Meet Beth
Professional Designations
Professional Designations
Professional Designations
Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) with GUILD ELITE™ recognition
Top Performer
Professional Designations
Professional Designations
Consistently ranked as a Top Performer
on the Cashiers-Highlands Plateau
Co-Founder
Professional Designations
Co-Founder
The McKee Group brokered by Cashiers Sotheby's International Realty
DEEP KNOWLEDGE. UNMATCHED EXPERIENCE.
For nearly 50 years, the McKee name has been identified with expertise in luxury real estate and exceptional service in the Cashiers and Highlands, NC area. The McKee Group Brokers, backed by Cashiers Sotheby's International Realty, represent the best of what the Cashiers-Highlands area has to offer.
About Beth
Beth Townsend is a Co-Founder of The McKee Group brokered by Cashiers Sotheby's International Realty
Along with the late A. William McKee, Beth was a Co-Founder — and played a significant role in the history of — The McKee Group's parent company, McKee Properties. Her career includes participation in many of William McKee’s development projects including Cedar Creek Club, the Snowbird community, and as a land planner for the residential side of Wade Hampton Golf Club, home to the award-winning Tom Fazio golf course.
Consistently a top-ranked Broker, she has been a real estate professional for 30+ years. Beth is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) with GUILD ELITE™ recognition.
With a Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Florida, Beth is able to give unique expertise on large-acreage development parcels as well as historic estates and homes in the area’s finest private communities.
A career highlight was Beth's five-year involvement with family landowners who assembled specialists to create a conservation easement protecting more than 600 acres of land close to the center of Cashiers. Portions of the adjoining 400 +/- acres have been successfully marketed and sold through Beth.
Her childhood summers and holidays spent at High Hampton set the stage for her deep love and connection to the nature and culture of the area. Visit cashiers.com/beth-townsend to see some of her local nature photos and original paintings!
At a Glance:
+ CONSISTENTLY RANKED AS A TOP PERFORMER ON THE PLATEAU
+ BACHELOR’S IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
+ “MOM” TO BOXER JOLENE
Get to Know Beth
I was born in Sarasota Florida — beautiful, sand beaches — and yet, I am a mountain girl at heart. What I love most about Cashiers is the natural environment here. I love exploring the woods, following old animal trails, finding relics from days past, and recognizing some subtle change in landscapes that tell of how the land was previously used or appreciated. Even though I am selling current, habitable, developed places, my personal true love of this area is about the undisturbed, unexplored raw beauty here.
Two moments: The creation of Snowbird and Webb Lake conservation easement projects — low density, environmentally aware, thousands of acres of beautiful land that was delivered to hands that would properly care for it.
Memory: As a child, my family would come to High Hampton for the summer (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Easter, too!). I loved driving up to High Hampton, turning into the main entry of the Inn and almost immediately smelling the old boxwoods, hearing Crosby Stills Nash and Young in the “teen room.”...and driving shotgun to Burrell’s place, where we were really too young to be, but in those days, well…
I learned how to run a chainsaw out of necessity while “pioneering” on the farm in the 1980s, and am very proficient at it! And I try to hike most everyday, and like to paint, sew, and garden when I have time.
About Us
Located in the Historic Minnie Cole House
Our office, located on Highway 107 South, is one of the oldest buildings in Cashiers and a designated Cashiers Historical Society Heritage Property, as well as the recipient of the 2022 Village Heritage Award.
Unmatched Marketing
Sotheby’s International Realty works alongside the highest-profile creative agencies and internal team to successfully connect with global consumers always keeping sophisticated design at the foundation.
CONSIDERING BUYING OR SELLING A PROPERTY?
Using an array of tools across today’s digital and print marketing channels, combined with the expertise provided by The Sotheby's International Realty Marketing Network, Beth will work to find the right property for your purchase, or to sell your premier property quickly.
What Beth's Clients Are Saying...
—DAVE & JEN D.
