QUICK SNAPSHOT OF RONALD RICE
As a Rice Properties Group Realtor and Showing Agent, Ronald Rice, who goes by Ron, works closely with our clients to help them find their perfect home.
Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, Ron is a local who has a heart for serving, and his love for people and his community shines through in all he does.
Ron’s responsibilities with RPG are almost endless because of his willingness to help wherever he’s needed. He does a fantastic job of taking care of our clients and our team by touring homes with buyers, leading open houses, attending home inspections and photoshoots, working with contractors, and handling the many aspects of field operations and logistics involved throughout the real estate transaction.
With an impressive career as a Federal Executive serving in various positions within the United States Government, including as the Director of Real Estate Disposal for United States Government property, Ron brings a wealth of experience to the RPG team.
He also brings a great deal of knowledge thanks to his lifelong passion for learning that led him to complete his MBA and Ph.D. studies in Public Policy at schools including Old Dominion University, George Washington University, George Mason University, University Of Virginia, and Harvard University.
With hobbies that included surfing, tennis, and wrestling in the past, Ron keeps active, enjoying travel as much as the outdoors. From taking walks in his neighborhood to hiking, traveling to foreign countries to learn about their culture, or attending off-road vehicle shows across the US, Ron rarely sits still. But when he does, you can find his nose deep into a book.
He finds biographies fascinating, enjoying both historical as well as contemporary because you can always learn something by reading other people’s life stories. Ron also enjoys spending time with his greatest accomplishments in life, his two sons, Ryan and Matthew.
Full Spotlight Article: Ron Rice (RPG’s Showing Agent)
Meet Ronald (Ron) Rice, Rice Properties Group’s Realtor and Showing Agent, who also handles Field Operations and Logistics for our team. Ron, who works closely with buyers searching for their dream homes, is well known for his peaceful demeanor and warm and welcoming personality that our clients appreciate. With an impressive career background and an MBA and Ph.D. studies to boot, Ron brings a great deal of experience, knowledge, and wisdom to our RPG team.
Today, we’re putting Ron in the spotlight and sharing his story with you so you can get to know him a little better…
The Perfect Showing Agent
When a client is looking for a new home, the search can seem endless. From choosing the correct location or best school district to finding the right amenities, the process can be overwhelming, not to mention time-consuming. That’s why having the perfect Showing Agent is so important to us.
Having someone on board that can get to know our clients, understand what’s important to them in their next home, and take the time to show them affordable options, is what having a Showing Agent is all about.
When we first set out to add this role, we knew it would take a special kind of person. We needed to find someone authentic, honest, caring, and patient who also understood how big the decision to purchase a home could be. We also wanted someone who knew our community inside and out and wanted to help others achieve their dreams of homeownership.
We didn’t have to look far with this list of characteristics because that someone was Ron Rice.
“People in our community have known my father for a long time. And if you were to ask any of them about Ron, they would tell you that they love him because he’s patient, respectful, soft-spoken, and he’s an amazing listener who has a way of making you feel like you’re the only one in the room when you’re talking to him.” – Ryan Rice, Owner and Lead Sales Agent at Rice Properties Group shares about his father, Ron Rice.
Fortunately for us, Ron had such a diverse background in real estate and a willingness to help in other capacities that he also took on the role of Field Operations and Logistics for RPG.
What Is Field Operations And Logistics?
As the buyer or seller of a property, you think that getting your offer accepted or finalizing your home’s listing is the end of the process. But that’s just the beginning for our operations team…
Our Field Operations and Logistics Manager steps in ensuring that our behind-the-scenes task list gets executed flawlessly. From installing a lockbox on your front door, to organizing and attending photoshoots or home inspections, we guide our clients through to closing.
“We’d really be lost without Ron. His field operations role is so vital. What’s awesome about Ron is that no matter what he’s assigned to do, we know we can count on him. We never have to worry about him doing what he says he’s going to do, and that’s huge.” – Lindsay Rice, Managing Partner at Rice Properties Group shares about Ron’s role as Field Operations and Logistics Manager.
Ron’s Life Before RPG
After a successful career as a government executive, Ron never considered retiring. As a matter of fact, mentioning the word “retire” brings negative connotations to Ron who considers it a bad word. To Ron, having a purpose is important. So when RPG began to grow, and Ryan was in need of support staff, Ron found the time to help his son in any way he could.
