George Real Estate Group Radio Broadcast

Serving in Silence: The Early Morning Hero at First Baptist Church

• George Real Estate Group

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Mike Outlaw arrives at First Baptist Church between 2-3 AM most weekdays. While most of Hendersonville sleeps, he quietly prepares the sanctuary and facilities before anyone else arrives. This dedication exemplifies why he was selected as this week's George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero.

After dedicating 30 years to our local school system—28 of those at Flat Rock Middle School—Mike transitioned to becoming the lead custodian at First Baptist Church following his retirement. What makes his story remarkable isn't just the longevity of his service, but the spirit behind it. "I did it to be around kids," Mike explains, describing his school system work. "I love kids and I've always been working with kids in churches." This passion for serving young people drove his career choices and community involvement.

When Hurricane Helene devastated our community, Mike's positioning at the church became providential. Already retired from the school system, he was able to devote himself fully to First Baptist's relief efforts, helping organize supplies and coordinate distribution to those in need. "We'd get groups together to say what you need and we'll come to you," he recalls of the church's outreach efforts. His ability to navigate crisis with calm efficiency stems from decades of experience: "Working with the school system and the church, I've seen it all, so I'm pretty prepared."

The philosophy guiding Mike's exceptional service comes from his father, a retired minister who taught him, "Son, you need to work as hard as you can because it's for God and He's always watching, and I need to be an example of what a Christian is supposed to be." This principle illuminates why Mike shows up hours before dawn, why he steps up during community crises, and why—after thirty years of public service—he continues to serve with a smile rather than fully retiring.

Want to learn more about our community's unsung heroes? Tune in every Friday morning at 8:45 for the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero series on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, or find the podcasts wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

Speaker 1:

The George Real Estate Group radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450 and streaming online at WHkpcom. Each Friday morning at 845,. The George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show, at 845,. We salute our George Real Estate Group, hometown Hero, george Real Estate Group being the key words. Noah is here with us this morning and is always here. Noah, good morning.

Speaker 2:

Good morning. It's a privilege and honor to sponsor the Hometown Hero Series every Friday morning and you and I get to meet and speak and share stories of incredible men and women serving this community.

Speaker 1:

You know, we've been doing this a long time and it never ceases to amaze me that every week we always find someone in our community that stands out, and today is no exception. We are glad to welcome Natalie and Mike Outlaw, and we'll chat with them in just a second, but first I want to catch up on real estate happenings around our area with you, noah.

Speaker 2:

Well, the market still moves and just to give you a seven-day snapshot in the last seven days in Henderson County there's been 47 new listings. The market is softening a little bit so we're seeing a lot more price reductions. The average single-family home price is staying around that $530 range. We did peak out at one point earlier this year in the 550s but it's come down a little bit. But part of that is again price reductions because it's softening 78 price reductions in the last seven days. There's also been 31 homes go under contract and 32 homes closed. I mean we're averaging about 126 homes a month selling in Henderson County but the market is still strong. Low inventory levels. We're still seeing good activity and again, it's not what it was but it's still moving.

Speaker 1:

Well and you guys I'm sure have a lot of interest in all of your listings that you still have open houses most every weekend and we have open houses during the week as well.

Speaker 2:

And speaking of open houses, we have two open houses at the weekend and we have open houses during the week as well. And speaking of open houses, we have two open houses at the same home this weekend 919 Canuga Road. Beautiful home, totally remodeled and updated. One level living beautiful home, 919 Canuga Road for $395. That's going to be open both Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 2 this weekend. And all of our other listings. You can see that on our Facebook page. You can follow the George Real Estate Group on our Facebook page or Instagram Also. We podcast all of our radio shows. Also, if you just want to go to and look at realestatebygregcom, you can see all of our inventory that we're selling.

Speaker 1:

All right, man, that's great here. Welcome to summer, longest day of the year. Oh, that's right yeah. Summer solstice yeah, we're here and we're expecting temperatures to hit close to 90 this weekend. So swimming pools I bet houses with swimming pools would sell good right now.

Speaker 2:

They do for sure. But again, we're grateful to be here every Friday morning sponsoring the Hometown Heroes series. And, of course, if we can help you with any of your real estate needs, give us a call 828-393-0134.

Speaker 1:

Noah welcome with me, mike Outlaw. Mike is in the studio with us this morning and his lovely wife, natalie, is here, but Natalie has taken a vow of silence. Is that right, mike? You're doing all the talking this morning. Mike Outlaw, how are you doing?

Speaker 3:

Great, great. It's an honor to be nominated for this and win this award. Love my community.

Speaker 1:

Well, mike, you come highly recommended. Billy Anders of Anders Auto Sales recommended that we get in touch with you and ask you to come by. You are the lead custodian at First Baptist Church here in Hendersonville and Billy, just like so many other people, just wanted to say thank you for all that you do for First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, and I understand that that's a lot your job is. I can imagine you've got a handful.

