Real Estate & Elegant Maine Living - The Way Life Should Be

Send us Fan Mail Can a centuries-old game help keep your mind sharp while also bringing people together? In Part 2 of my conversation with Melanie Charest , founder of Mainely Mahjong , we explore why American Mahjong is about much more than mastering the tiles. We discuss the growing body of research surrounding Mahjong and cognitive health, the importance of lifelong learning, and why gathering...

Send us Fan Mail Why is American Mahjong suddenly everywhere in Maine? In this episode of Elegant Maine Living , I sit down with Melanie Charest , founder of Mainely Mahjong , to explore why American Mahjong has become one of the fastest-growing social activities in Maine. What begins as a conversation about colorful tiles quickly becomes a discussion about something much bigger: building communit...

Send us Fan Mail When I started the Elegant Maine Living podcast just over a year ago, I thought I was creating a platform to share conversations about Maine, real estate, entrepreneurship, and community. What I didn't anticipate was how much these conversations would teach me. In this special anniversary episode, I reflect on what I've learned from a year of sitting down with entreprene...

Send us Fan Mail What are today's buyers looking for, and how can homeowners position their properties to maximize value in an evolving real estate market? In Part 2 of my Spring 2026 Maine Real Estate Market Update, I explore how changing buyer preferences are shaping the Maine housing market and share practical strategies for both buyers and sellers navigating today's opportunities. In...

Send us Fan Mail Is the housing market slowing, evolving, or heading toward a downturn? In Part 1 of my May 2026 Maine Real Estate Market Update, I explore what is happening nationally, why Maine continues to behave differently than many markets around the country, and why thoughtful buyers are still entering the market despite mortgage rates in the mid-6% range. We discuss: • Why today's mar...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when two middle school girls leave behind their friends, sports teams, school routines, and familiar lives in Maine to spend nearly a year living in Africa and Europe? In this second half of Elise Kiely’s conversation with the Cook Mueller family, Jasmine and Sydney Mueller share their family sabbatical experience from their perspective. When their parents first annou...

Send us Fan Mail What would it look like to step away from everyday life for nearly a year and experience the world together as a family? In this first half of Elise Kiely’s conversation with Shana Cook Mueller, Shana shares how she and her husband, Fortunat Mueller of ReVision Energy, made the bold decision to pause work, leave Maine, and take their two daughters on a year-long family sabbatical...

Send us Fan Mail In the second half of my conversation with Molly Platz, we move from the decision to return to Maine… to what it actually looks like to build a new life here as an adult. After years living in Austin, Texas, Molly and her partner Nick made the intentional decision to return to Maine and create a life that balanced community, independence, family, and lifestyle . Together, we discu...

Send us Fan Mail Molly Platz’s story is one that will resonate with so many young adults who grow up in Maine, leave to explore the world, build careers and relationships elsewhere—and then eventually begin asking themselves an important question: What would it look like to come back to Maine and build a life here as an adult, on my own terms? In this first half of my conversation with Molly, we t...

Send us Fan Mail In the second half of her conversation with Dr. Mike Baumann, Chair of Emergency Medicine at Maine Medical Center, Elise Kiely dives into what it truly means to lead and practice emergency medicine in Maine. Dr. Baumann shares how Life Flight of Maine operates in one of the most rural states in the country, what a typical day looks like for an ER physician, and how a recent health...

Send us Fan Mail In this first half of a two-part conversation, Elise Kiely sits down with Dr. Mike Bauman, Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Maine Medical Center and Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. With warmth, clarity, and candor, Dr. Bauman offers a behind-the-scenes look at the structure and role of Maine’s flagship teaching hospital — from the residency match...

