Originally from Waxhaw, North Carolina, Jessica Auten first fell in love
with the High Country during her time as an undergraduate student
at Appalachian State University. After earning her Master of Business
Administration in hospitality and tourism management, Jessica stayed
in Boone and ultimately decided she wanted to raise her family in this
very special place. As a broker associate with the Banner Elk office of
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Jessica enjoys sharing her love
for the area with others wanting to make the Blue Ridge Mountains their
home or find the perfect getaway or vacation investment property.
Previously, Jessica was the sales manager for The Village Inns of Blowing
Rock, a collection of charming boutique hotels. Later promoted to
general manager, she gained valuable experience overseeing everything
from marketing and advertising to customer service, accounting and
human resources. Jessica then joined the team at Blue Ridge Mountain
Club, opening and managing the new sales office in Blowing Rock and
assisting with marketing efforts and event organization for the new
development. She continued her hospitality career as the general
manager for the Courtyard Marriott in Boone, where she served for
the past nine years. Under her direction, the property earned several
regional and national awards, including Marriott’s Diamond Circle.
Transitioning to a second career in real estate was a natural progression
for Jessica, who has long had a passion for real estate and home design.
She personally bought and sold several properties, putting in sweat
equity to create beautiful homes for her family, which she later turned
for profit. Her background in hospitality and tourism serves her well
in a market that is highly driven by second homeowners and vacation
properties. Customer service is at the forefront of all that Jessica
does. Her unwavering integrity, loyalty, positivity and problem-solving
skills allow her to provide an exceptional experience for her clients and
facilitate long-lasting relationships.
As a long-time resident of Boone, Jessica has deep ties to the local
community. She and her husband, Zak, are the proprietors of Benchmark
Provisions Beer and Wine Market located downtown, and Jessica teaches
hotel management as an adjunct professor for the Walker College of
Business at Appalachian State. Jessica and Zak are the proud parents of
Molly, a student at AppState, and Colt, a local middle schooler. Jessica’s
hobbies include traveling, trail riding one of her three horses around
Moses Cone and Leatherwood Mountains Resort, boating and camping
with her family on Watauga Lake and taking walks with the family’s three
dogs — Kash, Gemma and Zeus — in the beautiful mountains.
Additionally, Jessica serves on the board of directors for Habitat for
Humanity and the High Country Workforce Development Board and
previously sat on the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Board of
Directors, along with the High Country Host executive board and Boone
Tourism Development Authority Board.
Jessica is a newly licensed REALTOR® in Tennessee, recently joining the
Tennessee/Virginia Regional MLS and Canopy REALTOR® Association.
She is a proud member of the National Association of REALTORS®, the
High Country Association of REALTORS®, the North Carolina Association
of REALTORS® and the Tennessee Association of REALTORS®.
Home Types:
Lot/Land, House, Condo, Manufactured, Townhouse
Years of Experience:
2
Education:
Appalachian State University, Masters in Business Adminstration, and Appalachian State University, BSBA Hospitality and Tourism Management
