Keys

HARPERS FERRY — A little over 10 years ago, Cara Keys decided to follow her instincts and go into the same field of work as her father, commercial real estate appraising.

Though a heavily male-dominated field, Keys had come to realize that commercial real estate appraising was the field that would give her the most satisfaction and the best work-life balance.

“I really enjoy the work that I do!” Keys said. “It has been so rewarding to bring my strengths, core values and feminine flare into my business.”

Keys graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2013, with a concentration in human resources. She then worked in the field for a brief period of time, which proved to be long enough to show her that the field of human resources wasn’t the right fit for her and her life.

“I realized the lifestyle wasn’t a good fit for me — we were working around-the-clock — it was soul sucking,” Keys said, mentioning there was a high turnover rate at her workplace. “I was there for over a year, and I just had a breakdown one day and called my dad and said, ‘Can I be an appraiser and come and work for you?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, of course, come!’

“The reason that I did that, was because I knew that I had always been tempted to do that. And I knew the lifestyle was well-suited for me,” Keys said. “I had an epiphany that day — my boss never saw her kids, and I did not want to be her in 10 years. I didn’t have kids yet and was at the start of my career, so I switched to something that was flexible and would let me spend time with my kids someday.”

And so, she got certified as a general real estate appraiser. She became licensed to work in Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia and then, in Sept. 2023, opened up her own business in Jefferson County, Keys Valuation.

She and her husband, Greg, now live in Harpers Ferry with their four children: 8-year-old Michael, 7-year-old Evelyn, 4-year-old Wesley and 3-year-old Elodie. The flexibility of her job has proven to be exactly what she needed — to remain an active parent and pursue her other interests. In November, Keys began her first term as the Shepherdstown District representative on the Jefferson County Commission in November. She is also the current president of the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown.

“I’m very busy! I guess I have two-and-a-half jobs, right now,” Keys said. “Why do I do all of this? I’ve always felt called to be involved with my community and volunteer, and to pave the path for others and work with everyone around me.”

For those who are facing a similar career dilemma as she experienced, Keys said they should consider two things — whether they would like to be where their boss is in a few years and, if not, what kind of lifestyle they would prefer to be living.

“Pick a lifestyle and then choose from the [career] options available, within that,” Keys said.

To learn more about Keys Valuation, visit its Facebook page, email cara@keysvaluation.com or call 240-367-5152.