Send us Fan Mail In this April 2026 market update, Elise Kiely shares a clear and grounded perspective on what is happening in Maine real estate today —and how buyers and sellers can respond strategically. The data points to a market that is stabilizing, not declining. While national headlines highlight uncertainty, Maine continues to move at its own pace, with moderate appreciation, limited inven...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to build a business—and sustain it through changing markets, uncertainty, and growth? In this second half of my conversation with Elizabeth Carper of The Styled Home, we go beyond staging and into her remarkable entrepreneurial journey. From starting a small home-based business to navigating the financial crisis, COVID, and today’s evolving real estate mar...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever walked into a home and immediately felt something—like you could see your life unfolding there? In this episode of Elegant Maine Living , I sit down with Elizabeth Carper, founder of The Styled Home, one of Maine’s leading home staging companies. Elizabeth shares how staging has evolved in Maine, why it plays such a critical role in today’s photo-driven real estate m...

Send us Fan Mail A historic wealth shift is already underway—what it means for women, Maine, and the future of real estate. What does the great wealth transfer look like in real life—and how is it already impacting Maine? In this second half of my conversation with Amelia Dow, CEO and co-founder of Portland Trust Company, we explore the historic shift of wealth between generations and why women ar...

Send us Fan Mail In thie first half of my conversation with Amelia Dow, we explore the human side of wealth—how it’s built, how it’s managed, and how it’s thoughtfully passed from one generation to the next. If you’ve been hearing about the Great Wealth Transfer and wondering what it actually means for your family, your children, or your future in Maine, this episode offers both clarity and perspe...

Send us Fan Mail Moving to Maine Later in Life: Finding Community, Lifestyle, and Real Estate in Scarborough Episode Summary What does it look like to move to Maine later in life and intentionally choose a community that supports both connection and lifestyle? In this second half of Elise’s conversation with Karen Nelson, we explore how Karen and her partner Richard made the thoughtful decision to...

Send us Fan Mail What does it look like to begin a completely new chapter of life—and even find a new home—in Maine later in life? In this episode of Elegant Maine Living , host Elise Kiely sits down with Karen Nelson, a former healthcare executive who spent decades working in Boston’s leading academic medical systems, including Dana Farber and Mass General Brigham systems, before choosing to desi...

Send us Fan Mail In the second half of my conversation with Nanci Boutet, founder and executive director of Special Surfers, we explore how a simple act of generosity grew into one of Maine’s most meaningful community outreach programs. What began in 2003 as a request to take a few children with special needs surfing has become a nationally recognized adaptive surfing nonprofit serving thousands o...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to go hard — in Maine, in cold water, and in life? In this first half of my conversation with Maine surfer and entrepreneur Nanci Boutet , we explore how one woman helped reshape surf culture along the Maine coast and created space for women in a traditionally male-dominated sport. Long before founding Special Surfers, Nanci was an adult beginner who fell in love...

Send us Fan Mail In the first half of this special two-part conversation, I sit down with my friend and client Jane Wellehan , a member of one of Maine’s most storied families, long associated with Lamey Wellehan and Sebago Shoes. This episode begins with the story of a classic Maine family business —one built through hard work, risk-taking, and a deep respect for customers, employees, and communi...

Send us Fan Mail In the second half of my conversation with Jane Wellehan, we turn to a chapter many families will eventually face: selling a parent’s home and a beloved family vacation property while honoring memories, relationships, and legacy . Jane shares her experience of selling her father’s waterfront home in Yarmouth and later, the Pine Point beach house that had been in her family since t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Elegant Maine Living , I’m joined once again by Chris Lynch , Owner and Designated Broker of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty , for a wide-ranging and thoughtful update on Maine’s real estate market. Together, we take a clear-eyed look at what’s happening nationally and locally—and, more importantly, what it actually means for people making real...

Send us Fan Mail In the second half of this conversation on Elegant Maine Living , Elise Kiely continues her discussion with Sandra Stone —former chair of Maine Angels , founder of C Cove Solutions, and a long-time advocate for entrepreneurship and women in investing. This episode offers a clear, accessible look at how angel investing fits into the life cycle of a company—after friends-and-family...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Elegant Maine Living , Elise Kiely sits down with Sandra Stone —former chair of Maine Angels , founder of C Cove Solutions, and one of the most influential voices in Maine’s entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem. In the first half of this thoughtful and inspiring conversation, Sandra shares her personal journey to Maine, how an unexpected first investment spa...