McRae Hilliard

As newlyweds new to the Asheville area looking to buy our first home, Eli and I had quite a few post-pandemic trepidations about entering the housing market in the summer of 2022. McRae Hilliard CRS ARB came highly recommended to us by two of my coworkers. When we first met McRae, he took two hours of out of his weekend to walk through what the house hunting process would look like and what all the following paperwork would entail. He showed us option after option over the next few months, helping us build our gut and learning more about our wants and needs. McRae was extremely patient when we needed to wait out the rising interest rates in late 2022. When our perfect unit hit the market earlier this year, Eli and I immediately knew we wanted to make a bid because of how well informed and prepared we were thanks to McRae’s help. McRae had grown to learn us so well as first-time home buyers that he could literally anticipate what questions I would have for our home inspector and our closing agent just from the look on my face (and, as someone with an anxious disposition, I made a lot of faces!). McRae was knowledgeable, patient, friendly, and timely. It was a pleasure to work with him, personally and professionally, and we highly recommend him.

Emily Wilson, West Asheville

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McCrae was great on all fronts. We interviewed several agents, and McCrae did the best job of showcasing local knowledge and matching our needs to specific neighborhoods and houses. He was adept at using technology and enabled us to tour houses virtually. He also went above and beyond to help us secure temporary housing while our deal closed. He was very detail oriented. We had a very complicated closing process and he did a great job navigating it to successful conclusion. He kept our best interest in mind and secured the best possible terms in Asheville's difficult market. McCrae was great with communication. He was always timely in getting us needed information. We checked in almost daily and he was always available when we needed quick answers. We highly recommend McCrae to anyone looking for an agent in the Asheville area.

Michael McNamee, Colorado

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McRae was an excellent realtor with whom to work. He guided us in the right direction from listing to closing. He was always available for consultation and to answer questions. It had been 22 years since we sold a residence, and we did not realize how complicated the process had become. McRae guided us from listing to closing in a very professional and knowledgeable way. We recommend him highly.

R. M. Wenige Asheville

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Mcrae Hillard did an outstanding job in all areas of selling my house!

Justine

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McRae is incredibly knowledge of the Asheville market. He was engaged with us every step of the way while purchasing our forever home. He's quick to reply, incredibly easy to communicate with and just all around an absolute joy to work with. We would highly recommend McRae to our family and friends.

Mandy Jackson, Haw Creek, Asheville

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McRae Hilliard came highly recommended, and our experience lived up to our expectations. He was very professional and responsive to our needs and requests. McRae had excellent knowledge of the area and was able to guide us, even though we were working mostly remotely at a distance. Our seller had some complicated terms and restrictions, and he helped us to effectively navigate the process. He is very professional, friendly, and responsive. He also showed an effective working relationship with the seller's agent.

Wilson Garland, Minneapolis, MN

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McRae Hilliard is what I wish all real estate brokers were - professional, knowledgeable, ethical, insightful, understanding, patient and truly helpful. As a commercial real estate lawyer, I recognize talent and deficiencies in real estate brokers and McRae has only talent. And he puts his clients' needs ahead of pushing to get a deal closed. I could not recommend McRae more highly.

Geoff Mitchell, Asheville

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It was an easy and quick process. Purchasing a new home is typically a stressful time, McRae with his easy demeanor made this a wonderful experience. We will definitely recommend him to family and friends!

Stephanie Asheville, NC

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McRae went above and beyond our expectations. He is extraordinarily knowledgeable of the Asheville area, which was our primary consideration being out of town buyers. His coordination of our inspections and follow up items was flawless and it took away all the stress of a remote real estate transaction. I would highly recommend McRae to anyone who is looking to buy a house in Asheville.

Cindy and John Appleby, Asheville and Raleigh, NC

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He really could not have been any better.

Sondra Smith

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McRae was the perfect realtor for me. He made the process fun and easy. He knew when I was trying to talk myself into making an offer that I was rushing the process and told me that he was in it for the long haul and wasn't there just for the quick sale. I appreciated his guidance and patience. I could not have asked for a better person to guide me through this process.

Janne Wheeler

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I can't say enough about McRae. As a first time home buyer, I didn't really know what to look for or expect out of the process. McRae was so patient and took the time to explain the whole process every step of the way. He listened to what I was looking for and really paid attention to my likes and dislikes as we looked at each home. I would definitely recommend McRae to anyone looking for a home and would work with him again without hesitation.

April, Arden

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McRae took the reigns early in the process to help us purchase form afar. The level of service and coordination was unmatched. Thank you McRae for all your hard work.

