Rick grew up in University Park, MD (near the University of Maryland).

He attended public schools in Prince Georges County.

Growing up, Rick had many part-time and summer jobs while in school. including mowing lawns, shoveling snow, paper route, swimming pool manager, swim coach, camp counselor, lifeguard on beach (Ocean City, MD), janitor and others.

After attending the University of Maryland, Rick obtained his real estate license in 1973.

He sold resort property in the Ocean City, MD area for several years prior to relocating to Northern Virginia to sell a condominium development in Arlington.

At the age of 27, Rick became the youngest regional training director in the nation for the Century 21 Real Estate franchise serving Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and Southeast Pennsylvania.

From 1979 to 1990 Rick sold real estate in the state of Maryland plus together with a partner built a one-office real estate company that sold over $279,000,000 of Real Estate in one year.

Because of Rick’s expertise in real estate sales, marketing and communication skills he was selected to be a CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) instructor for the educational branch of the National Association of Realtors to teach other Realtors nationwide how to effectively help individuals looking to buy or sell real estate.

From 1990 through 2001 Rick was a full-time speaker/trainer/author and consultant who traveled the United States serving private real estate companies; franchise organizations including: Coldwell Banker, Remax, Prudential, Century 21, Keller Williams, Realty Executives plus speaking at many local, state and National Association of Realtor events.

During this 11 year period, Rick trained Realtors throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Mexico and South Africa, conducting over 100 training events per year and educating over 100,000 Realtors in how to represent and assist people looking to buy real estate or how to get their property sold.

Rick relocated from Maryland in 1998 to the Charleston area and re-entered the real estate business as the broker of he and his wife Charlene’s own real estate Company called The Group, Llc in 2002.
Rick has been in top 1% of Realtors in numbers of closed transactions since continuing his real estate career in the Charleston area with more than 1,000 closed transactions. These numbers are for the Charleston area only and do not include the sales he did while living in Maryland or Virginia.

Because of Rick’s knowledge and expertise in all areas of real estate he was selected to host a real estate talk show that broadcasts from Charleston every Saturday from noon until 1:00 p.m. and repeats every Sunday from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. The radio show is a live call-in talk radio show that you may listen to on 94.3 FM or via the computer or other mobile devices at www.943wsc.com or via iHeart Radio App or get podcasts of past shows on Rick’s personal website www.rickwillis.com.

Rick’s “Real Estate Show” has been broadcasting on the air since 2003 where Rick answers caller’s questions and talks about everything to do with buying, selling, financing and investing in real estate.

Unlike most Realtors in the Charleston area, Rick knows the entire Charleston area…Not just a small segment of the market.

Rick has listed and sold property in Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, Daniel Island, Summerville, James Island, Isle of Palms, Sullivans Island, Kiawah, Folly Beach, West Ashley, N. Charleston, Ladson, Hanahan, Moncks Corner, Johns Island, Ridgeville, Awendaw, McClellanville, Wadmalaw Island, Edisto Beach, Edisto Island, Walterboro plus the rural areas of Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley and Collections counties.

Rick knows the market…has the expertise and is passionate about helping people to buy and sell all kinds of Real Estate…Residential, Commercial and Vacant Land.
Contact him right away to check his availability to help you at 843-327-3017 or via email at Rick@rickwillis.com.

On a personal note…Rick and his wife Charlene live in Mount Pleasant with their only child together…A Chihuahua named “Mr. T”.

Both Rick and Charlene enjoy playing tennis, Yahtzee, eating out, and visiting their 5 kids and 8 grandchildren.

Personally…Past & Present

• Born and raised in Maryland (Just outside of Washington D.C.)
• Mother grew up on a farm in North Dakota
• Father grew up in a small town in Iowa
• In 5th Grade, Rick attended a 1 room school house in North Dakota close to the Canadian border with 1 teacher for grades 1 to 8!…8 of 17 kids in the school were cousins!
• Ushered at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in January 1963
• Achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts
• Participated in competitive track and swimming
• Coached a winning swim team in Montgomery County, Maryland
• Majored in geography and anthropology at the University of Maryland (1966-1971)
• Served in the Army National Guard for 6 years based in Salisbury, Maryland
• 2 kids raised in Ellicott City, Maryland now living in Los Angeles and near Williamsburg, VA.
• Together with Charlene have 5 kids and 8 Grand-kids living in California, the Oklahoma City area, and Toano Virginia (near Williamsburg).
• Personally met and had conversations with individuals you might recognize:
  • “Rudy”…The Real Rudy whom the movie “Rudy” was made.
  • Evander Holyfield, World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion…
  • Walter Peyton, Hall of Fame Champion Football Player…
  • Mike Ditka NFL Player and Football Coach…
  • Don Shula NFL Football Coach…
  • Walter Cronkite, News Anchor…
  • Don King, Boxing Promoter…
  • Jerry Lewis, Entertainer

Could have retired in 2007 as a result of wise investment decisions involving income producing real estate. Still working as a result of poorly timed speculative development land purchases that could not be sustained during the real estate downturn from 2008 – 2012.

Professionally…Past & Present

• Real Estate Agent Maryland
• Real Estate Broker Maryland
• Real Estate Broker Washington D.C.
• Real Estate Agent Virginia
• Real Estate Course Instructor to Obtain Real Estate License
• GRI Designation (Graduate Realtors Institute)
• CRB Designation ( Certified Residential Broker)
• CRS Designation (Certified Residential Specialist)
• CRS National Instructor
• GRI Instructor
• Featured Speaker Multiple Times at the National Association of Realtors National Conventions
• Featured Speaker Century 21 National Convention
• Featured Speaker Coldwell Banker Convention
• Featured Speaker Prudential Regional Conventions
• Featured Speaker Remax Satellite T.V Network
• Speaker and Consultant for Gary Keller/Founder of Keller Williams
• Featured Speaker at many State Associations of Realtor annual conventions
• Guest Speaker REIA…Real Estate Investors Association
• National Association of Realtors Member
• South Carolina Association of Realtors Member
• Charleston Trident Association of Realtors Member
• Real Estate Broker/South Carolina