IF YOU MISSED THE GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION OF ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE real estate concepts East of the Cooper, you may have seen the award-winning woman behind it on HGTV, CNN, ABC or the TODAY show. In October 2025, Town of Mount Pleasant mayor Will Haynie stood alongside founder Rachel Urso as she cut the ribbon and threw open the doors to her stunning new office in what she’s dubbed Old Village Square—a shopping destination anchored by Rachel Urso Real Estate and a consortium of like-minded luxury businesses.
“I named my newly built shopping center ‘Old Village Square’ because it truly squares off Mount Pleasant’s upscale Old Village. I also reside in the area,” she explains. “And since Rachel Urso Real Estate is a full-service luxury firm, I chose tenants who reflect that branding. I had a list of more than 20 tenant prospects, and I was honored in being able to hand select my neighbors. The popular textile and fashion retailer The Loomia and award-winning Sweetgrass Plastic Surgery / SG Aesthetics & Wellness are a great fit because we share the same client demographic.”
Urso, a real estate investor herself, reports that once she identified the property—a building on Coleman Boulevard that had been poorly maintained and sitting stagnant—she proudly acquired it through her sister company, Rachel Urso Properties, which then undertook the full rebuild, gutting the interior and exterior, replacing the roof, repairing structural beams and the foundation, doing a full electrical re-wire, installing new HVAC systems, and new custom windows and doors. A high-energy stakeholder experienced in all the components involved in real estate and property development, Urso managed the entire project and fully designed it herself, transforming a derelict building into a showpiece that reflects her modern, minimalist aesthetic. Clean lines and a monochromatic color scheme rule inside and out.
“I love participating in beautifying neighborhoods. I reimagined the design plan and purpose for the building, the landscaping and parking,” she says. “I chose a palette of subtle, creamy off-whites for both the exterior as well as interior. I replaced the grass with palms and loose, calming stone to impart a tropical yet very high-end spa feel. I used tropical garapa wood for the signage and exterior trim.”
Light pours into the interior spaces through oversize custom windows and glass doors. Warm-toned hardwood flooring, custom oak trim and cabinetry wrapped in a marble waterfall warm her office space, which is at once welcoming and high tech.
“The look I wanted to evoke was kind of a cozy café experience,” says Urso, a seasoned world traveler who draws inspiration from the high-end hotels she frequents. “I like to think my design is on-trend yet with a mix of classic timelessness, a boutique hotel/spa vibe. My design eye also tends toward a space that’s comfortable and also functions well. I didn’t want my space to look like the typical office with desks and a landline phone system. I chose modern black and rattan bistro-like seating for the agents coming in with their laptops to work, and an area for clients to relax in with coffee or a glass of wine during happy hour or events. A semiprivate conference space with ribbed glass partitions wrapped in black metal floor-to-ceiling ovals provides seating for meetings. You will notice my love of Lowcountry wildlife with my heron art throughout.”
The firm specializes in high-end properties in Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Daniel Island, historic Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Kiawah, Seabrook and beyond. Urso says what sets her business model apart in the highly competitive luxury market is her desire to connect with people and community, and to create an experience for the client that transcends the transaction.
“My passion is in redesigning properties—both my own and my clients,” she notes. “I feel like an adoptive parent when I see a neglected property needing a little love. I am pulled in and cannot stop until it comes back to life. I have dozens of five-star projects in my portfolio, and I am proud of all of them.” In addition to large-scale renovations, Urso offers concierge services to assist with relocation, commercial and residential real estate marketing, making a “smarter move.”
Top-shelf representation like the kind Rachel Urso Real Estate provides ensures success on every level—whether buying or selling a first, second or third home, and one that’s pristine or requires a refresh. A high-powered business woman with over a decade of serving in the Southeast, Urso’s approach combines expertise and strong intention to deliver a well-negotiated property that goes beyond the client’s expectations.
A multiple winner of the Realtor of Distinction award, Urso established her real estate firm after leaving New York City and a professional life that encompassed multiple tracks, including stints as a financial advisor, an ad executive at Condé Nast and running her own PR firm in lower Manhattan.
“When I was in my early 20s, someone said, ‘If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere,” she recalls with a smile. “I said, ‘Watch me.’”
Urso surveyed several southern cities before choosing Charleston, drawn by many of the features she loved about New York: the architecture, cuisine, history and beaches—the palm trees and waterways for her branded boat “Closing Day” were a bonus. She expanded what had been a part-time real estate career in New York and Connecticut, and quickly established herself in the Lowcountry as a high-functioning professional, rising to the top 1% in the local market, with properties averaging $3 million. Urso’s firm has closed over $200 million in transactions—all receiving 5-star reviews.
With a growing team of Realtors and support staff under her brokerage, Urso strives to maintain the quality of a small boutique firm, communicating effectively to understand each client’s individual needs and connecting them with the perfect home in the right community.
“A busy client will say to me, ‘I need a particular location, the beach or South of Broad, and I also want your touch.’ My mission is to go find it, to negotiate well, and then I focus on bringing their vision to life as we collaborate to personalize it, making it their dream home. My team of licensed, insured and bonded subcontractors comes in to complete the project; we do it well, and we do it quickly. And the client never needs to be on-site. I love a good before and after reveal,” Urso says. “My former neighbor at Toler’s Cove had seen firsthand what I do. He asked me: ‘If I give you and your Coast Design + Build partner, Wesley Russo, a budget to do a full renovation of my home and credit card permission for all of the accessories and furnishings, can you take this dated condo and rip it apart and make it like yours? I don’t need to see the plans or approve anything.’ My team gutted the entire two-bedroom unit and moved a wall so he’d have a better sight line to the water when you first walk in. I replaced the dark browns in the interior with a palette of fresh whites, oak and blue hues, contemporary vertical board, beautiful designer lighting, furnishings and wallpaper.”
In under three months, the homeowner was back in his new home, completely transformed by the Urso touch. “He wanted a surprise and, boy, did he get one!” she says.
Urso is in talks with a major network to host an international show that combines her passion for being on the water with real estate. We believe an announcement is coming soon. *
