Asheville is more than a location; it’s a lifestyle. Few places capture the spirit of adventure, nostalgia, creativity and community like Asheville, North Carolina. The mountains are magic, the seasons are perfection, and the heap of culture is a thing unto its own. Above all else, the people of Asheville infuse the region with history, laughter and hope. Among them, you’ll find Amanda Simpkins.
An eighth generation Asheville native, Amanda’s roots are deeply planted in Appalachian soil. A natural at networking, relationship with lifelong friends began in childhood and adolescence as her auburn curls bounced around local roller-skating rinks and neighborhood basketball courts. In her youth, Amanda found endless joy in sports and life-changing confidence in the classroom. Her coaches and teachers took notice of the fun-loving girl with fierce determination and well-above average math test scores. Amanda describes the support she received during this time as pivotal to her drive to succeed and instrumental in her pursuit to give back to the community. After high school she went on to play college volleyball and softball at Eastern Connecticut State University.
After returning to NC and completing a bachelor’s degree in Pure Mathematics from the University of North Carolina Asheville, Amanda filled the same shoes that once walked alongside her by joining the heart-wrenching ranks of public school teacher at her alma mater Clyde A. Erwin High School. Amanda describes the emotional toll of standing at the cross-section of a child’s home-life and uncertain future in her blog, Teacher Turned Real Estate Agent Part 1, “You spend your days and nights thinking about these students, wondering if they have a safe place to sleep, wondering if they have food in their bellies, wondering if they are warm, wondering if they are caring for their siblings because mom is working two jobs to pay rent… So many things to worry about, so many things to stress about.” As a wife and mother of two boys of her own, Amanda wrestled with the decision, wading through feelings of betraying her profession, fellow teachers, and students, but ultimately drew from her same well of determination to pursue a career in real estate. Although the day-to-day looks different, Amanda continues to support families at memorable cross-sections of past and future. “Handing over the keys to a new home or hanging a “SOLD” sign in my clients’ front yards is as rewarding and meaningful as teaching, but without the anxiety over things I can’t change.”
When not in the office, Amanda continues her legacy in education by serving as an elected official on the Buncombe County School Board of Education. She also continued her commitment to being a lifelong learner by getting her MBA in Finance at Fayetteville State University in 2020.
Amanda’s mission statement: “Clients come first. I pledge to be in constant communication with my clients, keeping them fully informed throughout the entire buying or selling process. I believe that if you are not left with an amazing real estate experience, I have not done my job. My success is measured through the satisfaction of my clients.”