Digging the Asheville Scene: Mosaic Realty's Shane Peters

Shane Peters is practically an Asheville native (well, he’s been here more than twenty years, and that is dang near local in these parts.) On any given evening you’re likely to find him at the South Slope’s Well Played Board Game Café, decompressing after a long day spent helping clients with their real estate needs…or enjoying live music at one of our great local venues. Did we mention he doesn’t stay still much?

Share a bit about your background (how you got here, any family, pets, etc.)

Let’s see…. After I graduated with a degree in anthropology with an archeology focus, I started working with Janus Research, a cultural resource management firm in St. Petersburg, Fl as a field archaeologist. Our company provided a service to the state of Florida to ensure significant cultural resources were preserved during development. During this period I met my significant other, and we started a life together. It was during a backpacking trip in the Smokies that we fell in love with this region and looked for an opportunity to relocate here. My wife landed a teaching job here and we made the best move of our lives!

After arriving, it was apparent that archeology was probably not in the cards, as it’s so seasonal in this region — ever tried to dig a big hole in the middle of winter here? But that was OK. Like many newcomers, we’d been vacationing and hiking here for years, and on one of those trips, we’d had the good fortune to meet LEAF founder Jennifer Pickering. If you know her, you know that she is a magnet for good people, and it was through her that I started connecting deeply with local artists, and making lasting friendships. It was this connection that opened the door to media production.  

Uh, dude. That’s a long way from working as a real estate broker. How did you make that switch?

Well, that business had some clients who were real estate developers and I was assisting them to market large planned communities throughout the country. I worked as a video editor, and later a cinematographer, creating lifestyle marketing media as well as working in film and TV. When that work started shifting seven years ago, I decided to develop other skills during my downtime between shoots. I loved the real estate marketing work I was doing, and as my wife and I were considering purchasing an investment property, it seemed smart to become more educated in the real estate industry. It’s not so different from archaeology, in some ways. I love working with buyers, all the exploration and digging up property details, plus the team feel of helping that buyer sort through all the gathered info to make the right choice. It’s just a different kind of dig!

When you’re not digging, what are your other passions?

My family has always been into outdoor recreation, so we do plenty of that. The local food scene here can keep you nourished, as well as the amazing arts culture in our region. And of course, gaming. I’m part of a local board game group and play regularly with people who love gaming. I have been fortunate to not only sit at the game table with them, but also at the closing table as well. There is nothing more rewarding than making a new friend and helping them reach their goals!

What ways do you enjoy giving back to our community?

One way is through sponsoring IamAVL’s live streaming initiative. It helps local artists reach bigger audiences by providing free streaming services to broadcast live shows from several local venues. This organization runs free streams of a wide variety of artists on multiple nights per week. Asheville has such an incredible music scene for such a small city. 

I love putting in work days with Habitat for Humanity, and supporting various events at Black Mountain Center for the Arts. I am also proud to sponsor MountainTrue, a local organization that works so hard to protect these beautiful mountains that surround us. There are so many great ways to give back to our community.

What are your realty superpowers?

I LOVE to be a connector! I have been in this area for more than 25 years and have made so many great connections. I love to build bridges for others in the community through my contacts. 

Do you have certain neighborhoods/communities in which you especially love to work?

We’ve lived in our first home in Black Mountain since 1999, so obviously I love any time I can work close to home, but I have no aversion to working in wider Western North Carolina. It’s always a good day when you can tour the backroads of this beautiful area and call it work!

What is the most special thing about the Asheville area?

I would have to say the amazing mixture of conscientious people and amazing craft culture set this region apart. There are so many uniquely crafted and curated businesses here, because the people support each other’s projects. I love that! When we moved here 25 years ago, everyone I met was interested in helping me grow. The least I can do is return that favor, and be part of a team that cultivates community. 

Learn More About Shane and Connect with Him Here