“We’ve worked with Beth on a number of transactions over the past several years as buyers and sellers. She is smart, honest, hardworking and a lot of fun. She is well-prepared and strategic, and we have always been well-served by trusting her instincts and advice. Plus, she just makes the whole process enjoyable from beginning to end. I can’t imagine there’s a better broker in Western North Carolina.”
—LYN & TERRI A.
“When we decided to look for a vacation home in the Cashiers area, we were told Beth Townsend was the person to call. Since then, Beth has been our go-to person for all real estate matters in Cashiers. She has provided professional, personal and super friendly service at every turn. She’s a great, hard working person we trust and appreciate.”
—SEAN L.
“When selling a challenging property, you want Beth on your team. She is determined, creative and perseveres to meet your goals. From emails and texts on the weekend to going above and beyond her ‘broker duties,’ you know instantly that you have an essential advocate on your side.”
—SARAH & JUD P.
“Beth found the ideal home for us when others said our search was too precise. A property with stellar views, unique construction, gated privacy, and quick Cashiers access — at a targeted price point. Pleasant, patience, and a deep array of options yielded success for us long distance. Additionally, Beth learned our interests and sought routes to speed our acclimation to what has become our new beloved hometown.”
—CARRIE & JOHN I.
“Recently, we had the pleasure of working with Beth Townsend of McKee Properties for finding a home in Cashiers. Her knowledge of the area and in particular the characteristics of the different neighborhoods was invaluable. More important, she came to understand exactly what we were looking for. Beth knew of a property that was not listed for sale but might be available. She arranged for a showing and it proved to be a perfect match. We are the new proud owners and could not be happier.”
—VICKIE & RUFUS D.
“Beth is a pleasure to work with and knows how to get the job done. She has helped us to sell two houses over the years, and neither sale was without some stress due to a variety of factors, none of which were caused by Beth. She is adept at working through challenges and finding a way to make things happen. You can be confident that she will get the very best possible result when she represents you.”
—MARTIN G.
"My experience with my wife was exceptional in working with Beth to find us a home in Cashiers. She knew the market like it was the back of her hand — showing us several exclusive listings to which she was only privy. Her perception to quickly understand our home desires was remarkable (only a real estate veteran with her experience). Her hands-on services continued through and after closing (we still call on her a year after our closing). Beth is the consummate professional — knowledgeable, honest, service minded, fun and now a friend. We recommend her all the time to our friends. You will love working with her, and it will be the best thing you can do to successfully purchase a place in the Cashiers area."
—MISTY & BILL B.
“We have worked with many real estate agents over the years and I can’t say enough about the professional service provided to us throughout the process by Beth Townsend. She represented us buying homes in downtown Highlands as well as High Hampton and I would highly recommend her to anyone. Not only was she adept at presenting us with homes that met our very specific criteria, but she was also a stellar negotiator and ensured that we got the best possible deal. Beth is easy to communicate with, knows her market intimately and helped to shepherd us through the entire closing process. Thank you for everything, Beth.”
—ELTON & GORDIE W.
“We have known Beth for most of the 18 years that we have been in Cashiers and she has assisted us with several real estate transactions, most recently the sale of our home that we had for 18 years. Beth is a professional. She exemplifies this professionalism by her integrity, her knowledge of the market, her availability and responsiveness, her positive attitude, and her good judgment in finding a way to bring fair value to the parties involved. If we have the need, we would be happy to work with Beth in the future.”
—CATHY & ROBERT H.
“We chose Beth Townsend as our realtor, because she had a long standing reputation and a great deal of experience in the Cashiers / Sapphire area. We were not disappointed. Beth and team were very professional, attentive, and honest regarding the sale of our property. She made great suggestions and showcased our property well. Beth was quite helpful when we were in negotiations with our buyer. In addition, Beth and her team were enjoyable to work with.”
—CHERI & CHIPPER A.
“Beth Townsend had become a friend of ours in Cashiers, where we had a home. We knew of her reputation as an excellent realtor. When we decided to sell, we immediately called Beth. No time was lost in listing the property. Beth, and her assistant Clay, listened carefully to our questions and suggestions, noting everything in detail. Very complimentary photographs and an attractive listing of the property was sent out to the media. It took one week to sell the house! Beth’s reputation in Cashiers is well known. She is extremely active in the community. She knows everything there is to know about the area, and her advertising with McKee Properties reaches far and wide. We are a family of top realtors, thirty five years and still active, so we can appreciate all that Beth has done for us to get a quick sale with the right price. And, she is still our good friend!!!!”
