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October 14, 2025 14 mins

A morning drive past a for-sale sign changed everything. That nudge set Chris Smith on a path from hospitality leader to broker-owner and, ultimately, to guiding Century 21 Connected across Western North Carolina with a simple rule: put people first and the closings will follow. We go deep on what “advisor, not salesperson” looks like in the real world—mastering contracts, listening harder than you speak, and helping clients make clear, confident choices in one of life’s biggest financial moves.

Chris traces the winding route from an independent boutique to rolling into the Century 21 brand, and why the network matters for buyers and sellers across Asheville, Hendersonville, and beyond. We unpack the unglamorous truths of real estate—front-loaded costs, 1099 discipline, and why so many licensed agents log zero transactions—then turn to the practices that actually build a career: market fluency, realistic pricing, inspection leverage, and a steady pipeline built on trust and referrals. You’ll also hear how a multilingual team (Spanish and French) makes home buying and selling more accessible for neighbors across the region.

Community isn’t a slogan here; it’s a calendar event. Chris shares the inside story of the Crush Cancer fundraiser at the Grove Park Inn—26 teams, generous sponsors, and a $27,000 check for a local family. If you’re weighing your first home, considering a vacation property in the mountains, or thinking about a career that rewards integrity and grit, this conversation offers both a blueprint and a spark. Want to learn more, get matched with the right agent, or ask what it takes to thrive in real estate? Tap the link, reach out, and let’s talk. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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Episode Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Skip Money.

SPEAKER_00 (00:11):
Well, hello everyone, and welcome to the
Good Neighbor Podcast of WesternNorth Carolina and East
Tennessee.
So I am thrilled to have a veryspecial guest with us here today
and uh excited to learn allabout them and what they do.
I think it's their first time uhwith us on the show, and I'm
sure you'll be just excited,particularly if you're in the
market to buy or sell a home.

(00:32):
Uh, because today I have thepleasure of introducing your
good neighbor, Mr.
Chris Smith, who is with Century21 Connected.
Chris, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_02 (00:41):
Thanks, Skip.
Appreciate you having me.

SPEAKER_00 (00:43):
Absolutely.
Glad to have you.
Like I said, excited to learnall about you and what you guys
do.
So if you don't mind, kick usoff by telling us about Century
21 Connected.

SPEAKER_02 (00:51):
Yeah, sure.
So uh obviously Century 21, it'sa name everybody knows.
Uh, been around for 54 years.
We were the original uh realestate company uh in the
country, real estate franchisein the country.
Um we are backed by an amazinguh leader, CEO, Mike Miedler.
Um and yeah, you know, so whatwe've done is is we've put

(01:16):
together a group of agents uhthat you know know Western North
Carolina well.
Um as of now, we are based outof Asheville and Hendersonville.
Um we are growing, we arelooking to add offices in other
areas within Western NorthCarolina.
Um, but the beauty of thenetwork is that uh, you know, if

(01:37):
if we don't service the area,you can about guarantee that
there is a Century 21 in thatarea for us to recommend you to.
So um, you know, personally,I've been in the business for
about 12 years.
Um you know, I I started anindependent firm and then in
2019 and and uh rolled us intoCentury 21 last February.

SPEAKER_00 (02:00):
Oh, very nice.
Well, congratulations.
Man, thank you.
Um so tell us about yourjourney.
How did you get into the realestate business?

SPEAKER_02 (02:09):
Uh well, um it's probably my fifth, fifth career
stop at this point, but uh youknow, out of college, I I
started a landscape business uhin the winter time, so I would
uh flip some homes with an uncleuh in Kentucky.
Um from there I moved back hereto Asheville, uh became general

(02:30):
manager of Asheville BrewingCompany.
Uh so if you've been in thearea, I'm sure you know that
name.
Uh, they've been around a longtime.
Uh you know, Mike Rangell um andhis and his team taught me a lot
about managing and uh kind ofoperating a business.
Um, you know, but then fromthere it you know it just became

(02:53):
one of those things where hit myhead on the ceiling and and I'm
not wanting to enjoy checkinginto the same building every
day.
So um, you know, one morning,driving to work, I passed a for
sale sign uh on the way, calledmy wife and said, I think I want
to get into real estate.
And she said, Well, go do it.
And so uh here we are, you know.

(03:14):
So I started off at a boutiquefirm in Biltmore Village.
Uh from there, I transitionedover to uh KW.
I spent four or five yearsthere.
Uh, and then I broke off,started my own firm in 2019,
which was Modern Mountain RealEstate.
Um, and then Century 21approached me uh October of 23.