Sean Tamm

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Beverly Hanks was Selected by our relocation company and we are very pleased with McRae as our agent Would highly recommend McRae and Beverly Hanks

Tony and Go Spensieri

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We loved listening to McRae's advise all about Asheville and suggested places we might like to visit. My husband and I are newly married and we had different priorities that we wanted for our first home. McRae was really good at seeing what caught our eyes when we first walked into a home. He found us the most perfect home for us! Thanks McRae.

The Johnsons, Fletcher

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As a long-time personal friend, I knew of McRae Hilliard’s serious business approach to the real estate profession and admired that devotion. His reputation is stellar. Given this profile I chose him as the agent for the sale of a rental property. Even though this is a smaller property, he gave our sale his full attention and cared that the sale would work to our needs and advantage. McRae Hilliard is a consummate real estate professional.

LA, Asheville

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Thanks McRae for showing us what has become our new home in Asheville. Your patience and accessibility are appreciated. Your recommendation of the area made it stand out. I know we have chosen a good location which in real estate is important. I hope once we are set up in our new house, you can stop by to have a thank you beverage!

Nora van Arkel

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McRae made selling our house a walk in the park! I will never sell/buy a home without McRae, he has my business until we die. You will NEED him to help buy or sell your next property!

Jenn

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McRae Hilliard CRS ABR McRae is a dynamic and engaging agent. He took all the time we needed to make an informed decision to engage his service. He was in constant contact with us throughout the process and made himself available whenever we had questions. We could not be more pleased than we are at his care and devotion to us and our sale and constant advice and encouragement. Above and beyond, that was McRae's performance throughout.

Dick Smith, Fletcher

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McRae is the best relator in town! He makes buying and selling a home a walk in the park! You need him!

Jenn

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McRea was very accommodating in meeting with us on our schedule And was certainly very pleasant to work with. He was able to put together a marketing plan for our particular house which we were pleased with. We also appreciated his honesty and straightforwardness with us on our questions about value of the house and how to best present it at showings. We very much enjoyed our association with him and will no doubt work with him again in the future.

Joe and Diane Souther Biltmore Forest

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McRae did a wonderful job of marketing and bringing the sale to a prompt closing. McRae will be handling 2 more properties in the coming months as he has done a fabulous job of helping me purchase and sell over the last five years. I consider him a trusted friend. Onward.

Neal and Anne Campbell. Fletcher NC

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When we first reach out to McRae, we also reached out to several other agents via email. McRae was the first to respond and also had good flexibility with his schedule. Once we met him and did our initial drive-around we got to know him and really liked his approach and style of helping us find a house.

Ryan Mintzer, Arden

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I heard about McRae Hilliard from a friend who had worked with him previously. After our first meeting I had no doubt that McRae would be my broker. His knowledge of local real estate and the speed with which he honed in on my requirements was amazing. McRae always had time for questions and often brought aspects of properties to my attention that I had not noticed on my own. McRae did a fantastic job from the beginning to the end of my real estate search!

Jeremiah Lutz, Asheville

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We were so happy to have McRae Hilliard as our agent. The entire process was smooth and professional. From our first meeting, where he explained the process and rationale for pricing through the showings, sale, and closing he kept us informed, answered our questions quickly and completely. He was caring and considerate of my elderly mother in law who was making, for her, a monumental life change. Most importantly, he kept us fully in the loop of what was going on . His communications are excellent. We would recommend him to any friend or family member. We are 100% satisfied! Thank you,McRae , for making this whole process so easy and hassle free.

Smith’s and Pat Pirich

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McRae is an exceptional Realtor. Being a native of Asheville, he is a literal Asheville Real Estate wikipedia (encyclopedia for the older folks). He is not only incredibly professional, but also very personable. He is proactive in advising and heading off any potential issues, and keeps in constant communication so that you never feel that you are behind or out of the loop. Having dealt with McRae previously on the purchase of the property I just sold, he was the only Realtor I considered. When I purchase property again in the Asheville area, McRae Hilliard will be my only call.

David Koretzky, Boca Raton, FL

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McRae Hilliard did an absolutely awesome job as our real estate agent. He was extremely knowledgeable of the Asheville area which was critical to us, since we are moving from NY and did not have a full understanding of the area. He was able to quickly understand our needs and desires in a house which made him very effective in finding the right houses for us to look at. McRae is honest, sincere, and always went out of his way to be responsive and understanding of our needs. Going through the process of looking for and purchasing a home is very stressful, and McRae did an excellent job of making the experience as stress free as possible. He is very friendly, and a pleasure to work with. I strongly recommend McRae Hilliard to anyone in need of a real estate agent in the Asheville area. He is the BEST!

