Bear goes swimming at $7M estate for sale in Asheville
July 23, 2024
With the Blue Ridge Mountains for a backyard, this young black bear made himself right at home during a showing last week.
By Sharon Smith
Everyone needs an escape from the summer heat, even when their backyard is the shady, cooler clime of the Blue Ridge Mountains — including the wildlife. So it may come as no surprise that a quick dip in the pool seemed like a good idea to one little bear roaming the Biltmore Forest enclave in Asheville.
Asheville real-estate agent Marilyn Wright witnessed the bear’s playful exploration of the resort-style pool and expansive terrace, noting “this bear has incredible taste in outdoor amenities.”
Wright, a global real estate advisor with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, was showing the $6.9 million dollar English country-style manor to prospective buyers at the time. When she shared the video on social media, comments started pouring in. Friends shared their surprise with messages ranging from “How adorable” to words of caution, “Mama Bear must be close by!”
Wright believes it’s likely the bear was a yearling who had already left his mother. She says there was no mama bear around. As for the potential buyers, Wright says they stayed in their car until the bear wandered away down the driveway.
Perhaps he was attracted to the estate’s lush grounds and quiet surroundings spanning 4.4 acres. Rest assured, the young bear never made it inside the nearly 13,600-square-foot home. What a twist on the children’s classic, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, that would be. With 10 bedrooms, he could have easily found sleeping quarters that felt “just right.”
See inside this Asheville estate:
This Biltmore Forest estate was envisioned by architect Richard Sharp Smith for Burnham S. Colburn and reimagined by Robert Griffin in the early 2000s. The property boasts manicured lawns, seasonal gardens, water features, and panoramic views of the private golf course. There is a lower-level kitchen and grilling area, plus many other amenities, including a greenhouse, stables, and a carriage house. Photos by Ryan Theede.
Real estate photos courtesy of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
