Getting to Know Roy Kelley: ActiveRain May Challenge

Getting to Know Roy Kelley: ActiveRain May Challenge

The May Challenge for members of ActiveRain is to answer the following questions. 

1. What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job as a youngster was cutting grass for neighbors and for a local church. My first hourly job at 50 cents per hour was for Norfolk County, Virginia (Now the City of Chesapeake). I maintained the clay tennis courts and cleaned and filled the pool in the George Washington Park which was across the street from our home. I had to keep watch on the pool until a teacher arrived to supervise the children using the pool. Working on the tennis courts got me interested in the game and I became a tennis player to enjoy the courts and the fresh lime lines that I applied to the clay.

2. How long have you been in the real estate or related service industry?
My family was in the real estate rental business for my entire young life and I was accustomed to having renters coming to the front door. My father took me with him to work on the rentals and to purchase paint, supplies, furniture and appliances. Most of the rentals were furnished and many of the tenants were in the military.

I obtained my real estate broker license in October, 1960 while in my third year of law school at the University of Virginia. I opened my first real estate and insurance office, in my home community, during the summer of 1961 after I finished law school and became a member of the Virginia Bar.

3. What is your biggest fear and what have you done to try to conquer it?

The fear of failure is always present when you operate your own business. Learning how to cope with the market and a lot of hard work enabled me to be productive.

4. What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

Now that I have retired from the real estate business, my focus is on the quality of life. However, I do miss the excitement of business success. One of the opportunities in our market is to develop apartment communities. That would be a good choice for me if I were to return to work.

5. What is a habit you would love to eliminate or change?

I spend too much time on unproductive activities and need to make some changes and focus more on good health.

6. What is your favorite meal (forget about calories or what you shouldn’t eat)

Almost anything prepared by Chef Dolores is a favorite meal. I love fresh seafood and a nice portion of flounder would make me happy.

7. What is something you wish you’d done?

I wish I had purchased more properties to rent as investments.

8. Who has been most influential in your life?

I was definitely influenced by the work ethic of my parents and the optimist goals that my father had for me. The recommendation by a high school guidance counselor to apply for admission to the University of Virginia had a major impact on my education.

9. What are your favorite business-related books?

It has been a long time since I read business books. The ones I read in my younger years are now far out of date.

10. Other than business books what are your favorite things to read?

I read a lot of novels. Dolores and I both read over 100 books each year.

11. What are your top 5 favorite movies?

I have no favorite movies. I do not even recall the name of the last movie I watched.

12. If I came to visit your city for one day what is the one thing I must do or see?

I would give you a tour of the community. We might even take a long walk through Kentlands, our home neighborhood.

13. If I came to your city to visit for one day what is the one restaurant you would recommend?

The Bonefish Grill in Kentlands would be a good selection.

14. If I was going to relocate to your area what advice would you give me that is unique to the area?

We have outstanding public schools and the access to some of the best medical care in the county. Some of the benefits of our location are that we are within commuting distance of many major business as well as Washington, DC. 

We like to take day trips and our location enables day trips in Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. 

15. Do you have any special talents?

I have no special talents.  

16 Do you have any quirks?

I am not sure it is counted as a quirk but impatience is one of my unsolved issues.

17. What is your best character trait?

I try to meet my commitments.

18. Have you ever done anything you would never do again because it was too hard or too dangerous?

I accompanied an associate when he was taking a flying lesson. I would not do that again.

19. What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?

I enjoy reading, photography and traveling.

20. If you could live anywhere in the world where would you want to live?

We lived on the ocean front at Virginia Beach for many years and enjoyed the direct ocean views and the resort atmosphere. So, I would opt for an oceanfront condominium in an outstanding location.

21. What is something that we don’t know about you that would surprise us?

You may not know that I was in the building and development business for many years. I am a past president of the Tidewater Builders Association and served on the Board of Directors of the Home Builders Association of Virginia and the National Association of Home Builders. I also served on the Executive Committee of NAHB.