House + Sanctuary Luxury Rental Properties

In 2011 Sarah Umstead traveled from California to Tennessee. It didn’t take long for the young entrepreneur to develop a keen interest in real estate and historic properties. Sarah decided to use her decorative skills to style and renovate landmark properties. Along with her builder husband Mike, this duo formed House + Sanctuary luxury rentals. Today they oversee some of Middle Tennessee’s most desirable properties.

Sarah became enthralled with the area’s tranquility after visiting Leiper’s Fork, the scenic and quaint village a few miles southeast of Franklin.

“It’s Americana with the city promise, a place where the road rides so subtle you’d think it rolled in with the breeze,” Sarah writes on her company website.

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Sarah slowly began building a base of rental property homes in 2011, eventually managing six properties. “We started promoting a few properties on VRBO. Back then, VRBO only listed a few Franklin area properties,” said Sarah. “I was definitely one of the first to style our properties to make them more appealing to luxury renters.”

After some adjustments in her personal life, Sarah took a break from the vacation rental business. However, her love of real estate and renovating older properties eventually resurfaced.

It all began by renovating a single property. From there, Sarah is now managing nine distinctive vacation rental properties, all within what some have coined as “Nashville’s Big Back Yard.”

It Began With Some Milk and Honey

Along with her husband, Sarah undertook their first property, Milk + Honey, in 2018. The renovation took two years with the intent to flip the property in the tiny community of Lynnville (pop. 409). The two-story, four-bedroom farmhouse offers beautiful wood floors and modern amenities with a touch of rustic charm in the interior decor.

They decided to keep the property when the renovations were completed. She and Mike, who she describes as “my creative, super talented, perfectionist, contractor hubby,” focused on styling their dream cottage.

“Homes we manage need to have character. All of our properties have the aesthetics necessary to attract a certain type of clientele,” explained Sarah. “I want our guests to be inspired by the decor and charm. After all, anyone can rent a place to sleep. The  to offer a place to create memories.”  

In addition to her own, today, Sarah manages 12 properties, all of which came about through word-of-mouth. One luxury rental property is owned by Holly Williams, the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr.

House + Sanctuary Luxury Rental Properties

The largest property under the House + Sanctuary luxury rentals is the 6,000 sq. ft. home in Leiper’s Fork known as The Big Blue House. This gorgeous property sits on five acres and offers stunning views of the rural Middle Tennessee landscape. It sleeps up to 15 guests, and the outdoor fire pit provides guests a place to warm themselves on chilly fall and spring evenings.

Properties in or near Leiper’s Fork include Sweeney Cottage, located in the heart of the village. Also included are Storybook Cottage, Hargrove House, Wildflower Farm, and Millville (formerly owned by Justin Timberlake).

Just South of Leiper’s Fork sits the small town of Columbia, Tennessee. Sarah manages two unique properties there. One is Two Lanes Guesthouse, outfitted from the personal antique collection of Mike Wolfe, from American Picker fame.

Without question, Sarah’s boutique management style is impacting Middle Tennessee’s upscale, short-term rental market. “It’s fun to do something that you absolutely love,” Sarah noted with excitement. “I hope our guests enjoy the personal touches we provide. I feel like it shows because of all the repeat business.”

You can contact Sarah Umstead through the website or at (805) 698-7014 or sarah@houseandsanctuary.com.