—STEPHEN & LANDON L.
“We have bought, sold and rented homes in Cashiers with Beth. She is hard-working, creative, level-headed and extremely knowledgeable about comps and availability. As a longtime Cashiers resident, Beth has deep relationships in the community and often has the inside scoop. She and her team are total professionals, and we can recommend Beth without reservation.”
We have purchased and sold homes with Beth Townsend. Her local knowledge and expertise were extremely helpful. She is thorough, detail oriented, very creative and flexible. Above all else she is a wonderful person who I would highly recommend to any of my friends.”
— JENNY B.
Continuing to Share the Love...
—VICKIE & RUFUS D.
“Selling a house that you have enjoyed on a compressed timeframe to pursue a new direction and opportunity is a challenge. Beth Townsend quickly and professionally presented our home to the market to meet our unique needs. Her deep knowledge of the marketplace and the intricacies of the sale process was invaluable to achieving a favorable offer and closing within the timeframe we sought. A job well done by someone with great professional and personal touch.”
—JOYCE T.
“Having worked for 25 years as a top producing Realtor for one of the two most prestigious real estate firms in Houston, I always found it rewarding to receive appreciation and thanks from my clients both buyers and sellers. Being on the other end of the transaction as a buyer myself in North Carolina was a novel experience. Beth Townsend knows the market inside out, she listens, she wants to help you find or sell your home in the most efficient way possible. In my case, she found the house of my dreams which checked every box on my wish list except for one thing; it had no flowing water on the property. Within two weeks of signing the contract with the seller for the house, she investigated the contiguous property which had a branch flowing through it, contacted the owners and persuaded them to sell. I closed both transactions back-to-back. I have my “forever” house with all that I dreamt of. To say that Beth was proactive is an understatement; she is determined, capable, and she cares about her clients. This is one excellent Realtor describing from personal experience another excellent Realtor.”
—GARY D.
“Beth was wonderful to work with as a buyer’s agent. I initially engaged her to help me evaluate a property that was off-market. She did a thorough job and provided the info I needed to determine the asking price was too high. Then she found me a much better property at a reasonable price. Beth was always responsive and in command of the process all the way to, and beyond, closing. I would definitely work with Beth again and value her expertise and judgement.”
—CAROLYN & KEVIN K.
“We met Beth in 2019 when she helped us find and purchase a special cottage at Wade Hampton Golf Club. Beth spent time getting to know us, sharing the history of the area, great hikes and favorite eateries. We grew to love the area too and realized we needed a slightly larger home. We reached out again to Beth who soon found a perfect next home for our family. Beth then listed and put under contract our old cottage within 48 hours. Beth was more than helpful with both negotiating and working through the purchases and closings we’ve had over the past several years. She has since helped multiple friends find homes in the western North Carolina Mountains, too. You have the very best there is when you are working with Beth Townsend!”
—KELLY D.
“When the decision was made to buy a home in the Cashiers area, we went online to begin our real estate search, and as luck would have it, our first call was to Beth Townsend. Immediately, she began lining up homes for us to see based on our wants and needs, and those of our 3 dogs. Thanks to her hard work and guidance, within a few weeks we had signed a contract on our beautiful new mountain home. Beth goes beyond just being a realtor. We have found her to be a loved and respected member of the community. With her extensive knowledge and active involvement in the area, we had no doubt that she was working in our best interests to not just sell us a house, but to welcome us to her beloved hometown. We will be forever grateful that we made the call to her that day, because through Beth we found more than just a beautiful home, we found a friend as well.”
—TOM B.
“It is with great pleasure (after a wonderful sale result) that I write to applaud the work of the entire McKee Properties team and acknowledge, in particular, Beth Townsend as a very talented, knowledgeable and hard-working (as in never stops) Broker. Her ability to act, react and constantly address the particular situation is outstanding and truly unique in the field.
