In 2016, while talking over lunch, Southeastern Development Associates Executive Vice President Matt Mills and Kelly Gates formulated the idea of creating a new real estate company. Three weeks later, Southeastern Residential opened with Kelly at the helm. Since then, this sister company to Southeastern Development Associates has grown from five to forty realtors and is the driving force behind six leading new home developments in the CSRA. Current communities under the Southeastern Residential banner include Wrights Farm, Highland Lakes, River Island, River North, River Oaks, and Governor’s Place; with several additional new communities planned to debut in the next year.
Drawing on her twenty-two years of real estate experience, Kelly’s role at Southeastern Residential as vice president and managing broker encompasses many responsibilities, including recruiting, training, and mentoring agents while creating an environment of working together as a team. “One thing that separates Southeastern Residential from other companies is the team-oriented culture Kelly has created,” explains Katlyn Gates, the company’s marketing director and Kelly’s daughter. “She runs all day-to-day practices, and she encourages a TEAM approach - meaning ‘together each achieves more’. Yes, each agent here is independent, but our culture is that we work together and we want all our agents to go that extra mile for their clients.”
In addition to working with the company’s agents, Kelly works closely to develop new home communities. “I'm very passionate about new homes and new home developments. I am fascinated with finding a piece of land and having a vision of what this piece of land could be,” shares Kelly. “When you have a piece of property, at first you have dirt. You start by picking out the house plans that go on that dirt, then choosing the exterior architecture of that house based on what the house needs to look like per subdivision. For example, the concept for Wrights Farm is farm to table, so our homes are architecturally designed as farm-style homes. That's the unique part of the process that I love - having a vision of what we can make this subdivision be like and offer it to the public.”
Kelly also feels that she works with the best in the industry. “I love working with my builders and I can't speak highly enough about our real estate agents that we have here at our company,” says Kelly. “We're a small boutique real estate company, but we've got the top agents in our marketplace. Our goal is always excellent service.”
Two special members of the Southeastern Residential team are Kelly’s daughters Katlyn (marketing director) and Alleigh (real estate agent). “Working at Southeastern with our mom, day in and day out, is one of the best things we have ever done,” shares Katlyn. “Mom has always inspired us, guided us to do the right thing while supporting us in our decisions, and most importantly, she has always told us to believe in ourselves. Nobody works harder than our mom, and still to this day she works hard and strives to accomplish everything she has dreamed of. We are so incredibly blessed to have her as our inspiration and our mom.”
Kelly serves on the Georgia Real Estate Commission, the Greater Augusta Board of Realtors, is State Director for the Georgia Board of Realtors, and was Realtor of the Year for the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors in 2020. Kelly also enjoys riding horses and participating in cutting horse competitions, such as the Augusta Futurity.
For more information on how Kelly and her team can help you find your dream home, contact Southeastern Residential at www.southeasternresidential.com or call 706-945-0512.