Meet Novell Riley | Realtor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Novell Riley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Novell, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I really wanted to be able to help people achieve the goal of home ownership – especially first time home buyers who are navigating the process of making one of the largest and most important purchases of their life!

When I bought my first home I had no idea where to start, I only knew I wanted a home to call my own. My experience purchasing my first house wasn’t the best; it felt very transactional. It was then that I decided I wanted to give first time homebuyers like myself the experience I would have wanted and that they should be met with, full of care, knowledge and really getting to know who they were and what was important to them so we could find the home of their dreams. That last part is especially important – I love building relationships with my clients and really getting to know them as humans first.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career spans 20+ years now, and my biggest challenge in the early days was breaking into the market, learning the ropes and being an unpaid taxi cab driver for those who most times just wanted to tour beautiful properties. There were times I wanted to steal a successful agents open house sign and write on the back, “Will work for gas!” Haha.

But honestly, I saw how transactional this industry is as it oftentimes attracts people whose heart may not fully be in the clients themselves but more so in the money that’s to be made, so I wanted to provide something different, something meaningful.

Real estate is the legacy that people create for their families and allows them to move up and forward in society and that’s a fact that I don’t take lightly.

As a woman, and especially a black woman in real estate, I knew I needed to hold myself to a higher standard to be successful and I wanted to be able to reach back and extend a hand to pull other young women like myself to help bring them forward.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First I’d take them to the University Club at the Symphony Towers in Downtown San Diego. After a wonderful lunch and relaxing time, we’d go for a hike at Torrey Pines and a scenic drive through the beautiful back roads of Rancho Santa Fe.

The next day we’d go for a 30 mile drive on the 101 coast line, and we can’t forget the beautiful San Diego Zoo!

Everyone always wants to go to Mexico so I’ll take them to the highest point in Imperial Beach to lookout with binoculars into Tijuana because I forgot to mention bring your passports! Lol

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There was a realtor I met along my journey who truly inspired me – Orva Harwood. She is someone I always strive to model my business after. Orva exuded honesty, integrity, knowledge and an unwavering trust that she would help bring whatever vision you brought to her to life. She showed me to be disciplined towards yourself and fill your cup first so that you can then fill that of others.

For example, when I started working with Orva, she offered to pay for my personal training which started every morning at 5am sharp! The way we show up for ourselves dictates the way we will show up for others and I make sure my clients have a realtor who’s ready to go and will always show up and give 110%.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/novellriley

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/novell-riley-bbb05b46

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/novelrileyre/

Yelp: Novell Riley

Image Credits
Emily Raquel