Robert N. Melnyk, Hopewell Jct., NY

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McRae was recommended to me by a business associate and I am extremely grateful for his recommendation. I am selling two homes in Asheville and I live in California so I am relying on McRae's expertise and he has been terrific. He is patient, very knowledgeable, supportive and has a consistently positive attitude. I have appreciated working with him on the sale of one home and now look forward to the close of the second home. I highly recommend McRae with no reservations.

DRoberts, California

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He was excellent, informative and kind.

Melanie Casey, Asheville

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McRae was great! He worked very hard with us on our home to make sure it was present in the proper manner and help us sell our home very quickly! Can't express how much we are pleased with the job McRae did on our behalf and would recommend him highly!

Ryan McDaniel, Asheville

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We would definitely recommend McRae to anyone wanting to buy and sell homes in Asheville and Buncombe County. He worked diligently with us to do both. From start to finish, he was accessible. I especially appreciate his candor when it came to advising us, and he's an expert on the local market. Managing our complex closings in a short time-frame was done with calmness and good humor. With McRae, we feel like we not only found a great realtor, but we also made a good friend.

Greg and Nancy Forsythe, Hendersonville, NC

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McRae was the best. He was patient, thorough, knowledgeable, efficient, helpful, and personable. I highly recommend him! Practically perfect in every way.

Susan Mertz, Asheville

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McRae is a hidden gem in the booming real estate market in the Asheville area. I moved to Asheville due to a job relocation and I was lucky enough to work with him. He was 3 steps ahead of the game for every aspect of my move, and far exceeded my expectations. Working with me, McRae has likely broken a local record with the amount of home showings in one day at 15! We viewed 15 different properties all planned and organized by McRae himself. We were on time for every viewing and he was kind enough to bring me along with my family to every single appointment and educate us on the area, the surroundings, and the overall attributes of the home. His communication, education, drive and passion is as good as it gets. And to top it off, he is a genuine stand up guy and a fun guy to be around.

Brock - Candler NC

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McRae Hilliard is a thorough professional. He understands the subtle nuances of the buying process, and represented us very well throughout the process. I would highly recommend McRae as a buyer's agent to anyone seeking a quality home in the Asheville market.

Tim LaBruyere

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McRae took the time to listen to our desires for a new house, found two within our budget & location within a few weeks, and steered us in a professional and caring way in an aggressive market. We were able to land a nice upgrade with many features we were searching for in our existing neighborhood without breaking the bank. McRae then listed our first home and we had multiple offers within the first three days. We decided quickly and settled on a cash offer with a quick closing. McRae was patient with us and answered all of our questions. He is extremely knowledgeable of the market and inventory in this area. He provided excellent guidance as we sold our first home. We would highly recommend him for his professionalism, knowledge, and results!

Chris Cowan, Fletcher NC

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I would recommend McRae Hilliard to anyone hoping to sell their home in an efficient and timely manner. He has sold two homes for us in the last year, one our personal dwelling and the second a rental property. Throughout the sale of both properties he always responded in a timely manner to our questions, was considerate when addressing our needs, had multiple ideas for effectively improving the market value of the houses, and worked hard to encourage prospective buyers. He facilitated smooth closings for both properties. We interviewed a variety of agents prior to choosing McRae for our agent on the first sale, but have now found the best so will continue to use him as we sell future properties we own in the area.

Donna Burns, previous Buncombe County resident

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McRae is an excellent realtor; he goes the extra mile for his clients.

Bill Turner, Lewisburg, WV

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Prior to my ownership of the property that was recently sold by McRae Hilliard, I had sold two other homes by myself. Both of these homes were smaller and easier to sell and I didn't have to pay broker commissions. This time, however, the home was in a much higher price bracket and I knew I was going to need professional guidance. The 6% commission came to a significant figure (ouch!) but, when taking in to consideration what McRae contributed to the final sale, it was definitely worth it. McRae brought my home to a larger market than I could have on my own, guided me to the perfect asking price and gave me advice during the price negotiations, all of which resulted in commanding a higher sales price and compensated for the "significant" commission fee. Add to that all the work he did as the go-between for the buyers and myself and I can comfortably say McRae earned his money. Thank you, McRae!

Kevin Bray, Davidson, NC

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McRae went above and beyond our expectations in a quality realtor. McRae was prompt, punctual, and very intuitive to our needs in a first home. We absolutely love our new home and had a great experience.

Martin Family - Asheville

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I would, without hesitation, highly recommend McRae to anyone interested in either selling or buying property. He is a real pro and will work tirelessly in your best interests.