“My father has always been very supportive of me my entire life. He never gave up on me no matter what was going on in my life. And for that, I will always be incredibly grateful to him. When he joined our team at RPG, he didn’t do so because he had to work. He did it for me. In fact, I even had to sit him down and force him to take a paycheck because he couldn’t just work for free. This is a business after all!” – Ryan Rice
With the majority of his career in real estate, Ron was a shoo-in for working with clients and vendors alike. As Director of Real Estate Disposal for the US Government, Ron learned the industry from a different perspective, one he tells us was extremely interesting. Not only did this role enable him to work with politicians and lawyers, but it also allowed him to work with the private sector in marketing, appraisals, and with auction houses. This experience offered far different training than most agents receive, which we value incredibly.
Ron, who believes in continuing education, admits to having disliked school as a child. But after putting himself through college and earning a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University, Ron saw the value an education could give him. He went on to attend George Washington University, George Mason University, the Unversity of Virginia, and Harvard, earning an MBA and later a Ph.D. studies in Public Policy.
“For a guy that didn’t like school when I was a kid, I went to school all my life. I worked hard to get where I am.”
And that hard work paid off. Ron’s multi-faceted experience laid the foundation for his success and the success of RPG.
The Life Of A Showing Agent
One of the reasons Ron is so good at what he does is that he loves working with RPG’s amazing clients. From setting appointments to touring homes, Ron’s days as a Showing Agent can be quite filling. Yet Ron doesn’t complain about long days or nights. Instead, he tells us that he’s a people person and thoroughly enjoys getting to know clients on their search for a new home.
“When Ron is out in the field, whether he’s doing a showing or something else entirely, he has a way of attracting people to him, and people feel comfortable and almost at peace knowing that he will do exactly what he says he’ll do. My dad is a “Yes man” who never complains about any task he’s asked to do, no matter what the job is. He is always willing to help, and that is part of the Rice way of doing things.” – Ryan Rice
Whether it’s a client’s first home purchase or a second vacation home, Ron takes time to get to know exactly what our clients are looking for so he can find the perfect home for them. From size, location, price, or other amenities, Ron listens to RPG’s clients and focuses the hunt for a new home that fits their needs.
“He’s great with clients as well. He can read the room on showings and knows exactly when to give clients space to look around on their own, and when to be there to help answer any questions they may have. He’s just a great part of our team.” – Lindsay Rice shares.
RPG’s Passion for People Shines Through
According to Ron, everyone at RPG cares. They are an honest, sincere group of people that genuinely want to help their clients during the buying and selling process. It’s not transactional at RPG; it’s about the people that matter.
Being passionate about helping people is a part of who Ron is and is something he instilled in his son, Ryan as well.
Ron shares that when clients first meet Ryan, they can immediately see his passion for real estate and for them. This sense of caring has made RPG so successful and is why clients have given us so many referrals.
“There’s a lot of heart in this company. It’s not about the sale to us. We really do care about our clients. And this stems from Ryan. He’s extremely passionate about what he does and our clients see that. His passion shines through. He’s the rainmaker!”
What “Home” Means To Ron Rice
To some people, a house is a home. But to others, “home” has a different meaning. And since we are in the business of helping our clients buy and sell their homes, we wanted to know what “home” meant to our RPG family.
When asked what “home” meant to Ron, he listed off a variety of things, but all focused on love, family, and happiness. Here’s what he had to say:
“Home is a warm place to rest, a peaceful environment with people you love. It’s the good feeling you get when you’re together with your partner or your family that allows you to enjoy life. That’s what makes a house a home.”
Helping our clients find a house they can make into a home is important to Ron, who cherishes memories from his younger days when his wife and children made their first house a home. That feeling of love and happiness is what he wishes for RPG clients, too.
Ron’s Life Outside Of RPG
When not showing homes or handling field operations, you may have a hard time finding Ron!
With hobbies that included surfing, tennis, and wrestling in the past, Ron keeps active, enjoying travel as much as the outdoors. From taking walks in his neighborhood to hiking, traveling to foreign countries to learn about their culture, or attending off-road vehicle shows across the US, Ron rarely sits still. But when he does, you can find his nose deep into a book. He finds biographies fascinating, enjoying both historical as well as contemporary because you can always learn something by reading other people’s life stories. While Ron finds Shakespeare a bit boring, he admits to having a love for the classics, citing Ernest Hemingway as his favorite author, and The Old Man And The Sea his favorite book–ever since the 7th grade.
