Irene Sawyer
Broker
- Direct(614) 928-6544
- Mobile(614) 928-6544
About Me
I am a seasoned marketing professional who thrives on a passion for the service. My strengths include listening, problem solving, customer relationships, and marketing, My objective is to build a second successful real estate career in the state of North Carolina.
As a broker with Allen Tate Realtors, I won't recommend any property that I don't believe is a solid investment and a good fit for you.
I'll put 20 years of marketing experience to work, promoting your home for sale. Having Purchased 10 houses myself, I understand the joy, time, and frustration it takes to find, purchase, or sell a home.
As a Real Estate Broker, I believe it is my duty to become involved in the communities I serve. I am a nine-year breast cancer survivor. One of the things that helped me through this journey was the support I received from my community. When I moved to the High Country, I noticed that many businesses and members of the public supported breast cancer re-search during October—Breast Cancer Awareness month. My dream was to bring all of the businesses involved in support-ing the breast cancer awareness activities together under one “umbrella”.
My dream came true in 2017 with the creation of the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation. The Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization. Every penny that we raise stays in the High Country to help local breast cancer patients.
Every October, the Foundation sponsors a 5K Fun Run/Walk to raise additional donations. After three years, we are proud to say that we have raised in excess of $100,000 for local patients.
With my passion for my community and to helping my clients, I promise you that I will work tirelessly with you to find that perfect home (or sell a perfect home) in the High Country of North Carolina.
Distinctions
- Chairman's Circle
- Red Penguin Quality Certification
- 2nd Quarter VIP
Designations
- Broker/Realtor®
My Homeownership Partners
- Ashley Smith, Allen Tate Insurance
- Jennifer Glow, Allen Tate Mortgage

Get In Touch
What People Are Saying
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Merideth Helgeson
Irene was excellent to work with. She was very responsive and we couldn't be happier!
Trina M
Irene and the others at Allen Tate have been a pleasure to work with. Our property is a unique one and Irene wanted to make sure that everything was listed on the best sites possible. Any questions we had she answered quickly. We love working with her and highly recommend her to anyone who is looking to buy or sell a property.
07/22/2019 - derekjshookSold a Single Family home in 2019 in Banner Elk, NC.Irene is wonderful! My wife and I had the privilege of both purchasing and selling a home through Irene. While selling, we were unable to remain in the state during the final stages. Irene took care of everything and went above and beyond to ensure that the process went smoothly. During the purchasing process, the sellers were less than cooperative and Irene negotiated masterfully and respectfully to help us get a fair deal. Not only is she an expert realtor, she is a phenomenal person. Her work with the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation is admirable and her contacts in the area are extensive. Highly recommend!!
Irene was a joy to work with...we looked for the right home for 5 months! The entire time Irene was patient, kind and professional while finding us a home that we love!!! She negotiated our contract and guided us through the contract period to closing seamlessly. I am so happy that Irene helped us fulfill a 30 year dream of moving from the coast to our new mountain home! Thank you Irene!!!
We were extremely satisfied with Irene. She had been referred to us with high regard. She is very attentive, knowledgeable and very pleasent to work with. Her ability to get our condo sold exceeded expectations. I can not praise her enough.
We were extremely satisfied with Irene. She had been referred to us with high regard. She is very attentive, knowledgeable and very pleasent to work with. Her ability to get our condo sold exceeded expectations. I can not praise her enough.
Anytime you endeavor to make a change in your life of any consequence it's stressful. For us it was new job, moving to a new state and finding a new home. Fortunately for us we had someone in our corner who was TOTALLY our champion in finding us a new home. She worked tirelessly for us and always did so with charm and a knowledge of what we were looking for. She was so respectful of our wishes and wants. She found us the home of our dreams and more...it was in our price range. Irene made us feel like we were the only client she had and we are forever grateful to this wonderful agent who treated us so well and brought us to our forever after home. Thank you Irene!
