When Louisville native Dawn Perry moved to Shelby County in 1994, she discovered much more than what she was looking for. Originally, she was seeking a rural area with more space to breathe outside of the big city. What she found, however, was a true home away from home where time slowed down a bit and people greeted each other with open arms. Dawn embraced the small town charm and she and her husband, Phil, settled into a community that served as a great halfway point between his job at Toyota in Georgetown, Kentucky and her job in finance in Louisville. They discovered what many relocating families come to find in Shelby County – an ideal environment within which to raise their two girls, Savannah and Julia, and a safe, welcoming community they are proud to call home. In 2012, Dawn decided to invest more of herself into her hometown by getting her real estate license. With a degree in business from the University of Louisville, 25 years of experience in finance and a passion for problem solving, she joined Torrey Smith Realty Company and combined her talent for numbers with her people skills. “I love everyone here. It’s such a teamwork environment. I originally was drawn to Torrey’s company because I liked his website, but what I’ve found is an extended family where everyone is wiling to help each other,” she said. Dawn said she sees a lot of families moving to the area just as she and her family did more than 15 years ago. “They’re looking for good schools, a midway point between Louisville and Lexington and to get away from the big town atmosphere. They don’t realize how nice it is until they’ve been here for a while. Then, they fall in love with this close-knit community and how kind the people are here in Shelby County, just like we did,” she added. Dawn said she enjoys introducing newcomers to the place that has played such an important role in her family’s life. She evenly divides her time between buyers and sellers and describes negotiating each deal as if it were her own home, keeping clients informed every step in the process and being flexible and available.