Meet María Felicia
Maria is the founder of The North County Moms and SoCal Spotlight. She loves North County and has witnessed the area’s growth since the early 2000s. Mom to three sons, who prioritized tennis tournaments for many years, Maria knows San Diego County and the SoCal region very well.
In 2017, Maria earned her California real estate license. Maria loves being a mom, an entrepreneur and a real estate professional while managing the demands of a busy family. Recently, María joined the team at Nuevo Real Estate at Cielo Village in Rancho Santa Fe. Scroll down to learn more about this mom and real estate advisor specializing in North County luxury properties.
Meeting while stranded abroad
Theirs was an unusual introduction. Maria and Danny both had reasons for being in Madrid—María was considering a move to the country soon after her graduation with a journalism degree. She thought Spain would be the perfect place to live for a year to perfect her Spanish and come back to the States fully bilingual.
Danny was in Madrid for work. Even though his position as a patent attorney for a major pharmaceutical sometimes required him to travel the world, Danny was never fond of international business treks. Yet there he was in the Spanish capital city.
The two never would have crossed paths if they both had not been stranded and unable to return to their home country in the U.S. They both had arrived in Madrid at a very unlikely time—just prior to the events of 9/11. With the world spinning out of control, unable to return to their homeland and while staying at the same hotel on Paseo de la Castellaña, the American pair fortuitously met at their hotel’s bar when they each needed another country(wo)man to share their fears, anxieties, and hopes of returning home.
Meet the family
Nearly a week after meeting, the new friends had bonded and knew their lives would forever be connected, despite Danny living in the Midwest and Maria in the Southwest. Regrouping once back in their respective U.S. homes, it took just a handful of days for Danny to begin arranging weekly weekend trips to Phoenix that would lead to their wedding day in June the following year.
A move to San Diego soon after they tied the knot, María and Danny’s family would grow with the birth of their first son, Ian. Nico followed a couple of years later and Constantine was born a few years thereafter.
Meet this North County Mom’s North County faves…
Beach — South Ponto… despite the rocks!
Sushi… Temaki Bar Encinitas
La Jolla dining overlooking the ocean from on high — George’s at the Cove
Italian… Pick a Vigilucci’s — whether in Carlsbad on State Street or Tamarack or in Encinitas on the 101
Greek food — Meze Greek Fusion – Gaslamp… with a Greek American husband who knows how to cook his ethnic food, that’s saying a lot!
Seaside dining — It’s a tie in Del Mar… Poseidon or Jake’s
Staycation during the Holidays — Hotel Del Coronado
Grocery store — I have a few that are close first, second, and thirds… Whole Foods Del Mar, Jimbo’s (at the Forum), Lazy Acres Encinitas
Pizza in Carlsbad — Knock Out
Pizza in Del Mar — Del Mar Pizza
Pizza in Encinitas — Rosati’s
Place for Salad — Malibu Farm – Seaport Village… Get the R
Concert venue with a spectacular view — Rady Shell
Children’s theatre venue — California Center for the Arts – Escondido
Kids’ museum in North County — Children’s Discovery Museum – Escondido
Kids’ museum Downtown — New Children’s Museum
Meet the real estate advisor
With a background in investment banking, restaurant management, and publishing, María Felicia Kelley enjoys a wealth of experience that enhances her real estate pursuits. María earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism, as a summa cum laude graduate of the Cronkite School at Arizona State University. Her education and internships delivered her to a career as a television producer, writer, and on-air host. María’s professional history—whether managing live television productions, client portfolios, or upscale restaurants—continues to feed her curiosity and know-how. These skills enrich her knowledge base and relationships with clients and colleagues.
María’s previous professions contribute to her goals as a Real Estate Advisor. Working with Nuevo Real Estate, in Rancho Santa Fe, marks an important stage among her other professional pursuits. Collectively, they allow her to combine her knowledge, managerial experience, and production talents in newly productive ways that benefit her clients.
With a move to Carlsbad in 2002, Maria has witnessed much of the growth that has developed a vibrant North San Diego County. Founder of The North County Moms, María enjoys interacting within the San Diego community. Through her position as publisher of the website and its other platforms, she gets to share her insights through blog posts, social media, and newsletters while connecting communities of families with local resources and businesses.
Through her SoCal Spotlight platforms, María ’s reach extends regionally with a focus on the arts and lifestyle interests of Southern California residents. With a broad focus on SoCal, and a particular interest in the area she calls home—North County—María understands how to navigate a variety of market environments. As María enthusiastically says, “I look forward to putting my experiences to good use, helping clients participate in the market—purchasing a first home, buying or selling to achieve or reduce size, or assisting in the purchase of lucrative investment properties.”
