ASHEVILLE – From the view of a 17 North Market St. condominium, Asheville is aglow. Walking out the east side of the building onto the old, cobbled road, downtown is easily accessible on foot, with cafes, restaurants and breweries just a short walk from the location.
The condos seem ideal for anyone wanting to live in Asheville — or anyone wanting to stay a night in the area.
Perhaps, then, it is of little surprise that the building’s nine Airbnb listings detail “impressive,” “fabulous,” “absolutely amazing” or “unbelievable” short-term rentals at the location.
None of the nine rental listings in the building have valid permits registered through the city of Asheville, and yet the condos have continually been used as short-term vacation rentals. All nine currently have active listings up on Airbnb and Vrbo.
For Ken and Joan Pierce, currently the only full-time residents at 17 North Market St., living among Airbnb guests has been their reality for over two years.
“This is where we live. This is where we made our home. We love Asheville; it’s a great city,” Ken Pierce told the Citizen Times. “But we kind of feel trapped in a nest of STRs.”