(03:37):
Um, and you know, we rolled intothe brand officially February
24.

SPEAKER_00 (03:44):
Wow.
Well, congrats.
What a story, man.
You've been all over the place.

SPEAKER_02 (03:48):
Well, yeah, you know, uh uh what they say
Rolling Stone gathers no moss,right?

SPEAKER_00 (03:53):
That's there you go.
Absolutely.
So tell me what are some mythsor misconceptions in the in the
real estate industry?

SPEAKER_02 (04:01):
Oh man, uh we're I don't know if we have enough
time there.
Uh but no, I mean, you know,honestly, um you know I think a
lot of times people just kind ofassume uh it's easy.
Uh I think people, I think theconsumer looks at a realtor and

(04:22):
thinks, um, you know, wow, theymake this money, it's easy
money, they they're runningstraight lines on a commission
or on their closing disclosure,and they're like, wow, this
agent just made this much money.
Um that's not the case.
Um, the reality is 20 to 30percent of people who get their

(04:45):
license actually make it in thisbusiness.
Um and it is not an easybusiness to get started in.
Um, it's a backwards business.
You you get your license, uh,you join a firm, you start
stroking checks.
Uh, nobody starts paying you,right?
You've got to pay to join thisboard, you gotta pay for this,

(05:05):
you pay for that, right?
Uh, and then, you know, ofcourse, the you got to find
people who would willing totrust you.
Uh, you know, it is uh arguablyone of the largest purchases
that most people ever make.
Um and so because of that, youknow, they're looking for
somebody uh they can trust,somebody who's knowledgeable,

(05:27):
somebody who uh they feel likewill will guide them in the
right direction.
Um, and that takes time.
Uh that takes time to kind ofcultivate that um, you know,
that that presence in yourmarket.
Um, and you know, it's not aneasy road.
Um and and so, you know, lastyear alone, 74% of realtors in

(05:51):
this country did zerotransactions.
Zero.
You know, so I mean you thinkabout that, like how many people
can say that they can go and andgo to work and make no money for
an entire year, you know.
So it is it is, you know,there's a you know, there's a
lot of people with the license,but not a lot of people who do

(06:14):
the business.
So um, yeah, I'd say that ingeneral is is probably you know
a good idea of of some majormisconceptions that I feel like
are associated with realtors.

SPEAKER_00 (06:28):
Not as easy as it looks.

SPEAKER_02 (06:31):
No, no, not not easy at all, you know.
Um, I tell my agents all thetime, like uh, you know, you you
get a title of realtor, butreally you should embrace the
title of advisor.
Um if if you if you will trulylearn, you know, um the market,
if you understand contracts, um,if you can approach the business

(06:55):
with two ears and one mouth,right?
If you really listen to people,you can be successful.
Um but um it takes a lot.
I mean, you know, most peoplearen't uh, you know, aren't able
to really be their own boss, andin reality, that's what you are,

(07:18):
right?
You know, you've gotta have thatdrive to wake up in the morning
and go do the business, right?
Um, because nobody in in innobody's actually telling you.
I mean, we're not allowed,you're a 1099, right?
So you're you're your own boss.
So um uh, you know, everybodythinks they want to work for

(07:39):
themselves, but not everybodyreally has the uh the discipline
to be able to work forthemselves.

SPEAKER_00 (07:48):
Couldn't couldn't agree more as as a working for
myself kind of guy.
Um so uh outside of work,obviously you work a lot.
Um, what do you like to do forfun?

SPEAKER_02 (08:00):
Oh, um, I mean, we live in a beautiful area, um,
you know, so um I enjoy trailrunning uh on the weekend.
Um I have a motorcycle that Ienjoy, you know, seeing these
these mountains on.
Um, you know, my wife and I, weenjoy traveling.
Um, so that that's a big thingthat we enjoy doing.

(08:21):
The this world's an amazingplace, so I'm trying to see as
much of it as I possibly can.
Uh my kids are grown now, so youknow they're I've got three
boys, 27, 22, and 19.
So, you know, you asked me thisquestion eight, nine years ago,
it would have been go to thissporting event, go to that
sporting event, go to thisschool event, this, that, and

(08:42):
the other.
But now I'm uh I I guess whatyou call an empty nester.
So um my hobbies are now uh alittle different than what they
used to be.

