Karl Small

Although born and raised in Europe, Karl spent many of his summers boating along the coast of Maine, and most of his academic and professional years in the New England area. He holds a B.S. in Finance & Economics from Merrimack College, as well as an MBA from Harvard School of Business, has held several executive management positions in a wide range of industries, both in the U.S. and abroad, and has owned and operated his own businesses. Outside of the U.S., Karl has lived in France, Italy, Spain and Argentina.
His interest in real estate developed in 1991 when, as a hobby, he began buying and restoring distressed properties in Maine after the recession of that period. Since then, Karl has purchased properties from Maine to Florida, and has specialized in the restoration, transformation and/or construction of historic homes and equestrian properties. His work has been featured in newspapers and magazines.
In all his travels, Karl enjoys calling Tryon, North Carolina home, having settled here to take advantage of the many things the region offers, including climate, equestrian activities, art and nature, and the melting pot of people.
Karl is a licensed real estate Broker in both North and South Carolina. He offers a unique mix of professional skills to both buyers and sellers of real estate. With a strong business background rooted in relationship building, problem solving and creative solutions, as well as a sound working knowledge of residential real estate development, from construction to landscaping, he is committed to offering his clients the best of the business. Karl takes great pride in investing the time and effort necessary to understand and meet client goals rather than focusing simply on the transaction. He enjoys working with people and his multi-cultured background shines through in his ability to mesh with all types of buyers and sellers.
When not working with real estate clients, Karl enjoys spending time at his horse farm in Tryon with his P.R.E. and Lusitano stallions, as well as his English labs, Harry and Pippa. Known for “always helping others” he regularly volunteers time and energy to a variety of causes, from food banks to pro bono business consulting. He is a regular donor to local non-profit organizations, recently gifted “Art of the Horse” statues to the Tryon Equine Hospital and the Tryon International Equestrian Center, and founded a private education foundation to support post-secondary education for underprivileged high school students.