Speaker 3:

Well, we have a lot going on at church all the time. Uh, I work for the school system for 30 years, doing the same thing at flat rock middle school okay, so I started my career out at edneyville elementary doing a after school program with my mom and uh.

Speaker 3:

I had a good friend named david elmore a lot of people know him as elmo uh. Him and robert juvert contacted me about going to Flat Rock and I went over there and started driving a school bus and worked with Elmo for 28 years at Flat Rock. He's one of my best friends and after I retired two years ago I had worked for First Baptist for almost 15 years and the guy that was the position I'm in now. He decided to retire and they said you want it? I said sure, my dad's a retired minister. I started coming to the area I've lived from West Virginia to Columbia, south Carolina, and I met my wife, natalie here and they got another church and I stayed oh good, I'm glad you did.

Speaker 1:

I'm glad you did.

Speaker 2:

No more hopping around no, no, no so you, did you ever imagine, I mean, 30 years serving our community in the public school system? I mean, that's incredible. I'm sure you have incredible stories from from that time. But just I mean, did you ever see yourself staying with the school system that? I mean, was that something you had envisioned?

Speaker 3:

well, when I started, I did it to be around kids. I love kids and I've always been, uh, working with kids in churches and stuff like that and because my dad was a pastor and and I knew I didn't want to be a pastor like my dad, but I wanted to be involved. So I said, well, school system's the best way for me to do it and I've loved my.

Speaker 2:

I loved it every, every, every year that's amazing and in how many years were you at flat rock middle? 28, a little over 28 years that that's incredible yes uh, and and again, the, the, the our school system here is so amazing how we give back and and pour into the kids lives. And again, that was what was driving your, your passion to be involved in the school system yes, I, I worked with the athletics.

Speaker 3:

I actually went out and uh worked for the rec department, uh, referee and ball games. We used to do youth basketball games on saturdays and it was just uh, the people, how they care for the kids around here is what got me and that guys wanted to be involved with that yeah, it's important well, uh, bill Billy was telling me that sometimes you know when special things are planned at the church on Sundays.

Speaker 1:

It requires that you get into the church, sometimes in the wee hours of Sunday morning, to get ready for a long day of services.

Speaker 3:

Well, during the week I usually go in between two and three in the morning, Really, and I get the church ready. I have a great crew at the First Baptist Church that I work with and I get everything started and I'm a morning person, as you can tell, but I let them finish it at the end of the day, but I usually go in during the week and get things started. I love the quietness of the church and just walking and preparing and then seeing everybody come in.

Speaker 1:

It's a that's a great time. Yeah, yeah, how did uh, how did you uh thrive during the storm? Tell us about uh. I know First Baptist Church and we've had Pastor on with us before. You guys were busy and you played an active role in helping our community during the storm. Tell us about that.

Speaker 3:

Well, that's what was nice being retired from the school system, I was able to go in and be with the church and help give out, you know, to help the community, because everybody was in such need. And Pastor Justin, he just called us all in. He said can you come in? And I said I'll be there, I'll be there. So I tried to be there every day I could, and so Just getting supplies.

Speaker 3:

Supplies ready, you know helping move stuff, receiving stuff, going and taking stuff to people out in the communities. We'd get groups together to say what you need and we'll come to you. So that was really nice to be part of First Baptist to help out and do that.

Speaker 2:

Again the behind-the-scenes, your humility, your servant attitude. I mean just you're serving your community. And again I mean just behind the scenes. I mean who knew you were going in at like 2 in the morning? I mean it's just again all the work that goes behind the scenes, you know, getting the church prepared you know, every day, Yep and me working with the school system and the church.

Speaker 3:

I hate to say this, but I've seen it all, I'm sure. So I'm pretty prepared. I thank God he wanted me to be prepared to do something like this. Plus, I've got to send my daughter to Appalachian State, so I've got to pay for that. So I've got to keep going.

Speaker 1:

Well, let's talk about your family. Let's talk Natalie's here, of course and talk about the family.

Speaker 3:

I met Natalie at my dad's church. My dad was a pastor at Mountain Home Baptist Church out in Indyville. I met her there. Of course they took the church somewhere else. I stayed here. We got married. We've been married for 29 years, had our daughter Rachel. She just graduated East High and is going to Appalachian State. So we're excited about that. But I always kid around. I married the farmer's daughter. My wife's dad was an apple farmer out in Edneyville.

Speaker 1:

Oh boy, yeah, you got recruited. I bet yes.

Speaker 3:

And she's stuck with the farming business. She worked for Ag First and she knows all the farmers so she works out in that area. So I have a really good family and my mom and dad retired to Raleigh, north Carolina. My brother has a business IT business there. So when I go, see my family.

Speaker 1:

I can see everybody at the same time.

Speaker 3:

How did you all fare, personally, during the storm? Did you have damage? Did you have damage? We just had just a little bit, had about two or three trees fall on just the side of our house. Didn't do much damage, so we were blessed. Yeah and uh, I wasn't trapped, I was able to. We didn't have power, of course, like everybody, but I was able to make it to the church I. I wasn't trapped, I could get there. Good, good, that was nice.

