Q&A with Costas Theocharidis
Meet Costas Theocharidis, one of the most decorated players in University of Hawai’i history. A graduate of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa Shidler College of Business, Costas is a Real Estate Professional for Coldwell Banker, but before that he was a volleyball phenom.
We asked Costas about his journey to UH, what he valued most about his time at our university, what he does now, and any advice he would offer to incoming UH students.
Why did you choose to attend UH?
It kind of worked the other way around; UH chose me. My biggest objective was to play in a Division I volleyball powerhouse in pursuit of its first ever championship in men’s volleyball. When I was contemplating making the leap of faith from Greece to the United States back in the fall of 1999, I knew that only a full athletic scholarship would allow me to make that happen. During the recruiting process, coaches from other programs hesitated to invest in me despite my athletic skills and potential because they preferred to divide that coveted scholarship among multiple good players. Head Coach Mike Wilton and Assistant Coach Tino Reyes did not hesitate to go all in on me recognizing the opportunity to invest in a franchise player and I am eternally grateful to both of them for changing my life forever.
Tell us a little bit about what you’re doing now. What do you enjoy the most about your work?
I am a Boston-based licensed real estate professional. My real estate practice focuses on residential real estate (i.e., condos, single family homes, multi family homes) and is affiliated with Coldwell Banker. I believe that everyone can design - and live - a life that they love and my mission is to help my clients realize their real estate dreams.
Real estate is in my DNA as I was raised in the real estate and development world. I have more than a decade of experience as an active real estate investor in Boston and NYC with a very successful track record. I have managed to build over the years a high-quality cash flow-heavy residential portfolio of multifamily assets through a value-add approach, focusing on the renovation and turnaround of underperforming, strategically located properties.
Drawing from my deep personal real estate experiences, I guide my clients through every step of the real estate transaction process, contributing practical advice from first-hand knowledge and experience, meticulous attention to detail, and expertise in negotiating real estate.
Real estate afforded me the opportunity to retire from the corporate world after 20 years working in a variety of client-facing advisory roles (as a corporate restructuring/turnaround advisor, investment banker, private equity valuation advisor, and private wealth manager) for highly regarded global firms like Deloitte, Merrill Lynch, and PwC and advising elite clientele which included BMW, Ford, Toyota, Mayo Clinic, Velcro, and Bausch + Lomb.
What I enjoy the most about my work is navigating my clients through their real estate journey as smoothly as possible, guiding them through their real estate transactions when the stakes are high and emotions are running high and delivering world-class results that allow my clients to realize their goals and dreams. My motto is: Real Estate Dreams. Fulfilled. Mission. Accomplished.
What advice would you give to an incoming UH student?
Drawing from my personal experiences at UH, the best piece of advice I would give an incoming UH student is to embrace the aloha spirit and the Ohana culture. Live well. Laugh often. Love much. Put in the work. Make an impact.