Jim Morgan, 41 Dexter Way Asheville, NC

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I am seventy years old and have had several real estate sales and rentals in my days. Some of our business was conducted in the Northeast section of the U.S...some in the South and a couple outside of the Continental U.S. We live in Puerto Rico and flew to North Carolina to settle my mother’s estate and sell her home after her death. A friend and neighbor of my parents recommended McRae Hilliard . We had no connection to real estate brokers in the area. We thought it would take at least a year to sell, giving the current market conditions. We talked to McRae and met with him the next day. He impressed us right away with his knowledge of the area, eagerness to understand our unique situation, help us with a marketing plan and get us on our way. Just over two weeks later we had an offer on our property. McRae detailed the unfamiliar rule of "Due Diligence” . After we told him how unfair we believed the rule is to sellers, he understood our position but convinced us we had no choice but to comply. Even though the house has sold, we still believe the market rules are out of balance in favor of buyers and crippling sellers ability to stay on the market. We settled the house at what we feel was a great price. The closing went smoothly. Out of all of our past real estate deals this was the most complicated. But, McRae paved the road to agreement from day one. He is our most professional real estate experience yet, friendly, persistent, knowledgable and there for you whenever needed. If ever we have need for real estate guidance we know who to call. If ever we have the opportunity to recommend a great broker, McRae Hilliard is our choice. To bad he doesn't have an office in Puerto Rico. We could us him.

Harvey & Marie Clark

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We enjoyed working with McRae Hilliard to sell our home of 36 years. We feel like McRae knew the real estate market of the Fairview area and recognized the uniqueness of our house. This was evident in his suggestions of how to present the charm and warmth of the home without "over doing it". We felt like McRae was very thorough in explaining the process of selling, answered all our questions whenever we had them, and kept us informed at all times. We enjoyed working with McRae as he was at all times professional but also very personable. Even though we have known his wife and her family for many years before meeting McRae, this never changed the professional and business demeanor we experienced in the selling process. We highly recommend McRae Hilliard !

Richard Burns, Ponce Inlet, FL

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We could not have been more pleased with the personal service that we received from McRae Hilliard. He is an utmost professional and worked diligently in marketing and ultimately selling our house. McRae is our realtor for life!

Garner Family, Asheville NC

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Once again, McRae did an excellent job of moving this property from listing to closing. This is the second property that McRae has handled for me. He understood that I wanted to sell both properties quickly but without loss of value. McRae accomplished this goal in a matter of three months.

Joe Gannam, Savannah, GA

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McRae Hilliard was absolutely the right choice to help me find my home. He is knowledgeable about real estate and the Asheville area. His attention to detail and keen memory are strong assets. He is very professional and extremely patient. I was not his easiest client. But after 8 months searching, I could not be more pleased with the lovely home I now own. It would not have happened without his guidance. In other words......... McRae Hilliard totally rocks!!!

smr

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We have known McRae since his high school days. His character and integrity has never waivered. His professionalism, intelligence, and knowledge of Asheville and surrounding areas is so important in the purchasing of a home. His longevity of being a broker certainly helps in the negotiating portion of the purchase. We appreciated his responding to our phone calls, e-mails, and texts in a timely matter. Although he puts in long hours, his family is always at the forefront and we too can relate to that lifestyle. Keep up the good work McRae! Jake and Pat

Jake and Pat Lowe

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My cousin who manages real estate in the Asheville area recommended McRae. McRae was knowledgeable about the market for our property and promptly placed in on the market using a well-designed and presented web presentation. We had a contract within a day.

Joe Gannam, Savannah, GA

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When we started working with McRae, my wife and I were first time home buyers and were completely new to the Asheville area. McRae's extensive knowledge of the local Asheville communities and how they have developed over time was extremely helpful to us. Once we narrowed down the areas we wanted to focus on, McRae made the process of buying a home from 8 hours away as easy as it could possibly have been. He was always available to screen homes for us so that we didn't have to travel into town every time a new listing came on the market. We never once got the feeling that he was trying to "sell" us on a house. If something wasn't right with a house he would call it to our attention, and that really made us feel that we had an advocate on our side, not just someone who was looking for a commission. He worked with us for about 5 months until we were able to get a house under contract, and was extremely patient with us the entire time. Where others may have shifted their focus once their commission was earned, McRae continued to work hard for us, attending inspections and walk throughs with contractors, and coordinating with the bank and closing attorneys. When working with McRae, we really didn't feel like we had to ask or convince him to do any of these things for us - he just did them because he's a professional and he knew what needed to be done in order to make everything go smoothly. We ended up buying a house in the Grove Park neighborhood and we're really excited to move in and get settled into the community. The best part is that after this long process, my wife and feel like we made a great friend. We'd definitely recommend McRae to anyone looking to buy or sell a home in Asheville!

Rich Melnyk, Grove Park

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No, McRae was wonderful! He was so helpful in putting us in the perfect home for us!

Jenn Odom bent Creek

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