September ActiveRain Challenge Story by Roy Kelley

September ActiveRain Challenge Story by Roy Kelley

Eileen Burns and Kathy Streib are sponsoring the September ActiveRain Challenge. 

"This month's challenge will be crazy stories about working with

other agents or clients. Your story may include horror, happy or humor-filled episodes.

Tell us how long you are in the business."

I like happy endings so I decided to share a happy story with a happy ending.

I received my first real estate broker license in October, 1960 during my third year and final year of Law School at the University of Virginia. It was a happy time because I also passed the Bar exam and obtained multiple line insurance licenses that fall. I opened my first real estate and insurance office in the summer of 1961 in Portsmouth, Virginia, my home town.  

After a career in Virginia, Dolores and I moved to Maryland to be closer to family members. I was new to the area and needed to find a pathway to success for someone who was unknown in the market. After a few months, I selected the foreclosure niche and decided to become a local expert in the sale of HUD and VA properties. Fortunately, that was a good selection and I became well known in that sector within a couple of years.

I had the opportunity to work with many investors since many of them love to purchase foreclosures. I received an interesting contact from a real estate broker in the property management business. He was managing a large condo community and asked if I would be willing to help his group purchase foreclosures in that specific community. He did ask for a referral fee but advised that I would not need to show the properties or worry about mortgage financing. They were cash purchasers.

That turned out to be a successful relationship and, over a period of time, I sold 32 condos to the group and also received other referrals from them. I was a pleasure to have clients that made life easier for me. For several years, I sold over 100 properties a year and the business funded our retirement.

Actually, there are many other stories that I could share but I will save them for another time. I will need to tell the story about a pharmacist and investor that began every conversation with jokes and purchased many condos and townhouses for his personal investment portfolio. 

 

Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland USA IMG 2238
Canon PowerShot G11 Camera
Photograph by Roy Kelley
Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs

Roy Kelley, Associate Broker

Realty Group Referrals (Retired from RE/MAX Realty Group)

6 Montgomery Village Ave., Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20879

Office:  301-258-7757