Our home in High Hampton had been listed unsuccessfully and at the end of that agency agreement we engaged Beth and the McKee firm. Within 10 days of our signing, we had a beautiful brochure that was bright and attractive with a well composed message and was well circulated. It received nice compliments from even the non-buyers.
The greatest difference in the use of McKee was the interaction with the area’s brokerage community. Due to Beth’s extensive experience and visibility in the brokerage community, she was able to have numerous showings and interaction through other agencies.
Beth was willing to use creative marketing methods and was in command of good ideas. This was the key to our quick sales agreement signing and sale that was closed in less than three months from agency start to finish.
The result was fine and we are very pleased; but, most of all, we loved the feeling of being in good hands throughout.”
—CATHY L. & PETE R.
“We have had two real estate transactions with Beth Townsend to date, with another (hopefully!) in the near future. On a buying side, Beth was quick to understand our unique needs and desires, and because of her expansive market knowledge, hone in and accurately lead us to agreeable selections. Our time is always valued. From a selling side, Beth is creative and as hard-working a real estate professional as either of us has ever known. We are certain that Beth will expose our property to every single prospective buyer. Both of us are licensed, career-long real estate sales professionals, so we know a talent when we see it. Beth Townsend’s reputation first lead us to her, but her performance and success in meeting our needs has earned her our loyalty — now and as long as we live in western North Carolina.”
—JOHN D.
“It was an emotional time for the whole family, since we were selling the mountain house we had enjoyed together for nearly 30 years. Even though we all agreed the time had come, the decision was not easily made.
All of the agents we interviewed were top-notch, but Beth distinguished herself through both her knowledge of the market and through her ability to “connect” with us and adjust her approach to our situation. Beth and her assistant Clay worked hard behind the scenes, but could not have been more available and attentive to our needs.
A full-price offer, after only a few weeks on the market, helped affirm we had made the right decision. Not only did Beth help sell our house, she helped us reach closure and transition to the next chapter in our lives with grace. Thank you Beth. We are grateful for your service.”
—KATHY & STEVE K.
“From the very start, Beth explained the process and provided realistic expectations through thoughtful and detailed pricing analysis. Her experience and knowledge made the process of selling our home much easier. And her calm demeanor helped us through closing.
Unlike most real estate companies that put the house in the MLS and shove the key in a lockbox, McKee is structured to provide real concierge service. With Beth as our agent, she provided the overall experience and guidance. But Beth has a team of dedicated assistants that add the concierge touch. Her licensed assistant, Clay Cantler, was assigned to our house sale. Clay demonstrated strong business and project management skills throughout the process. He coordinated multiple contractor activities to achieve a successful close while demonstrating a professional demeanor throughout. And either Clay or Beth were present for every client showing, inspection, and contractor visit. It was a pleasure to work with Beth and Clay!”
—BRAD C.
"Based on a friend’s recommendation, we contacted Beth during our search for vacation home on Lake Glenville. For the most part, our first transaction with Beth was conducted remotely. We felt comfortable having someone with Beth’s experience and expertise driving the process. Her local knowledge, communication skills and professionalism are second to none. Over the years we have continued to buy and sell exclusively with Beth. We highly recommend her to our friends and associates."
NEARLY HALF A CENTURY WORKING FOR YOU
Whether you are interested in purchasing or selling a home, land, or a commercial property, The McKee Group brokered by Cashiers Sotheby's International Realty is here to help. Let us put almost five decades of real estate expertise in the Cashiers-Highlands area to work for you!
Get in Touch
Get in Touch
Beth Townsend, Co-Founder / Broker
c. 828.421.6193
o. 828.743.4601
Located in the Historic Minnie Cole House:
619 US Highway 107 South
Cashiers, NC 28717
The Cashiers-Highlands plateau offers a lifestyle for everyone.
From lakeside living to large tracts of land to private communities with the finest amenities,
our plateau home is waiting to be yours, too. Call or visit us today!