Speaker 1:

How many people do you work with Mike there at the church? Quite a large number of people, I would assume.

Speaker 3:

Oh, yes, I think there's my staff. I have eight or nine on my staff and then, with all the staff there, it's between 80 and 100 staff members that come in and out. Wow, wow. We just all work together. It's great communication. We always communicate about things going on. We have staff meetings every week to say here's what we need, here's what we've got to do, Right, right. So we try to communicate really well and Pastor Justin's a really good communicator.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we've had pastor justin on here before and uh, he and you guys everybody there at first baptist did a wonderful job during storm.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean again, thank you so much for what you do, what you have done for community serving in our public school system, serving our church. I mean it's the. You know a lot of people, I think think the the most powerful people in church are the ones up on stage, but it's the, it's, they're, it's the ones behind the scenes that you know. The ones that are are the ones that show up early, stay late. You know the. You know the.

Speaker 2:

Uh, I mean you're turning on the lights, you're plunging the toilets I mean, you I mean you're restocking, I mean again, these are these things that I mean you don't notice it until they're not done right, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 3:

And I learned that from my dad. My dad taught me a great work ethic. He always told me, son, you need to work as hard as you can because it's for God and he's always watching, and I need to be an example of what a Christian is supposed to be and that's why I've always been taught that way. I try to work as hard as try to help out as many people as I can no matter what you do right, I mean what an?

Speaker 2:

example for everyone. It's not about what role you have, but it's your attitude on it. And again to your point doing it to god always keep a smile.

Speaker 3:

My dad said always smile I love it.

Speaker 1:

I love it, mike. Thank you, natalie, thank you for coming in this morning. And, mike, we, mike, we've got a Hometown Heroes certificate for you there and also a certificate for some lunches around town. Thank you, yeah, well, thank you, and that's exactly why we wanted to have you come in today. We appreciate you all taking time out of your day to come visit with us.

Speaker 3:

Thank you very much.

Speaker 1:

We're going to put this on the Facebook machine over there and, uh, we're gonna podcast this and you feel free to share it with all your friends, and oh I appreciate that.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I told quite a few people I was coming on this morning, so good deal good deal.

Speaker 1:

Well, thank you again so much. And, uh, coming up next week. We have a friend, mary jaeger gale of the chimney rock state park. She'll be with us in the studios next week. We have a friend, mary Yeager-Gale of the Chimney Rock State Park. She'll be with us in the studios next week. And another George Real Estate Group hometown hero, noah. In the one and a half minutes we have left here, remind everybody of weekend open houses and things that are happening at George Real Estate Group.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely. And again, just grateful to be here. And again, congratulations, mike Outlaws, our hero this week, uh, the we have two open houses. They're the same home, but both saturday and sunday 12 to 2. This saturday and sunday, 919 canuga road, right here in town, amazing home, completely renovated and updated. I mean it is like new one level living, uh, right there, uh, close enough actually to walk into town if you wanted to. I mean, last night was the rhythm and bruise and I actually could hear the music from my back porch where I live. But I mean it is wonderful, our community, so much to be thankful for in our community. Again, wonderful men and women serving our community, like Mike, and again, we're here. We love serving the community, uh, like mike, and again, just uh, we're here. We love serving the community through real estate. Um, whether it's, you know, whether it's buying, selling or investing or even helping people in their careers in real estate, a lot of uh, real estate happens as you say, happens around life and, uh, you never know when you're going to be you guys.

Speaker 1:

You were able to help these guys in a home just 16 years ago.

Speaker 2:

It's amazing and this is my 20th year of my broker's license. I'm very grateful for the people I've helped throughout the years.

Speaker 1:

I love it. That's a great story. Well, join us each Friday morning at 845 as we salute our George Real Estate Group hometown hero. Be sure to check out all of the podcasts. They're available wherever you get your podcast and you can listen to this and other Hometown Hero on WHKP.

Speaker 2:

Thinking about estate planning for your real estate. Without a smart approach, the property you leave behind could become an unwelcome burden for your kids. Many children simply don't want to co-manage an inherited house or deal with the tenants. Fortunately, you can prevent that with the right plan. The George Real Estate Group specializes in tax-efficient strategies like 1031 exchanges and Delaware Statutory Trust to simplify inheritance and income planning. A 1031 exchange can defer your capital gain taxes now and help your kids avoid a big tax bill later. And a DST lets you continue earning rental income without landlord headache. Plus, it can be split among your children, making inheritance easier. Planning ahead is one of the kindest gifts you can give your family. Let us help you secure your legacy. Call the George Real Estate Group at 828-393-0134 today. You've worked hard to build your legacy. Now let us help you protect it for your loved ones.

Speaker 1:

The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, north Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygregcom. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-393-0134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, flat Rock, north Carolina. Tune in live each week on Thursdays at 10.05 am, 10 0, 5 am on WHKP 107.7 FM and 1450 am, or stream online at WHKPcom or download these podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. The George real estate group brings you the WHKP hometown hero series every Friday morning at 8 45.