Kaye Ivey could never be mistaken for someone who doesn’t enjoy what she does. Her love for real estate is evident on her face, in her voice, and through her mannerisms. When she enters a room, engages in conversation, or speaks publicly, she wears her love for her profession like a name tag fixed to her blouse, above her heart, for all to see.
As a single mom, Ivey is not all real estate, but a big part of her is – to the benefit of her clients at Bell Development.
“I’m the sales agent for Bell Development. We currently have homes in all phases of construction in all of our neighborhoods,” she says. “I work with every Bell buyer – from the ones that purchase our finished homes to those we assist with customizing the finishing touches on homes still under construction.
“I also work directly with Bell’s custom home buyers. I really enjoy those buyers because I get to work with them throughout the building process. It begins with finding a floor-plan that meets their needs and selecting the lot and the neighborhood in which they want to live.”
Ivey’s work with Bell requires her to wear a lot of different hats. The hats she likes wearing the most are those that allow her to be creative.
“I work alongside the Bell Development team to create the interior and exterior designs of our Craftsman-style homes, which includes selecting the brick, stone, windows, roofs, and hardboard as well as the details of the cabinetry, granite countertops, tile back-splashes, and paint,” she says. “I enjoy creating a home that’s both beautiful and functional, and that will work for today’s buyers, whether they’re first-time buyers or planning to age in place.”
To meet the needs of her clients, Ivey seized every opportunity to improve her knowledge and skills through education – to the point that the letters that make up her designations more than double those in her name: In addition to being a Certified New Home Sales Professional (CNHSP) – a designation she earned this year – Ivey has earned the ABR (Accredited Buyer’s Representative), the CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), the CNHS (Certified New Home Specialist), and the RCC (Residential Construction Certified) designations. She says the latter designation is the building industry’s most comprehensive residential construction training.
“It allows me to work more professionally with buyers, sellers, appraisers, inspectors, lenders, designers, engineers, and construction professionals,” she says. “I believe education is the key to success. Never stop learning!”
While real estate takes up a good chunk of Ivey’s day, she says her only child, “Chase A. Dean,” always has, and always will, come first. She brightens up even more than normal when talking about him.
“He’s a senior at the Center for the Creative Arts. As a music major, he plays the trumpet, French horn, and piano. He’s also a member of the Chattanooga Symphony Youth Orchestra,” he says.
Ivey has cared for her son on her own since he was three. While working and being a single mother places great demands on her time, Ivey believes in keeping physically healthy as well, so she works out at Sports Barn. “It keeps my mind and body healthy,” she says.
Ivey does find time to relax – during football season. “The best part of the year is football season! I love football on Sunday and Monday and any other day of the week. I’m also a big UT fan, and love driving to Knoxville on Saturdays with Chase to watch the Vols play,” she says.
Those who know Ivey for any length of time know she likes thinking outside of the box, or putting what she calls her “Plan B” into action. For her, this means finding a way to help people purchase their dream home no matter what their situation might be.
“We have homes located in rural areas that still qualify for 100 percent financing, meaning buyers can purchase a new home with little to no money down. Some people are renters and think they can’t be a buyer, but that’s only because they don’t understand how to start the process,” she says.
Those who know Ivey also know she loves the Tim McGraw song, “Live Like You Were Dying.” She says she also prays like she’s dying, and believes the Lord has heard and answered her.
“I feel very blessed to be able to enjoy what I do each day. Real estate is not an easy profession. I have a lot of respect for my fellow Realtors. I work a lot of hours but it doesn’t feel like work!”