ISSA HOMES

Logo for Lissa Homes with the text 'LISSA Homes' and a stylized 'S' intertwined with a leaf design.
Two men smiling, one wearing a suit and tie, the other in a polka dot shirt, standing in front of foliage. 
Abe Issa pictured with Walt Disney

Issa Homes founder Francis Issa’s family connection to the Walt Disney World® brand spans many decades—all the way back to when Walt Disney was himself a guest at the Issa family’s hotel. 

The Myrtle Bank, founded by Francis’ father and uncle, Abe Issa,  was the top hotel in Kingston, Jamaica in the late 1950s. Francis excelled as Managing Director of two Issa hotel properties and in expanding their successful properties, found his passion for building luxury properties. 

Mission / Vision

HISTORY

Issa Homes was the natural byproduct of founder Francis Issa’s leadership experience in hospitality and inherent interest in a luxury building. When he partnered with building industry leader Fred Costello in the 1970s, it was with a specific vision in mind: incorporating his signature superior structurally designed homes within Florida’s most luxurious and visually stunning residential neighborhoods and communities. 

Don Hempel joined Issa Homes as managing partner in the late 1980s, and set out to scale the operation, to make Issa Homes’ exceptional quality homes more widely available. In just 13 years, the firm built over 600 homes in Arvida’s community of Weston. 

In 1998 The Celebration Company, a subsidiary of the Disney Development Company, invited Issa Homes to its exclusive participating builder program. As a result, Issa Homes moved its headquarters from Boca Raton to Celebration and went on to build 424 luxury homes in Disney’s world-renowned Traditional Neighborhood Development community.

Issa Homes believes at the end of the day, home is a place to relax, unwind, and enjoy your very own corner of the universe—this is as true for celebrities and athletes as it is for high-profile politicians, busy families, and business people.

Since 1973, Issa Homes has delivered on this vision for over 1,600 discerning luxury homeowners. While designs and trends evolve, our commitment to excellence in homebuilding is unwavering. In over five decades of superior craftsmanship and innovative design, the commitment of our founder, Francis Issa, has provided the solid foundation on which all of our homes are built—we craft homes with the unique needs of each homeowner in mind.

The Issa Homes Difference

Today, you’ll find Issa Homes in Abacoa, Baldwin Park, Lake Nona, and Golden Oak at WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort and Florida’s West Coast communities of Harbour Isle and SeaFlower. Many feature the Issa Homes signature open floor plans, renowned for connecting indoor spaces with the outdoors in a structured yet flowing way.

Rewarding and awarding, Issa Homes embraces the communities and homeowners from day one. Its dedication does not go unrecognized with awards and recognition. For three years in a row, Issa Homes was named one of the top custom home builders by the Orlando Business Journal, was recognized by the Southeast Building Conference with multiple Aurora Awards for superior design, and earned several awards from the Greater Orlando Builders Association. Learn more about Issa Homes’ award-winning designs here. 

Are you looking for inspiration for your own custom luxury home? Explore the Issa Homes portfolio and see how much better life can be with a trusted partner to bring your vision to life.

Meet the Team

  • Close-up of an elderly man with glasses and a blue shirt, smiling indoors.

    Francis Issa

    FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN

  • Issa Homes president hair, glasses, and a blue shirt smiling indoors.

    Don Hempl

    PARTNER & PRESIDENT

  • A smiling woman with blonde hair standing outdoors in front of green trees and a building.

    Lisa Hempel

    MARKETING/PR

  • Portrait of a smiling woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a colorful striped shirt, outdoors with greenery in the background.

    Dee Munn

    SALES MANAGER, ISSA HOMES / SEAFLOWER

  • A smiling man with short brown hair and a light beard, wearing a blue checkered shirt.

    Grant Hempel

    WARRANTY MANAGER

  • A smiling middle-aged woman with gray hair, wearing a pink top and silver jewelry, outdoors with a blurred background.

    Suzy Korinek

    SALES ASSOCIATE, ISSA HOMES / SEAFLOWER

  • Portrait of a smiling blonde woman wearing a blue top, indoors with a light background.

    Sarah Hoffart

    COMPTROLLER

  • A young woman with long blonde hair smiling outdoors, wearing a gray shirt and a necklace with a small heart pendant, standing in front of green trees and a sports field.

    Britt Achors

    ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

  • A man with short hair and a beard smiling, wearing a black polo shirt with a company logo that says Kyle Kleppinger Construction.

    Kyle Kleppinger

    CONSTRUCTION PARTNER, ISSA HOMES GULF COAST

  • Seven women standing together inside a modern home, smiling and posing for a photo. They are dressed in colorful summer dresses, and there is a sign that says 'HSH Collective Hand-Drawn' in front of them.

    Jessica Holmes / HSH Collective

    DESIGN PARTNER / ISSA HOMES GULF COAST

  • Close-up of a middle-aged man with short gray hair, wearing an orange shirt, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.

    Todd Shaw

    SENIOR FIELD SUPERINTENDENT

  • Portrait of a middle-aged man with light brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a black blazer and a blue checkered shirt, standing in front of a bookshelf.

    Mark Jones - AIA

    PRINCIPAL LRK

  • A man with gray curly hair wearing glasses and a white shirt, smiling in front of a gray background.

    Chris Asithimer

    ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT - LRK

  • Group of diverse people standing outside in front of a large building.

    Affiniti Architects

    PARTNER

  • Logo with black and green squares containing the text 'LRK' and '40C'

    LRK

    PARTNER

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