The screen door slams as a child dashes in one door then out another. Laughter echoes throughout the house as children play hide-‘n-seek on the lawn. Grown-ups sip iced tea in rockers on the wraparound porch.

A gingham cloth drapes picnic tables where lemonade and cakes tempt nibbling from passersby. Nostalgia Cottage has lived a rich social history where friends and community gathered annually for various occasions.

Built in 1908 by the well-known Tanner family, she sits back from the road on approximately 3 acres. Freshly painted bright white, with new roof and significant infrastructural updates, she is well on her way to renovation.

Her sturdy walls hold a history of warmth, love, and pride, obvious in the detail of some of the original features still remaining — oak flooring cut from the trees…

As if reaching for the very stars above, music filled the space. “Turn it all the way up, no one can hear us!” And they did…and they danced. Friends called, and 17 minutes later they met them downtown for dinner.

Apogee, at a cooler 3950’, is the highest altitude Asheville address. Totally private with 75-mile views, she sits on 14.6, low maintenance, mostly wooded acres, sharing a .25- mile boundary with the Blue Ridge Parkway. With 6420 sq. ft., there are views from every room. Numerous porches and decks invite entertaining or reflection. A few of the high-end features include 2 master suites, ultra-luxurious ensuite bath, Crow’s Nest for stargazing; 2-story, stacked stone, wood-burning fireplace, enormous kitchen, both formal and relaxed spaces, hardwood floors; radiant heat tiled floors, wired sound system, and closets aligned to incorporate an elevator. Awe-inspiring Asheville city lights. $1,395,000 (SOLD!)

I’ve never fit “the mold”, so why create a real estate firm that fits a mold! I’m a property marketing expert, real estate broker.  The idea of Special “Finds…” developed from my personal experiences as a buyer and seller before I became a real estate agent.

As a buyer, I wanted to own something different. I wanted to live in something unusual. I wanted a property where my unique personality would feel at home. Getting that point across to a typical agent was challenging.

As a seller and owner of unique properties, when it came time to sell one of them, I knew I had to make the most of my property’s uniqueness. Since I come from a long line of writers and poets, I decided to use poetry to describe my properties.

In 1995 my company was born. The concept is a true extension of my unusual personality. As the former director of marketing for the New York Stock Exchange, I’ve combined my love for unusual properties, my marketing expertise, and my poetry, to create my company. Special “Finds…”… Properties of Unique Character for Those Choosing Something Out of the Ordinary.

Our agency is focused on marketing unique and unusual properties.

I bring properties to life!

“For many years I worked as Director of Marketing for the New York Stock Exchange.  Wanting more freedom than corporate America could give me, I obtained my NY Real Estate license.

After working with some of the nationally franchised real estate companies, I ventured out on my own. ‘Cookie-cutter’ or ‘mass-produced’ would never work for me, so I developed Special “Finds…” for people like me — people who wanted something different!  I opened our first Special Finds office in 1995 in Asheville, NC, and a second office in Hendersonville, NC in 2003.  We have evolved into a full-service professional marketing company and real estate firm. We work exclusively with sellers and focus entirely on unique properties.  

We work with homeowners across the US and internationally. We build and deliver customized and compelling marketing campaigns. We go far beyond simply placing an ad in the local MLS.  Our focus is on doing what is necessary to attract the right buyer for unusual homes. We can interview and help you find a good agent and provide the marketing for your unique property.

To be classified as a Special “Find…”, a property simply needs to have its own distinct personality.  It can be in good to excellent condition, it is rare or hard to find, it often has a unique interior layout, it can be unique, because of its setting or its views, it could be an antique home, an ultra-modern home, a country farmhouse or a city cottage, a waterfront estate or a log cabin in the woods. 

How do you tell if your home is a Special Find? 

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BRENDA’S ARTICLES HAVE APPEARED IN HUNDREDS OF  NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES.  HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE PLACES. 

Let us market your unique property!