If you ever find yourself at a stoplight with a classic red Jeep woody idling next to you, look closer. It’s likely to be Anthony Guthmiller in his beloved vintage Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Blanche, on his way to helping yet another client achieve their realty objectives. We caught up with Anthony recently to see what adventures might be coming next.
Share a bit about your background with us. You’re from California, right?
Well, I was born and raised in the Midwest — Minnesota and South Dakota, and I went to college in Nebraska — but I did live in California for 38 years, yes. My husband Griffin initiated the idea to move to Asheville, actually. We’d grown tired of LA and Griffin’s mom’s family are from the Raleigh area. They’d spent some of their summer vacations here in North Carolina so he was already familiar with it. We flew out here for Blue Ridge Pride in 2019 and that was that!
What made you want to be a real estate broker?
Art, lighting, furniture, renovations … all of those things are longtime interests for me. I have a couple of shops which specialize in vintage decor. After the nonprofit I worked for closed (I was the marketing/development director of the AIDS Service Center in Pasadena), I decided to combine the skills I’d acquired from that — and from working in sales and marketing for many years — and try my hand at real estate. I got licensed in CA and was recruited by the firm I’d licensed under. So far, so good!
What are your passion projects/subjects?
I am a creative person at heart, and that colors everything I do, so I have to say projects that involve upcycling, renovation, art, and design. Also, I absolutely love to travel. Discovering new places and curating experiences informs my work, too, from a communication/people skills standpoint as well as an architecture and design perspective.
What ways do you enjoy giving back to our community?
I have been very active with Blue Ridge Pride from the beginning of our time here, so that’s enormously important, as is the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) and Greenworks.
What are your realty superpowers?
I am an excellent advocate of my clients, I am very creative on the logistical and negotiation aspects of a deal, and I am very adept at matching the person and the way they function with the right house for them.
Also, having made a cross-country move to Asheville myself, I know what people are going through when they move here from out of state. I guess you could say I'm a relocation expert!
Do you have certain neighborhoods/communities in which you especially love to work?
The neighborhood that best fits my clients' wishes! Seriously though, I think the whole area is wonderful. I love it all. That said, we live in East West Asheville and we love it!
What is the most special thing about our area?
Asheville is authentic. It’s a beautiful place that values a healthier lifestyle; that values its natural surroundings and its good air and water. It also has lots to do for a small town; it has more to offer than many cities! I think it’s very unique in its intergenerational makeup. It attracts a certain mindset that's calmer, more creative, and more collective-minded.
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