A Family Legacy Since 1984

Rooted in Palm Beach County

The Woolf family's roots run deep here. Joe Woolf's father, Joseph C. Woolf, was the first man to hold a Florida State license for water treatment and for years ran the Lake Worth water plant, helping bring clean water to a growing Florida.

Joe, a third-generation Floridian from Opa-locka, and Cathy, who came from southern Indiana, both grew up in the Lake Worth area and went to Lake Worth Junior High and Lake Worth High School. After Joe served in the U.S. Navy and Cathy studied at Palm Beach Junior College and Florida Atlantic University, they married in 1970.

Built on Hard Work

Like a lot of local families, they built their future one job at a time. Joe ran a carpet business, and Cathy taught high school American History, managed a Montessori school and later worked as a nurse. Running small businesses taught them what became the Woolf Realty way: be honest, show up and take care of people.

1984: Joseph Woolf Realty Opens on Lantana Road

Joe started selling real estate in 1976 and spent nine successful years with Tancer Realty. In 1984, he and Cathy took a leap of faith and opened Joseph Woolf Realty at 828 W. Lantana Road. Cathy earned her broker's license that same year and over time served as office manager, secretary, Realtor and broker.

Joe earned honors including Realtor of the Year, the Million Dollar Club and the CRS and CRB designations. Together they served on the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the Board of Realtors, because to them serving the community mattered as much as serving clients.

Growing Up in the Office

Their son Jonathan grew up in the business. As a kid he licked stamps and swept the floors at Joseph Woolf Realty, and at 12 he was running his own lawn maintenance company. After graduating from Santaluces High School, he started his own real estate career in 2000, working alongside his dad.

2016: Passing the Torch

In 2016, Joe and Cathy retired and passed the torch to Jonathan, who became Broker/Owner. Today he leads Woolf Realty with his wife and partner, Heather, and Heather's mother, Bonnie Black, a licensed real estate assistant.

Local Legacy • Modern Results

Four decades later, Woolf Realty has helped more than 1,600 families and closed over $350 million in sales across Palm Beach County. We are still a small, family-owned boutique where you work directly with the broker, now backed by modern tools like premium Homes.com marketing, 3D tours and AI that help us respond faster. The values have not changed since 1984: integrity, hard work, faith, family and service.

What's Next: We're Growing

Woolf Realty is expanding. We're looking for a second office location in northern Palm Beach County, and we're growing our team with a real estate assistant and experienced real estate agents. See current openings.