A woman-owned real estate firm was uncommon in 1975, but Isabell was determined.
She jumped both feet first into her dream of owning her own real estate firm and bought an old two-room gas station in Urbanna, Virginia. A few years later, Isabell built a two-story brick building and this remains the Main Office location to this day.
Isabell’s affinity for real estate, her hard work ethic, and her devotion to family became the foundation of this family-owned firm. She was often heard saying “do one thing you love and do it well.” That advice made an impression on Isabell’s granddaughter Katie Horsley Dew. She and her husband David are now the third-generation leaders of the business, with four office locations and more than thirty agents.
“We love what we do,” says Katie emphatically. “We are so fortunate to be able to share our little slice of heaven with others, and to help them invest in a better quality of life for their families.”
That little slice of heaven and hidden gem is better known as the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck, a rural region of the southern Chesapeake Bay located on Virginia’s western shore. Some refer to it as God’s Country and anyone fortunate enough to have visited some of the quaint seaside villages such as Urbanna, Deltaville, White Stone, Kilmarnock, Irvington, or Mathews will likely agree. Small-town charm abounds, fresh seafood is caught daily from the family dock, and children spend more time outdoors than they do on electronics. “It’s a quality of life that’s hard to come by elsewhere,” according to Katie.
Many of Horsley’s clients come from big cities like D.C. and Richmond, and immediately fall in love with the natural beauty and slower pace. This combined with the pandemic has fueled record sales of waterfront homes and has made the buying process more competitive.
“Now more than ever, it is so important to work with a local expert who lives, works, and plays in the same community,” says Katie. As a lifelong resident of the Northern Neck who was literally born into the industry, one would be hard-pressed to find a Real Estate Firm more knowledgable of the area.
Visit horsleyrealestate.com for more information.
