Photos courtesy of Ashley Peterson Photography
David and Katie make being busy look easy as they field calls and emails while taking time out for family throughout an active real estate market. David, a native of Richmond and a graduate of Douglas-Freeman High School and Randolph-Macon College, has many connections to family and friends in RVA, but once he met Katie in college and came to the Northern Neck, he knew the country life by the Chesapeake Bay was the place for him. Katie is the granddaughter of Isabelle Horsley and was raised in the Northern Neck. A graduate of St. Margaret’s School in Tappahannock and Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, she wanted to live in Richmond, but found coming back to her small town ended up being the best choice for her family. David and Katie Dew got married in their early 20s in 2003, got a Labrador pup, a pickup truck, built their first home by 2004 on Antipoison Creek and started living the happy newlywed life.
David worked for Bank of Lancaster as a loan originator, and Katie worked in the family company, IsaBell K. Horsley Real Estate, after her grandmother said, “Stop avoiding it and go get your real estate license.” Katie had always worked with the family business every summer since the age of 16. Growing up in the family business, she knew what determination it took to succeed. David, motivated by Isabelle, got his real estate license in 2001.
In 2006, David and Katie welcomed their first born, Leyton, into the world and felt the homelife and careers might need to make a change. David had moved to branch manager at Bank of Lancaster, but felt real estate could make more family time and give David and Katie both flexibility while keeping the business going into the third generation. Little did they know the market would take a hit in 2007 and make quite a challenge for the new family. The family also got news around this time, that Isabelle had the beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease. In the next few years, this would drastically change the Horsley family business as Nelson, Jr., Isabelle’s son, would become the principal broker.
Over the course of the next decade, Nelson, Jr., David and Katie would help grow the family business by seeing the number of sales increase by ten percent each of the following years, even in a down market. “We went from $52 million in sales, up the next year to $62 million, then $72 million, and so forth. My grandmother was an amazing woman, and the three of us were working all the time to keep up on what Isabelle really took care of all on her own in sales and marketing. We still sit and talk about how much Isabelle accomplished in only 25-plus years in the real estate world. She taught us that even the smallest details matter the most.”
In 2010, David and Katie welcomed baby number two, named properly after Isabelle, but nicknamed “Izzy.” Katie tells, “Isabelle wanted me to be named after her, but she was too late to the hospital.” David and Katie loved carrying on the name Isabelle, but failed to realize that her grandmother’s name had an ‘e’ on the end, but when she started the company, she dropped the ‘e’. Katie tells this story with a laugh, that their daughter is really named after the company. Also, that Izzy inherited so many traits from her grandmother.
With two children, Katie took a step back to stay with the kids and helped David from behind the scenes with advertising. David and Katie had jumped into community roles with White Stone Business Association, Rotary and more, which led to great friendships as well as business contacts. “Being part of a small community that we love is so important to us, and we know it takes many hands to maintain our areas and continue to grow in the right directions.”
The town of Kilmarnock took a bad turn when the economy went down through 2007-2010, and many of the businesses and buildings ended up closing. David Dew and a silent partner began purchasing some of the buildings that had been sitting closed. They even branched out into finding ways to open up businesses and make jobs for the community. Katie says, “I was so worried about going in over our heads with two small kids and a real estate business, but David and his business partner ran the numbers and really made this work.” Currently David and Katie now have Rivah Antiques & Accessories, Rivah Consignments, and own multiple buildings with happy tenants that make the town of Kilmarnock thrive with more jobs and life. “Again, being part of a community within a small town, we all work together to make a difference.”
One of the biggest reasons David and Katie work so hard is to continue the family business for more generations to come. The Horsley agents have a great family feel with team playing skills. A majority of the agents have been with the company for years and years, as well as Vickie Callis and Sandra Dize, the women who really keep the team moving and keep everyone straight. Vickie has been with the company for nearly 40 years, and Sandra is working on 10-plus years, “These ladies keep over 35 agents and the company rolling smoothly and deserve to be recognized as the best part of the Horsley team,” says Katie. Katie and David also have a wonderful licensed assistant, Ann Marchetti Keller, who has been with them for two years. Katie does the majority of the advertising for the company and promotes her agents and brokers as they work countless hours, nights and weekends to make sure buyers and sellers continue to have a wonderful experience and know the Horsley Real Estate name. “We love throwing at least one big party a year, which this year we will have to see with COVID-19, but I just love when we can all take a moment to be together as we truly feel like a family.” Horsley agents know if they ever need advice or even a shoulder to lean on, Nelson, Jr., David or Katie are right there for them.
How do they do it all? Katie says many of her family and friends will ask her from time to time, “How do you all do it all?” They want to know the secret of running multiple businesses, helping manage the family real estate firm, serving on numerous boards, raising two growing children, helping with grandparents who live next door, and more. “I tell them, we all have busy lives these days. David and I are a great support system to each other and take great enjoyment in what we do. Our kids know how this business works and we do take time out for family. We feel truly blessed and honored to be able to do what we do, we like being busy, and we know how to balance life.” Katie says she hopes that her kids can see this through the work they do and the love they show to them.
Isabelle always had the best words of wisdom. My grandmother taught me great values she learned through her life and business. Determination, setting goals, honesty, and enjoying what you do, those are the key to a successful life. When not working, David, Katie, Leyton, and Izzy can be found boating, fishing, eating crabs and simply enjoying the best of what their small town has to offer. “We are a lucky family!”