Malachi Death

Co-founder @Koko Moa Living Inc

Toronto, ON, CA

Koko Moa Living began in 2022 when my brother and I identified a value-add opportunity in Toronto through the advice of a family connection. It was a severely under-utilized triplex. With a private loan and a bet on ourselves, we took on an ambitious project to convert it into a 5-unit rental building.The Fern 187 project became our proof of concept. We lived on-site, handled nearly all renovations ourselves, and navigated everything from drywall and flooring to full kitchen and bathroom installs. Alongside the trades, I learned how to manage a site, lead a crew, and solve problems with limited capital and high stakes. One unit was occupied by a tenant living in hoarded, unsafe conditions. We negotiated a respectful cash-for-keys agreement and supported her relocation, gaining firsthand experience with the Landlord Tenant Board, conflict resolution, and tenant advocacy.At the time, I was balancing full-time studies at the University of Guelph, spending weekdays on campus and weekends on the job site. This meant sleeping on a mattress in a gutted unit, coordinating trades by day, and studying by night.Now, with Fern fully stabilized and sold, we’ve launched our second and largest project to date: 232 Elm St, a 23-unit apartment building acquired through a power of sale in St. Thomas. The building is nearly renovated and awaiting final occupancy. Our vision is to reposition it as high-quality, attainable housing—beginning with a full lease-up strategy that includes community BBQs, tenant feedback surveys, and partnership conversations with the nearby hospital.This is the foundation of Koko Moa Living Inc: hands-on, people-first real estate that creates value through execution, integrity, and long-term thinking. My role has evolved from labourer and project manager to operator and strategist. Though the core hasn’t changed: keep showing up, keep building, and keep learning.

Lang School of Business and Economics - University of Guelph

Bachelor of Commerce - BCom, Real Estate