Realtor and Mom Desirae McGee: “I’m Not Afraid to Be Persistent”

By rosa linda fallon

Asheville Realtor and mom Desirae McGee is not afraid to be persistent through difficult times. With everything life has thrown at her, one might be hard-pressed to find someone as resilient and fearless as her. “I’m not afraid to ask questions; I’m not afraid to be persistent,” she says. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Desirae grew up in Tampa, Florida. Growing up, she wanted to become a teacher. Desirae eventually decided the education scene wasn’t for her, but she never lost her passion for helping people. Little did she know, her passion for people would one day propel her into a career in real estate.

In 2006, Desirae and her husband moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Desirae had always dreamed of one day moving to the mountains. “Looking at the beach versus looking at the mountains, there was always no comparison,” she says. One day, they happened to drive through Hendersonville, and they absolutely fell in love with the area. The following year, the couple relocated to the nearby town of Fletcher. They’ve been there ever since. “We love Hendersonville. There is so much beauty here,” Desirae says. While she admits she may not be much of a hiker, she finds the mountains to be “peaceful and beautiful.” Now, she also enjoys helping her clients make Western North Carolina their home, too.

One might say Desirae’s journey into real estate was a natural transition. Desirae recalls, years ago, when she and her husband were shopping for their first home in Florida, she loved going to look at homes with their realtor. “He was so patient – I asked him all the questions,” she says, laughing. One day, while waiting in his office, Desirae was sitting in the lobby area when a woman walked in and struck up a conversation with her. “I told her my opinion on different areas of Tampa, and she said, ‘Oh wow, you’re such a fabulous realtor!’” Desirae remembers. “I said, ‘Oh, no, no, I’m not a realtor!’ So that kind of sparked my interest.” Fast forward to 2017, after several years of being a stay-at-home mom, Desirae told her husband that she wanted to go to real estate school. The following year, she signed on with Dixon Pacifica Real Estate (now Engel & Völkers Asheville), and hasn’t looked back since.

Desirae describes what she loves most about her job: the people she works with and the relationships she builds. She says the profession of real estate is more “relational.” “It sounds so cliche, but you’re not just helping someone find a house – you’re building a relationship with that person,” she says. “As realtors and advisors, we get a lot of bad press and a lot of bad reputations. I told a client of mine recently that just because we’ve exited the closing doors, doesn’t mean I’m exiting a relationship with you,” she says, adding that she enjoys building a strong connection with each person she helps. “I need it for myself, as much as to help others!”

Desirae says she also enjoys how every day is different. “I love how it’s never the same, even when the situations are similar.” While it may not always be the same, Desirae has discovered a common theme in her work: helping veterans. “Like 95% of my clients are veterans right now. Veterans have always been a passion of mine because both my dad and grandad were disabled veterans,” she explains. Desirae actively volunteers for Veteran X, a veteran’s mental health group facilitated through the Asheville VA Medical Center. “I have met so many amazing people in that group,” she says. “It’s a way I give back. They are so close to my heart. I love them.”

While she might appear to have it all together, her journey has been frought with with hills and valleys. But that has never deterred her from pressing on through the challenges. In 2014, Desirae and her husband were victims of a credit scam. As a result, they were not able to purchase a house or a car for years. In order to get around, they leased cars from the airport. Some months, they paid more to lease a car than they paid for rent. Desirae describes how she didn’t stop persisting – writing letters, making phone calls, and collecting over 800 pages of thorough documentation to prove their innocence. It took Desirae 4 years of persistent, non-stop effort, and finally in 2018, their credit was restored.

After years of hard work, in August 2021, she and her husband finally purchased their dream home in Hendersonville. Sadly, that following February, their home burned down — a devastating experience for the whole family. It was a tremendous loss, both emotionally and financially. “There were days where I was just miserable, I was sad. It really sucked, and financially, it was a huge blow,” Desirae explains. Despite the tremendous loss, she says the experience completely shifted her perspective to one of gratitude. “I am so thankful that my husband and I weren’t in that house, that my babies weren’t in that house,” she says. The family now affectionately calls their late house “The Ruins.”

Photos by Brooke Parker Photography | Hair & Makeup by Fab Flawless Makeup Artistry | Location is The Crest Center and Pavilion

The fire has also taught her to educate her clients more thoroughly about their insurance coverage. “I thought I was covered, but I wasn’t covered enough,” she reveals. She says that now she is able to relate to her clients more and educate them in a way that she never would’ve been able to if the fire hadn’t happened. “I lived it; I can use myself as a real example of it,” she describes. Desirae’s clients have been appreciative of her proactive approach, and many of them now have the coverage they need in the event of a serious fire.

Desirae says that she also learned “persistence and perseverance in a totally different way.” She is now able to model these two characteristics to her three daughters more effectively. “Times can be tough, but we can, too,” she insists. “I want to show my girls that they can go and create something.” With her authentic approach to life, Desirae “cares big, loves big, and works hard for the betterment of others.” She says that if she were to write a book, the main conclusion in the summary of the book would say: ‘Yes, we encountered hard times. But that didn’t break me. It just shaped me.’

By rosa linda fallon

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