We’re proud of the team of agents we’ve assembled here at Nest Realty. We think they’re pretty awesome, and we think you will, too. During Nest Stories’ “Meet the Agent” series, we sit down with our agents and brokers to learn more about them, what makes them tick, and why they’re passionate about the real estate industry.
In this installment, we chat with Susanne Hackett, an agent in Asheville, North Carolina.
Nest Realty: Tell us a bit about yourself! What brought you to the area? How long have you lived here?
Susanne Hackett: Asheville called to me in 2006 upon finishing graduate school in art education at Penn State. Adrienne Crowther hired me as the Program Director for the Asheville Area Arts Council where I supported arts in area schools through grants and programming, and worked collaboratively with area musicians to help support the now bursting Asheville music community. Joining Nest has reconnected Adrienne and me as colleagues in a new industry with the same mission of building relationships and community. Asheville’s serendipity is lovely that way.
NR: How did you get into real estate? How long have you been practicing?
SH: My husband is an artisan home designer and general contractor and we’ve worked collaboratively building that business and honoring the legacy of craft in Western North Carolina since we met in 2011. Real estate is a natural connector on my continued journey of relationship development, entrepreneurship, and artisan home design and construction.
NR: What was your previous career? How has that prepared you for real estate?
SH: Growing up in a quaint northwestern Pennsylvania town with a younger sister who has Down syndrome, allowed me to experience the importance of place, relationships and community from a young age. With a passion for photography and motivation to explore the underpinnings of our democracy, I headed to our nation’s capital to work for a worldwide public relations firm prior to going back for a masters in art education. My curiosity for how a place evolves into a community continued with my work with a straw bale building initiative on a reservation in Montana where I put cameras in the kids’ hands to learn how they saw their community. The Asheville arts called and I answered, joining as the Program Director of the area arts council, and then starting my own business, Pollinate Collaborations: changing the paradigm from public relations to public relationships. Through a handful of years collaborating with area businesses, my final client was New Belgium Brewing where I helped them engage and navigate communications around building their new brewery, navigating a brownfield, engaging in zoning and understanding the process of construction impacts on nearby neighbors, but more importantly building trust in their east coast home. After helping to birth the brewery, I birth our two beautiful children and teamed up with my husband, Smith, to grow and run the business side of award-winning WSM Craft, a home design and construction firm known for his innovative and place-centric design with highly-customized artisan details.
NR: What led you to Nest Realty, as opposed to another brokerage?
SH: Building trust, communicating clearly and openly, and nurturing relationships has always been my priority and where I align most naturally in my life. Based on conversations with other agents and ownership, it was clear to me that Nest has the same priorities, and I knew immediately and intuitively that Nest and I were of the same cloth.
NR: What’s your favorite part of being an agent?
SH: Being an agent allows me to weave the threads of my past experience into a diverse, vibrant fabric to serve others as they pursue their dreams and passions in our shared place. How exciting and fulfilling?!
NR: Do you have a specific area of expertise to offer clients?
SH: I’m a curious person, with a true passion for what connects us to a place. With experience and knowledge in the areas home design and building industry, as well as deep roots in Asheville River Arts District and West Asheville, my network is deep and wide. I have participated in West Asheville’s rezoning process. I understand enough about building a brewery and designing and building custom homes to get me in trouble. I nerd out on the history of place, and in my spare time have been known to become very passionate about certain areas of town (Old Town Swannanoa for instance) and send letters to families who developed the area to learn more. I know, nerdy.
NR: What are five adjectives to describe you?
SH: Loving. Fierce. Honest. Reflective. Curious.
NR: Who would be your dream client?
SH: I truly find most people’s stories fascinating and serving someone during an intimate and deeply personal process like real estate sales and purchases provides a wonderful opportunity to talk about more than just the weather.
NR: If you had one piece of advice for a first-time home buyer, what would it be?
SH: Get familiar with the market and your budget, then get realistic about your ‘must haves’ and your ‘would like to haves’. It will help your agent serve you better to know what your couple of top priorities are if the numbers are tight.
NR: What’s your favorite season in Asheville?
SH: Fall. Hands down. The smell, the sound of crunchy leaves, the colors, the sweaters, the sun and breeze, the woodstoves. Ahhh, so lovely and cozy.
–Susanne is a passionate entrepreneur, drawing inspiration from experiences that anchor people to their place. She spent a decade pollinating relationships in the River Arts District and West Asheville communities before moving to Swannanoa. Her love of Asheville and its people inspires others to discover home in these mountains. Contact Susanne here to get started!