About Us

Howard Kees, Jr. is the CEO of Kees’ Realty, Inc.  a full-service real estate company. Kees’ Realty serves the entire San Francisco Bay Area with a hyper focus on the East Bay. Howard specializes in assisting first-time home buyers and finding real estate investment opportunities.

Howard has 30 years as a licensed real estate broker in the State of California and 20 years as a land developer in Jamaica. He has extensive knowledge of the Bay Area real estate market, mortgage financing, property investment and recognizing current national and international market trends.

In addition to his real estate brokerage in California, he is the President and CEO of Kees’ Land Development Corporation (Caribbean) Limited, incorporated under the laws of Jamaica, W.I and headquartered in Negril, Jamaica. The company’s objective is to offer Jamaican nationals moderate and middle-income housing units with the use of light steel frame building concepts.

A proud product of Oakland, he attended Oakland Public Schools and graduated from McClymond’s H.S. in 1970. He received a B.A. Degree in Political Science and Black History in 1976 from CSU-Hayward (East Bay). In addition to his business, Howard has been active in the Oakland East Bay community for over 50 years in organizations such as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Muscular Dystrophy Association, CYO and AAU basketball, Babe Ruth Baseball, and Oakland Youth Soccer.

DRE# 01129858 | Howard@keesrealty.net

Denise Kees is a real estate entrepreneur, exploring innovative ways to increase economic benefits through real estate in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. She is the owner of Your Property Advisors Co., a real estate consulting firm and VP of Marketing and Sales for Kees’ Realty. 

She has over 20 years’ experience in the real estate market as a broker, business owner, and policy influencer, working in both residential and commercial real estate. She is currently working on creating a real estate investment fund to address housing affordability in the Bay Area.

In 2011, she joined Dutra Cerro Graden, Inc. (DCG), bringing with her a wealth of experience and dedication. As Operations Manager at DCG, her responsibilities included project managing special real estate projects for executive officers, supervising all open escrow activities, and implementing new policies and procedures to meet productivity goals. Prior to that Denise founded Your Personal Assistant Co., a transaction coordination firm, located in Oakland, CA in 2008. From 2003 – 2008, Denise worked for Kees Realty & Mortgage, a boutique residential firm. She held multiple positions in the company, culminating with Vice President.

Denise served as a Director for the California Association of REALTORS®. She is an active member of the Bridge Association of REALTORS® (formerly Oakland-Berkeley), having served on the Board of Directors. Additionally, she serves on Committee on Housing and the Local Government Relations Committee. Denise gives back to the community by volunteering with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., an international service organization and as a youth faith instructor in her church.

Denise holds a B.S. degree in Hotel Administration with an emphasis in Real Estate and Law from Cornell University. She obtained her California Real Estate Broker’s License in 2005. She graduated from the University of Southern California Ross Minority Program in Real Estate in January 2016. She resides in Oakland, CA.

DRE# 01477204 | Denise@keesrealty.net

Tim has over six years’ experience in the financial sector. Prior to this position, he worked for Wells Fargo Bank in the retail banking section culminating as Assistant Branch Manager. As an assistant manager, Tim had a dual role working as both a teller and banker.

As a teller, he excelled at customer service, assisting customers providing them with updated information to improved financial services that could benefit them. As a personal banker, he helped customers open bank accounts, apply for loans and lines of credit. His responsibilities included managing and reconciling cash on hand for the branch and money management for personal and business accounts. He also handled hiring and training new employees.

Tim is an avid basketball fan and has played basketball his entire life including at the college level. He is passionate about the sport and volunteers his time at Bishop O’ Dowd High School as Women’s Junior Varsity Head Coach.

Tim graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Finance from Menlo College and received his MBA from Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont in 2013.

DRE# 02022945 | Tim@keesrealty.net

Kenneth Watts is a licensed Realtor® with Kees’ Realty. Kenneth has over 8 years’ experience in the financial sector.

Prior to this position, he worked with Manpower; where he used his operational business savvy to help clients identify staffing needs, and create sales plans to help facilitate those needs.

Prior to his role with Manpower, Kenneth worked with Wells Fargo Bank in community banking culminating as service manager. As a service manager, Kenneth’s primary responsibilities were sales and operations.

As a sales recruiter, Kenneth was instrumental in driving growth and leveraging existing clients, while fostering new working relationships with local and national organizations. As a teller, he excelled at developing amazing rapport with clients and establishing an outstanding customer relationships. As service manager, Kenneth shined, using his ability to build amazing rapport, matching clients needs to additional products and services; to help meet their financial goals both in the short and long term.

Kenneth is a devoted bay area resident and sports fanatic. He is passionate about the community, volunteering at his former high school, Berkeley High where he would participate in town hall sessions for first-generation college students.

In addition to his real estate license, Kenneth graduated with a Bachelor of Operations and Project Management from Southern New Hampshire University.

DRE#: 02085365 | Kenneth@keesrealty.net