Originally from Pontypool, South Wales, Julie Gordon, owner of Gordon & Rumsby Estate Agents didn’t want to stay where she grew up. She started working her way around the UK in the hospitality trade, grounding herself after a few years when she got a job in telephone sales and reservations with British Airways at Hatton Cross. After four and a half years there, Julie and her husband, who she met and married in that time, moved to Wokingham in Berkshire. There Julie had her two children, worked for her husband’s company and was chairman of the PTA.
13 years ago though Julie viewed a house in Thorncombe, as the family had decided to move to Dorset, where her husband has roots. Julie loved the village, loved the school but didn’t like the house. By chance they saw a building plot for sale, and decided to self-build their home, doing all the unskilled labour themselves.
In 2003 Julie started work at John Wood estate agents in Seaton, which she describes as “An Eureka moment. This is what I should have been doing all my life!” From there she started up her own internet agency in 2006, then set up a new company with Sue Rumsby in 2009, although Sue stepped down after a year. In 2012 Julie opened her office in Colyton, with a successful move to a larger office in 2014. Julie still loves being an estate agent “It is what I am”, as well as running the office.
And when she isn’t working, Julie likes to ride around on her motorbike, as she learnt at the same time as her son, doing their CBT together. This winter though, Julie can be found in Tobago, hunting down her husband’s ancestor’s sugar plantations and maybe, just maybe hoping to find a plot of land for sale?