April 11, 2023 - By Tom Palmer
BOSTON – Katya Malakhova, Residential Advisor with Advisors Living, the largest independent residential real estate brokerage in Greater Boston, has been honored with the Good Things Agent award by the brokerage network LeadingRE, recognized for her contributions and successes with Sunflower of Peace, the nonprofit organization Malakhova founded to assist her native country of Ukraine.
“Katya is a prime example of giving back to the community and those in need, something that resonates with all of us at Advisors Living,” said Jon DiPietro, Senior Vice President of Advisors Living. “In addition to having the best year of her career in real estate, while also raising three small children, Katya has spearheaded charitable efforts for those going through unimaginable conflict,” DiPietro said.
“Congratulations to Katya on this impressive award for your hard work and the amazing results.”
Malakhova’s Sunflower of Peace has raised $9 million for the people of Ukraine to date. Information about Sunflower of Peace is at sunflowerofpeace. The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine.
Malakhova’s prestigious award from Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, or LeadingRE, a global network of 550 independent real estate firms, was announced at the organization’s annual conference March 28-30 at Wynn Las Vegas.
“Our Brokerage Award winners inspire us with their extraordinary achievements – in leadership, innovation, and community contributions,” said LeadingRE President/CEO Paul Boomsma. “It is our pleasure to honor them for the incredible impact they have had at their companies, in their communities, and on our network.”
Malakhova won the Good Things Award in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to better the community in her native Ukraine. She founded Sunflower of Peace in 2015, before the current conflict in Ukraine, which was attacked by neighboring Russia in March of 2022, and has been engaged in defending itself with substantial help from the United States and other Western countries since then.
Boston Realty Advisors’ residential affiliate Advisors Living is the Greater Boston representative of LeadingRE. With a membership that spans six continents, LeadingRE connects more than 550 firms and 136,000 sales associates who produce over 1.2 million real estate transactions each year. As a member of LeadingRE, Advisors Living combines authentic local market leadership with top-ranked resources and relationships with other premier real estate firms across the country and around the world.
Malakhova joined Advisors Living in July 2021 and works in Advisors Living’s downtown office on Newbury Street in Boston. In the real estate business for about eight years, she specializes in working with the international community and works in many cities and towns throughout Greater Boston. “They call me ‘heavy artillery girl’ all over,” she said for a feature article early in 2022. “I’m here to get your home for you and get the best results by selling it.”
In the interview, Malakhova expanded on how Sunflower of Peace came about.
“I moved here to the U.S. in 2008,” she said. “All my family is still there. I founded the organization in 2015. Back then the purpose was to provide humanitarian aid due to Russian aggression. Eventually, we moved to social projects, like playgrounds for kids with disabilities.
“We built them everywhere including the eastern part of Ukraine, for kids who experienced war. We have also brought students to a Harvard lab to do training in genetics. We have a Facebook page and a website where people can donate and help us. All the funds go to providing medical supplies and helping the people of Ukraine in emergency situations during the war."
Malakhova is a mother of three children. “My work and helping people in Ukraine through Sunflower of Peace is now more important than ever,” she said. A former professional tennis player, she said she hoped to take that up again soon.
