Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Beth Kellee.
Mary Beth, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
At age 14 I owned my own Ballet Studio in Conneaut, Ohio. Once I graduated from high school, I moved to Buffalo, NY and worked for Shiseido Cosmetics, I was promoted to Training Director for the North East and moved to Boston. After several years I was “cold called & recruited” to become the North American Training Director for Laura Ashley, based out of Boston. After a few years, I was again “cold-called & recruited” to come to San Diego for an interview as the North American Training Director for Jenny Craig. The recruiter met me at the airport along with his brother. I ended up marrying the brother and we started our career in real estate in 1998.
We were very successful and also along with residential real estate, focused on buying real estate investment properties. In the mid-2000’s, I put my real estate career on hold and focused on volunteering for charity events. I loved putting events together and loved helping to raise money for charities in need. Later, I divorced and realized I needed to get back into real estate. I met someone, and we began to date… he is an attorney. One day he expressed to me his love of real estate. He and I promptly decided to join forces and dive into the 2nd phase of my new real estate career.
We both love helping first-time home-buyers, as well as investors, find properties. My personal knack for marketing and stepping outside of the box through the various past years of events has helped us really stand out when it comes to marketing any listing that we have! We cover San Diego County, there is no property too big or too small! We put our hearts and souls into each of our clients and enjoy working by referral. Generally, networking is one of my very favorite pastimes and introducing people to like-minded individuals is a total treat!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! Well, that is an easy one! When I first started in Real Estate in 1998, we had 11 escrows the first month of being in the biz. Stepping back in 5 years ago, I expected the exact same thing to happen! Well, well, well… that is not the case. It is really a different market and time!
There is a lot of work that goes into marketing & building your business again. If I had it to do all over again, I never would have stepped away for the short time that I did. Even though the couple of years that I did the volunteering were some of the very best years… I love my real estate business and should have kept it going!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Fredricksen & Kellee Real Estate, Ascent Real Estate – what should we know?
Our company, Ascent Real Estate is a very productive boutique real estate company in San Diego County. We are known to go Above & Beyond in our education, our client service, our professionalism and paperwork. We are known to be a FUN company with vibrant and awesome realtors. None of us compete against the other, in fact, the very opposite…each one supports the others successes and helps when if one of us is feeling down. This leadership comes from Penny Nathan, our CEO and Founder. She is tireless in her efforts to keep us all moving forward in the most positive and supportive ways.
Philip and I are known for also going Above & Beyond – stepping outside of the box and our ethics. Not only these attributes but also for our friendships and support of other realtors NOT in our own company. We are active members of the METRO Real Estate group (last year I was voted Metro Realtor of the Year by my peers), a member of REBA, we attend the Carmel Valley/RSF networking meetings, and many others. We pitch our buyers and sellers weekly to active members of the San Diego Country real estate networking groups. Not every agent can say this! We find new listings (not yet in the MLS) through our vast network of realtors. We pitch our listings countywide and do extensive social media to help broaden the awareness of our listings.
Ascent Real Estate is also a part of LeadingRE, we are not only local but GLOBAL in our reach. I have recently produced the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 4 day educational seminars (by producing the entire program, minus the actual education part), My role was to organize the evening entertainment, venue, coordination of AV, schedules, etc.). We both have been divorced as well. We have a great network of Family Law Attorney’s who have become great friends of ours. This has enabled us & educated us to become very good at assisting people experiencing a divorce who have real estate to sell. Often we find that couples getting a divorce select ONE realtor that is now selling their property that most likely is being divided by the couple.
A lot can go wrong and often emotions run high. We have co-listed property in the past, where we represent one of the spouses and another realtor the other. This tends to help when things are heated! Don’t forget, my passion is investing in real estate and educating our buyers and sellers on how to find great properties to help build their passive income stream. We know how to analyze properties to see if they are a good value with a good return or upside. With Philips background as an attorney in Business, Tax and Real Estate and my training/education background at Shiseido and Laura Ashley, as well as my event background through various charities, we really make it happen with our clients!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Honesty
Integrity
Ethics
FUN
Education
Listening
The keen need to help others and do whatever is needed
Social Media
Marketing
Contact Info:
- Address: 910 Fort Stockton, San Diego, 92103
- Website: www.theKNOWin92130.com
- Phone: 8584428002
- Email: mbk@mbkassociates.com
- Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/TheKNOWInSanDiego/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
- Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-beth-kellee-b25a048/
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