Anytime you endeavor to make a change in your life of any consequence it's stressful. For us it was new job, moving to a new state and finding a new home. Fortunately for us we had someone in our corner who was TOTALLY our champion in finding us a new home. She worked tirelessly for us and always did so with charm and a knowledge of what we were looking for. She was so respectful of our wishes and wants. She found us the home of our dreams and more...it was in our price range. Irene made us feel like we were the only client she had and we are forever grateful to this wonderful agent who treated us so well and brought us to our forever after home. Thank you Irene!
Anytime you endeavor to make a change in your life of any consequence it's stressful. For us it was new job, moving to a new state and finding a new home. Fortunately for us we had someone in our corner who was TOTALLY our champion in finding us a new home. She worked tirelessly for us and always did so with charm and a knowledge of what we were looking for. She was so respectful of our wishes and wants. She found us the home of our dreams and more...it was in our price range. Irene made us feel like we were the only client she had and we are forever grateful to this wonderful agent who treated us so well and brought us to our forever after home. Thank you Irene!
Anytime you endeavor to make a change in your life of any consequence it's stressful. For us it was new job, moving to a new state and finding a new home. Fortunately for us we had someone in our corner who was TOTALLY our champion in finding us a new home. She worked tirelessly for us and always did so with charm and a knowledge of what we were looking for. She was so respectful of our wishes and wants. She found us the home of our dreams and more...it was in our price range. Irene made us feel like we were the only client she had and we are forever grateful to this wonderful agent who treated us so well and brought us to our forever after home. Thank you Irene!
I've had realtors try to sell me something more than I wanted. On a limited budget, this was not a fight I wanted to fight. I was delighted to discover that Irene really listened to my prequal info as well as what I wanted out of a living space. She listened to things she didn't have to listen to. She went to bat for me when things were questioned. She was kind to my dog even! Irene is the best experience I've ever had in a realtor! I would recommend her to anyone.
Irene Sawyer is a superlative real estate broker with the utmost integrity and professionalism. She has a cheerful and positive attitude along with an extensive knowledge of the local real estate market. As President and Founder of the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. she is a pillar of the community. She is highly organized and proficient at ensuring the process of buying a home is handled properly. It was a complete pleasure working with her.
Irene served as our agent to help us find a home in the area where we planned to retire. She helped with an in-depth research process up front to define the features and location that would match our desires. She was patient and responsive to questions and concerns. We were impressed with her generosity of time, her imaginative ideas (thinking outside the box) as well as her tireless determination as we looked at properties and narrowed down choices. She knows the North Carolina High Country inside out and has a nimble all-wheel-drive vehicle to climb up any road to any altitude you desire. Irene helped us find find trusty, dependable contractors and suppliers after our purchase.
Patricia Joyce
Irene was wonderful to work with. She is easy to get along with and has great integrity. My husband and I especially appreciated the honest feedback she gave us when we had concerns. Irene made a real effort to get to understand our likes and dislikes and was incredibly patient when we at times were demanding of her time. Irene helped us find the perfect house and if we ever decided to move again, no doubt we would use Irene.
My family and I have always loved the high country and were ready to make our first investment there. Irene was extremely knowledgably, patient, responsive and made the home buying experience fun. More then that she now feels part of the family
Irene did a super super job showing my wife and I homes and condos in our area of choice (even in the snow). She may herself always available to answer our questions and was very knowledable of the surrounding area. Would highly recommend Irene to any one.
We worked with Irene in our search for a log home in the High Country area. She is very personable and friendly and we felt comfortable with her immediately. We know for a fact that she is extremely honest and ethical, and she will not try to sell you a house that isn’t right for you. If there is a problem with a home you are interested in, she will be up front and tell you about it. She had infinite patience with us and we never felt pressured or rushed; she encouraged us to take our time. We consider her a friend now, and we would definitely work with her again without hesitation.
My experience purchasing my condo in Blowing Rock could have been a disaster without the diligence and dedication of Irene. She kept on top of all the mortgage, inspection, repair issues that arose during the process. She went out of her way to make sure that all Ts were crossed and Xs were signed. Mine was a long distance purchase that she made very smooth and painless. I will ALWAYS recommend her to anyone who is buying or selling in the high country. That area is blessed to have her as a representative.
