A Home Full of Memories

Rob and Katie Allyn are nestled just outside of Asheville, NC, in a beautiful neighborhood where smiles and dogs are abundant. Katie is a nurse who works with physical therapy patients and Rob is a mobile business man and former professor. The couple loves to entertain, and Rob is the president of their neighborhood homeowner’s association. The couple often host get togethers for their neighbors to spend quality time together.

The Allyns have enjoyed great food, craft beer and traveling together for 38 years. Now, they enjoy their life in Asheville, experiencing the culture of their beloved mountain town full of artisans, restaurants and breweries.

Searching for The Perfect Mountain Retreat

After spending 30 years in Rhode Island, the Allyns decided they wanted to move somewhere peaceful where they could enjoy a fun city culture and still be surrounded by nature and family.

“My wife wanted warmer temperatures and my younger brother, and his wife were going to settle down here somewhere. So, we grabbed an apartment for 6 months and started looking for land,” said Rob.

The Allyns began the exciting search for their ideal land. They knew they wanted a mountain view, a neighborhood they could take walks in with their dog, and a driveway that wasn’t steep. They dreamed of a life where they could settle into their new town and still experience all the things they loved to do together.

Finding a location that met all their desires proved to be more difficult than they thought, until one day when they were driving and saw a sign for a beautiful neighborhood.

A Home with All the Options

They walked into a model home for the neighborhood and met their agent, Steven, who worked for the developer of the community. They looked at different floor plans and layouts and began planning out their dream home.

“It had a lot of options. We could expand the plans for more space, pick out the flooring and a fireplace. The whole process was flexible,” said Rob.

What the Allyns didn’t expect was all the flexibility that prefab homes had to offer. They chose several upgrades and even rearranged their floor plan to optimize how they wanted to use the space.

“We were familiar with modular homes but didn’t know that they had this level of amenities like the crown molding and high ceilings,” said Rob.

Rob and Katie were able to customize their backsplash in the kitchen and even the placement of their fireplace. They also got the chance to work with their agent to make the driveway level despite living on a hill.

Katie was given the opportunity to visit Clayton’s Bean Station home building facility to watch her dream home as it was built. She enjoyed getting to see all the nuts and bolts that went into creating their home.

“It’s been a great experience,” said Katie. “I’ve gotten to watch all the houses go in. None of them look the same, but they are all so beautiful. I loved watching the process.”

Their current home isn’t the first home they have built, but it is their first prefab home. Both Katie and Rob were impressed with the time and quality that was put into building their home.

“You get quality products with a modular home when you choose the right manufacturer, and Clayton has a great reputation,” said Rob. “When you look at some of the advantages such as shrinking the timeline, you’re getting the house you want faster.”

A Place Full of Memories and More to Come

As you walk around the house, you will quickly notice photos of family trips and travel expeditions that Rob and Katie have enjoyed together. The couple loves experiencing life and sharing it with others.

“We don’t try to make our house a show piece, but we want everybody to feel comfortable when they are here,” said Rob. “We have a lot of pictures on the wall because we have a lot of family memories.”

From national park circuits out west to trips to Italy and Mexico – The Allyns live for adventure. They enjoy hiking trails in the Appalachian Mountains and are always sure to take photos so they can continue displaying memories on their walls.

The house even reminds Rob of his childhood home on his parent’s farm. Although they live in a community, the area still has the country charm he loved growing up in.

“You have open space down here. I love being able to get out and walk. We like to walk around and be social,” said Rob. “I can walk out on the deck and hear the cows mooing sometimes, and it brings me back to my childhood.”

In addition to displaying photos of their favorite memories, the Allyns also have a garden outside that is the home of one spot very close to their hearts – a garden bench that was built in memory of their daughter.

Although they don’t plan on stopping their adventures any time soon, the Allyns did choose their home to prepare for retirement. Katie’s work as a nurse has shown her what happens as you begin to lose mobility, so they kept that in mind while they planned out their home – ensuring the house was easy to navigate and all one level.

“I think it’s a special community,” said Rob.

The couple plans to continue their Clayton Built® lifestyle for years to come. You can learn more about how Clayton can build your lifetime retreat on our website.