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Joe Chamberlain named 2015 Realtor of the Year by High Country Association of Realtors

Early in his career, Joe Chamberlain learned how to react to the unexpected.

More than once the Ashe County realtor would be busy taking potential buyers to a property for sale when the hazards of mountain driving called for quick action.

Chamberlain
Chamberlain

“I can recall on a few occasions having to yell for clients to get out of my vehicle as I found myself sliding back down an icy road towards a steep cliff,” he said, adding no one was injured in the scares. “You just never know what you might encounter when traveling through the rural mountain countryside.”

He also didn’t know what he would encounter when he attended the recent annual membership meeting of the High Country Association of Realtors. With more than 200 of his peers present, Chamberlain was surprised with the 2015 Realtor of the Year award March 5. The honor is given annually to a realtor who embodies the professionalism and spirit of realtors, is involved in leadership positions within the industry and remains active within local community organizations.

“As a realtor, I spend most of my days talking to people so it is not often that I am left speechless,” said Chamberlain. “However, I was truly surprised and humbled when they announced my name. It was a moment I will not forget.”

Chamberlain opened Mountainscape Realty in Jefferson in 2005. He serves on the Board of Directors for the High Country Multiple Listing Service, chaired various task forces, and served on the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce. He’s also active with the Rotary Club in Ashe County, both as a member and past president, and has chaired a long list of committees.

“It is evident that he embraces this little corner of the world and has become as engrained in it as it has become engrained in him,” said past Realtor of the Year Marc White, introducing Chamberlain as the award winner during the recent membership meeting. “His unwavering dedication to this community, his family, and friends resonates in his strength of character.”

Originally from Massachusetts, Chamberlain completed a four-year stint in the United States Air Force before he attended Florida State University. After a brief career in law enforcement, he went back to school and earned an MBA. He then moved to the High Country and started his own real estate business.

“I chose real estate because of the opportunity it provides me to work with a wide range of people,” he said. “However, unlike my past career, now my clients are happy to see me.”

“While buying a home can certainly be stressful, it is most often a happy event for my clients,” he said.

Chamberlain describes his role as a realtor as being crucial in aiding buyers and sellers through that “stressful” experience of buying a home. Buyers need an advisor who knows the local market and can identify properties to fit their needs. Sellers need someone who can advise on an appropriate listing price, and ensure the property is well marketed.

Realtors can also manage the sale process through closing and assist with any challenges that arise.

“The High Country is such a great place to call home,” he said. “Buying and selling a home here should be an exciting and rewarding process which is why I always recommend finding a great realtor to work with.”