Irene, is a reliable, hard worker. IMO she goes above and beyond what most realtors do to provide good service and watch for the many pitfalls that a buyer or seller may face. When I was buying a cabin in Boone she was my presence while the inspection and subsequent construction work was completed, as I was in Florida preparing for the move. Irene has over 25 years of experience as a realtor and this was a big plus when dealing with the complexities in the process of buying and selling a home. She is relaxed, friendly and enjoys her job. This is evident with the passion and exuberance she brings to her work
We were moving across the country and looking to purchase our first home. We were assigned Irene as our realtor and couldn't have been happier. From day one Irene put our best interests first and was eager to find our family the perfect house. Irene was prompt in returning our calls and questions, knowledgeable and was our best advocate, especially since we were having to buy a home sight unseen. We would highly recommend Irene and will definitely use her as our agent in the future.
Mary Virginia Gin Monroe
From our first meeting, I liked Irene. She was easy to talk, had a sense of humor and enjoyed her job. Irene was very conscientious concerning any updates or issues we needed to address. She was willing to listen to our suggestions/concerns and value them as we were with her suggestions. She offered good advice along the way and over time we became good friends. Her characteristics that set her apart from others: Professional, honest, friendly, authentic, community leader, and many more. I could not have asked for a better, more caring person to represent me. She went over and beyond my expectations. I have recommended her to others. I look forward to keeping in touch with Irene and wish her the best.
Donna Cowden
Irene was honest with us in her assessment of our property and what to expect from the market. We couldn't have been more pleased with her guidance and help through what was an emotional and difficult process. Would work with her again in a second.
Cathy Goetz
I have been working with Irene on finding a home for over 3 years. She has been a delight to work with--- very professional, always responding to communication in a timely manner, always on time, and helpful. We are grateful for all her assistance and would highly recommend her!
Matt Carpenter
We have worked extensively with Irene, having closed on the purchase of our new home in Banner Elk where we moved from Charlotte, and then on two single family student rental properties. We have worked with many agents over the years as our business is in rental properties and said simply, Irene is awesome! Super dedicated responsive service, knows the area intimately, very knowledgeable about all aspects of real estate, sourced great opportunities, strong negotiator, and sound advice. Everything you want in a great agent. She is also a great person who is a joy to work with and be around. Seriously one of the most positive people we have ever met. You can't hang out with Irene for more than 5 minutes and not have a better day and a smile on your face. Highly recommend!
Brittany Kerns
Irene was an absolute pleasure to work with! She is extremely knowledgeable, kind, patient and 100% committed to doing what’s best for her clients. She’s our friend. She’s part of our family. We simply adore her!
Scott Schumann
Irene was great. She knows the Blowing Rock market and was very helpful in all aspects of our home buying process.
Scott and Cyndi Schumann
Irene was an absolute joy to work with. Purchasing a second home in Blowing Rock can be a challenge. However, Irene made it easy and efficient as she previewed homes prior to our arrivals on the weekends to ensure our time house hunting was well used. We had a great experience and would highly recommend her as your agent.
David Sheffer
I have absolutely loved working with Irene. She is thoughtful, dependable, and extremely hard working. In fact, she has gone over and above it every instance to make this a great and seamless experience for me. Strongly, strongly recommend.
Lane Rosenthal
It is always a pleasure working with Irene. So nice to have someone who cares, is honest and looks out for you in these important decisions. This is our second time working with Irene and would never use anyone else!
Andrew Goetz
Very responsive to questions and providing guidance. Friendly and patient.
Diane Mathews
I met Irene in 2018 while my husband and I were looking for a vacation cabin. We ended up purchasing that cabin and Irene worked hard to be sure all went well. In 2021 we decided that the cabin would not be big enough for our growing family and we called Irene! We made the decision to sell our cabin and purchase land for a post retirement move to the highcountry! Once again, Irene was there for us. She is honest, hard working, and a very knowledgeable realtor and broker. I highly recommend Irene Sawyer for anyone looking to buy or sell real estate in the highcountry of NC!
Irene was excellent to work with. She was very responsive and we couldn't be happier!