby spent 12 years working in the technology industry including at Google and YouTube. During that time, promoting El Cerrito and sharing her enthusiasm for the community became a passion project outside of work. That interest eventually helped inspire a new career centered on the place she already loved.
Today, the company she founded has grown into the Little Hill Real Estate Team, bringing together a growing group of real estate professionals with deep knowledge of El Cerrito and the surrounding East Bay. At the center of the team are Rachel Melby and Rachel Sheftel, whose complementary strengths and shared commitment to putting people and community first have helped Little Hill become one of the top real estate teams in El Cerrito by sales volume.
Melby leads much of Little Hill’s community engagement, marketing and relationship-building, while Sheftel brings particular expertise in property preparation, disclosure analysis, design and helping clients understand the practical details behind a real estate decision. Melby and Sheftel emphasize informed decision-making and long-term relationships rather than pressuring clients to make quick decisions. Whether they are helping a buyer evaluate an older home or guiding a seller through months of preparation, the team aims to provide honest advice and a clear understanding of the choices ahead.
Little Hill approaches real estate with a philosophy Melby describes as “care over contracts.” The team emphasizes informed decision-making and long-term relationships rather than pressuring clients to make quick decisions.
That philosophy extends beyond individual real estate transactions. Little Hill gives back to the community with every deal, supporting causes that have included public art, local charities, public schools, youth sports and other community organizations and projects. Next, Melby and Sheftel are taking Little Hill’s community-first approach beyond real estate. The team is preparing to open a new space in El Cerrito centered on local connection, with more to be shared soon.
The team also brings a particular appreciation for the older homes that give El Cerrito and neighboring communities like Berkeley much of their character. Melby’s local market knowledge and Sheftel’s eye for property condition and preparation help clients understand both what makes these homes special and what they may require.
Melby and Sheftel encourage prospective sellers to consult with the team before undertaking renovations or major updates. Improvements that seem like obvious ways to prepare a home for sale do not always provide the return homeowners expect. Early guidance can help sellers determine which projects are worthwhile, which may be unnecessary and how to prepare an older home while preserving the features buyers value.
Melby’s relationship with Best of El Cerrito dates back to her first Rising Star award in 2023, when Little Hill was still establishing itself in the local market. She has previously described that first recognition as a turning point that helped build credibility and momentum for the business.
Three wins later, the award reflects not only Melby’s individual accomplishments, but also how much Little Hill has grown. With Sheftel as agent partner and a growing team behind them, the business has expanded its reach and capacity while remaining closely tied to the community that inspired it.
“As someone committed to building a business rooted in El Cerrito, there’s simply no higher honor,” Melby has said of being recognized by Best of El Cerrito. “It’s recognition that resonates with the people I most want to serve.”
About Little Hill Real Estate
Founded by Rachel Melby, Little Hill Real Estate is an El Cerrito-based real estate team serving home buyers and sellers in El Cerrito and the surrounding East Bay. Led by Rachel Melby and Rachel Sheftel, the team combines local market expertise, a love of distinctive and historic homes, and a client-first approach built around its philosophy of “care over contracts.” Little Hill also gives back to the local community with every real estate transaction. Rachel Melby CA DRE# 02179456, Rachel Sheftel CA DRE# 02133108
About Best of El Cerrito
Best of El Cerrito is a community-choice awards program presented by the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce. The annual program recognizes outstanding local businesses, organizations and professionals in more than 120 categories. Typically attracting 10,000 to 20,000 votes, Best of El Cerrito celebrates the people behind El Cerrito’s businesses and encourages the community to shop locally.
Learn more about Little Hill Real Estate.
