A love of the outdoors, nature and the environment has informed many facets of Mosaic agent LeAnn Bound’s life in Asheville. On a personal level, taking advantage of all of the natural beauty and outdoor adventure Asheville has to offer is what Bound and her family love about the area. On a professional level, creating a residential green building company has allowed Bound to bring her environmental vision to life.
Tell us about your background. What brought you to the Asheville area?
I was born and raised in Florida. I moved to Asheville in 2000, thinking it would just be a pit stop on my way out west. But I fell in love with Asheville’s beauty and charm, outdoor activities, and amazing, friendly people. It was still a small mountain town. It felt like home as soon as I arrived, and I grew roots quickly.
Throughout the years I have lived in downtown Asheville, North, East, West and Fairview, and I love all the different parts of the city. Currently, my family lives on nine acres in Fairview. We built a simple cabin to take advantage of the views and property. My husband and son cut in our very own biking and hiking trails. We love having farm animals and gardening.
How does living in the Asheville area lend itself to sports, athletics and outdoor adventures for the whole family?
The Asheville area is perfect for my very active family. There’s easy access to so many outdoor activities and sports. We love sports for every season. We are avid mountain bikers and love running and hiking on many of our local trails. We can be found kayaking, paddle boarding, skiing and snowboarding.
My daughter, Rell, plays competitive soccer, and my son, Jack, is a Cat1 Downhill Mountain Biker. His races take him around the world. With our many moves around town, my children have been in Asheville City Schools, Buncombe County Schools and homeschooling. We have tried them all.
Describe the inception of your company, Greencraft. How did you become interested in green building? And what drew you into real estate?
My husband, James, and I started Greencraft, a residential green building company, in 2004. We have been active members of the Greenbuilt Alliance and Asheville Home Builders Association. Greencraft has participated in Green Home tours and the Asheville Home Builders Parade, and we’ve won awards for our green-certified homes, with over 65 homes built and over 41 certified green homes throughout the Asheville area. Building green was important to both my husband and me for environmental impact reasons, economic savings for the owner, and for the health of the family living in the home. You notice a clear difference in a healthy-built home.
My passion for real estate started with Greencraft, first helping find and develop land, and market properties to sell, then quickly moving into helping buyers and sellers with all their home needs. It is such a thrill to help someone find their forever home, make a great return on their investment or help a builder with the details of building their next spec home. I pride myself on finding a property that might not be on a buyer’s radar that becomes a perfect fit, or selling a property with a unique marketing plan that exceeds my client’s expectation. My focus has always been quality over quantity and that every person and price point deserve million-dollar service.
I have been a licensed NC RE since 2014. I’m a Certified Luxury Marketing Specialist, a Strategic Pricing Specialist, and I have earned the NAR Green Designation. I have been a member of AHBA and Greenbuilt Alliance since 2007.
What are some of your passions, especially as they relate to the Western N.C. area?
My passion project is getting more girls on bikes. For the last four years, I have volunteered as a mentor for Little Bellas, a mountain bike organization whose goal is to help young women reach their fullest potential. Our goal is to create an experience where girls are having fun on their bikes. Little Bellas is a non-competitive program that offers weeklong half- and full-day camps, weekly program sessions, and event camps for girls ages 7 to 18 years old. The mentoring model allows girls to have fun on trails and play games in an uninhibited environment that encourages them to be themselves. We strive to help girls find a sense of empowerment and self-confidence through interacting with positive mentors, conquering obstacles, and mastering a skill.
I have been part of the Women Build Habitat for Humanity House, and with my kids, I have volunteered for Manna Food Bank, packing lunches and weekend bags for kids in need. I have also adopted Garren Creek Road through the NCDOT Adopt-a-Road program, and started an annual trash cleanup.
Which neighborhoods and areas around Asheville and Western N.C. do you see the most growth happening?
I see a huge uptick in interest in areas like Marshall and Old Fort. Both areas have businesses uplifting areas and providing a central location for commerce again. Both areas are close to mountain biking, rivers or lakes. These markets are still more affordable, which might help some folks who are priced out of the Asheville and Greater Asheville area.
Learn More: About LeAnn Bound
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