SPEAKER_00 (08:52):
I can totally relate.
Same, same here.
I have five kids and they're allout.
So yeah, yeah.
Only one left in well, two leftin college, but anyway.
Um so uh Chris, if um if youcould think of one thing that
you would like our listeners andviewers to uh remember about
Century 21 Connected, what wouldthat be?

SPEAKER_02 (09:14):
Um, you know, real dedication to the people within
their community.
Um, you know, I am very uh kindof picky on the agents I bring
in.
Um I am not, you know, we're nota massive firm.
We are growing um strategically.

(09:35):
Um, you know, I look for peoplewho have the like mindset,
right?
You know, I want people who um,you know, put clients first.
Uh my approach to life and andbusiness has always been, you
know, if you get up, you workhard, you treat people right,
the money will follow, right?
And and that's what I look for.

(09:57):
And you know, in 12 years ofdoing this, you know, I I've not
I've never put money first,right?
You put um, you know, yourclients, their families, their
well-being first, and and thenagain, you know, the money will
follow.
So, you know, that's what I wantpeople to know about all of our
agents.
I mean, we have a great group ofagents here um with a wide

(10:20):
variety of of experience andknowledge.
Um, we cover, we got threepeople who speak Spanish, one
gentleman who speaks French.
So, I mean, we you know, we weare able to help a lot of people
from commercial all the way downto residential.

SPEAKER_00 (10:37):
Wow, very nice.
Well, for those of us who may bein the market to buy or sell a
home or potentially or avacation home or potentially
start a career in real estate,um, how can we learn more?

SPEAKER_02 (10:53):
Uh, just reach out uh www.centry21connected.com.
Uh, that's our site.
Um, you will find all kinds oflinks on there.
Um, if you're a buyerinterested, if you're seller
interested, um, if you'relooking to start a new career or
you just want to pick my brainabout um what it takes to make

(11:16):
it um as a realtor, um, all myinfo's in there.
Um feel free to reach out.
Um you know, we just completeduh our annual Crush Cancer
Fundraiser.
Uh so if you're a business ownerum and you want to be a part of
that next year, please reach outand let us know.
Um it's something that's nearand dear to my heart.

(11:39):
We um get a family once a yearfrom our community that is
battling cancer.
Um, and you know, we put on afundraiser uh one-day golf event
at the Grove Park Inn.
Uh it was just this past Sunday.
Um we had uh 26 teams come out,we have company sponsors.

(11:59):
Uh and just yesterday I was ableto hand our recipient a check
for$27,000.
Um so you know, if you'relooking to uh you're looking for
an example of a real estatecompany that truly does look to
give back to their theircommunity, I feel that's a good
example of of you know ourapproach.

SPEAKER_00 (12:22):
Awesome.
Well, um Chris, I can't tell youhow much I appreciate you taking
time out of your busy scheduleto hang out with us and tell us
all about what you do and andwhat makes you guys stand out.
Um and uh appreciate what you'redoing in the community.
The Crush Cancer sounds like anincredible event, especially
playing golf at at uh the GrovePark.
That has to be um unbelievable.

(12:43):
Never played there, but wow.

SPEAKER_02 (12:45):
Well, remember it for next year.
I mean, uh the way we set it upis uh and an individual gets to
play for less than what youwould if you you went on your
own, and uh you also get lunchand some adult beverages along
the way.

SPEAKER_00 (12:57):
So awesome, awesome.
Sounds great.
And and you already got a datefor next year?

SPEAKER_02 (13:02):
Always the first Sunday of October.

SPEAKER_00 (13:05):
First Sunday, I will I will remember that.
First Sunday of October.
Put it on your calendar.
Yeah, all right, very good.
Well, Chris, again, thank you.
Thank you for what you're doingin the community and uh
appreciate your time and wishyou and your family and uh uh
Century 21 connected team allthe best moving forward.

SPEAKER_02 (13:26):
All right, thanks, Skip.
I appreciate you reaching out.

SPEAKER_00 (13:30):
Absolutely.
Maybe we can uh get you backsometime and promote next year's
golf tournament.

SPEAKER_02 (13:35):
Yeah, anytime.

SPEAKER_00 (13:36):
All right.
All right, man.
Thanks so much.
Have a great rest of the day.
All right, you too.

SPEAKER_01 (13:41):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to GMP Tri DashCities.com.
That's GMP Tri Dash Cities.comor call four two three seven one
nine five eight seven three.
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