Jessica Auten

Serving Northwest NC and Northeast TN

What do Clients Say?

Jessica portrays the utmost professionalism in her work while maintaining a positive and easygoing demeanor. It was a pleasure to work with her from our very first meeting! We became friends through the process of selling our home and she brought us the perfect buyer. She managed every detail throughout the process with grace and humor. She is definitely our realtor of choice in the high country area and we high recommend her to become yours!

https://jessicaauten.premiersothebysrealty.com/testimonials

Jessica is a complete professional who understands every aspect of the mountain market. We had another realtor recommend we list our cabin 20% lower. Jessica saw the value of our spectacular views, privacy and fantastic cabin in like new condition. Her vast knowledge and experience enabled her to list it at the appropriate price and sell it quickly at full price. She couldn’t have been more helpful, and was a true pleasure to work with.

https://jessicaauten.premiersothebysrealty.com/testimonials

Words cannot fairly describe how much Jessica exceeded our expectations in the listing and promoting of our home sale. She was very responsive in getting back to us in even the smallest details and went above and beyond throughout the course of our eventual sale. We would highly recommend Jessica to anyone looking for a realtor that has all the tools and intangibles that are needed in today's competitive market. She is truly the consummate professional.

https://jessicaauten.premiersothebysrealty.com/testimonials

Working with Jessica was a great experience! She meticulously handled every detail and took proactive steps to sell our home, such as creating an amazing tour video, designing eye-catching marketing flyers, and promoting the property on social media. Jessica's positive attitude transformed a potentially stressful process into an enjoyable journey. Her dedication and creativity made us feel truly understood and supported at every step. We wholeheartedly recommend Jessica for her outstanding professionalism and thoughtful approach—she is the best!

https://jessicaauten.premiersothebysrealty.com/testimonials

When I first inquired about a property in Banner Elk I received numerous responses via emails. However, Jessica was the only to actually call me. As a result we chose to work with her. For over a year we have been going back n forth on various properties ranging from $6m to $800k. We just never found one that struck the buy me cord. Until, we found one in Beech Mountain Community. We purchased it and then she was showing me some other land properties and purchased an 8 acre plot. We have become good friends with her and her husband. She is very professional, resourceful and knowledgeable. We were very fortunate to have her involved with our purchases and was very involved in making sure we were getting the best value and that we were secure in our investments. I would highly recommend her for anyone looking to purchase a property in the high country. I am sure we will continue to work with her in the future.

https://jessicaauten.premiersothebysrealty.com/testimonials

About Jessica

Jessica Auten brings proven performance, thoughtful personal service and global connections to luxury real estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A broker associate and Global Real Estate Advisor with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty in Banner Elk, she represents buyers and sellers throughout northwestern North Carolina and northeastern Tennessee. Her expertise spans luxury mountain residences, second homes, vacation rental investment properties, waterfront retreats and equestrian estates, with a focus on Banner Elk, Boone, Blowing Rock, the surrounding High Country and the Watauga Lake region.

Jessica quickly established herself as a top producer, earning recognition beginning in her first year in real estate. Her accomplishments include membership in Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s prestigious Club 1744, recognizing the company’s top-producing advisors; RealTrends Verified recognition among the top 1.5% of real estate professionals nationwide; and recognition as a High Country Top 50 REALTOR®. Her early success has grown into an established practice built on attentive representation, strategic marketing and lasting client relationships.

As a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist® with GUILD Elite™ recognition from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Jessica combines specialized luxury-market knowledge with demonstrated success in the upper tier of residential real estate. For sellers, she develops a considered approach to pricing, presentation and promotion, using compelling photography, video and property storytelling to communicate what makes each home exceptional. For buyers, she offers candid guidance and a discerning perspective on location, lifestyle, property condition and long-term goals.

Jessica’s local expertise is complemented by her active involvement in Sotheby’s International Realty’s exclusive affinity networks, including the Emerging Professionals Network, Global Equestrian Advisors, Women Empowered and Sotheby’s Ski and Sea. These relationships connect her with like-minded real estate professionals across the world, expanding opportunities to introduce listings to colleagues and their clients, share market insight and coordinate referrals. Whether marketing a distinctive mountain estate or helping a client find a trusted advisor in another destination, Jessica makes the brand’s global reach personal and practical.

Her approach is grounded in a substantial career in hospitality and business leadership. Before entering real estate, Jessica advanced from sales manager to general manager at The Village Inns of Blowing Rock, managed Blue Ridge Mountain Club’s Blowing Rock sales office, and spent nine years as general manager of the Courtyard Marriott in Boone. Under her leadership, the hotel earned regional and national recognition, including Marriott’s prestigious Diamond Circle. Those experiences sharpened her ability to anticipate needs, manage complex details and deliver a consistently high level of service—qualities that shape every client relationship today.

Originally from Waxhaw, North Carolina, Jessica discovered her love for the High Country while attending Appalachian State University, where she earned her BSBA in Hospitality and Tourism Management. She later completed her MBA, which included a study abroad in China, and made Boone her home. Her experience purchasing, renovating and selling her own properties adds a practical understanding of a home’s potential and the decisions that accompany ownership. She has also shared her business experience as an adjunct professor at Appalachian State’s Walker College of Business.

Deeply connected to the community, Jessica serves on the Habitat for Humanity board of directors and the High Country Association of REALTORS® MLS Board of Directors, and mentors young college of business students through Women of Walker. Her previous board service includes the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, High Country Workforce Development Board, High Country Host and Boone Tourism Development Authority.

Jessica and her husband, Zak, own Benchmark Provisions Beer and Wine Market in downtown Boone and are proud parents of Molly and Colt. Outside of real estate, she enjoys traveling, riding her horses at Moses Cone and Leatherwood Mountains, boating and camping on Watauga Lake, and spending time outdoors with her family and dogs. Her connection to mountain living is personal, and she enjoys helping clients discover the places and experiences that make the region their own.

Licensed in North Carolina and Tennessee, Jessica also holds the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®), Seller Representative Specialist (SRS), Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) and Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) credentials and is Ninja Selling Certified. Through every purchase and sale, her priority remains the same: clear advice, thoughtful advocacy and service that extends well beyond closing.