Real Estate & Elegant Maine Living - The Way Life Should Be
Elegant Maine Living explores Maine’s luxury real estate market, distinctive properties, and the lifestyle that makes this state such a special place to call home. Hosted by Elise Kiely, a top-producing real estate advisor and lifestyle connector with Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, the podcast features thoughtful conversations with local leaders, creatives, and visionaries who embody the spirit of elegant living in Maine. Whether you're buying, selling, or simply Maine-curious, each episode offers insight, inspiration, and a deeper connection to the people and places that define Maine.
Episodes
Episode Summary
In this month’s market update, I take you through what I am seeing nationally, regionally, and here in Maine—and what these trends may mean for all of us as we head into 2026. Instead of charts and long economic analysis, I offer a clear, narrative look at the shifts underway: why buyers remain cautious despite relatively stable interest rates, why home prices continue to hold near record highs, and how...
In the second half of my conversation with Nicola Manganello, founder and principal designer of Maine's Nicola’s Home, we move from her early creative evolution into the heart of her current work: sustaining inspiration, building and leading a high-performing team, and navigating the complex process of designing high-end homes that are meant to be lived in, loved, and gathered in.
Nicola shares how she keeps her c...
In the first half of my conversation with Nicola Manganello, founder and principal designer of Nicola’s Home in Yarmouth, Maine, we explore the remarkable path that took her from a small retail shop on Marina Road to one of Maine’s most respected full-service design-build firms.
Nicola reflects on her early years growing up in a deeply entrepreneurial family—her father built Olympia Sports—and how being raised around c...
In the second half of my conversation with Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, founder of Hearts of Pine, we explore the deeper story of how Maine’s first professional soccer club became a symbol of connection, identity, and shared purpose throughout the state.
Gabe reflects on how Hearts of Pine continues to be built “from the inside out,” grounded in community input, Maine values, and a belief that soccer can serve as a ...
In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, founder of Hearts of Pine, Maine’s first professional soccer club. Gabe shares the remarkable five-year journey—part vision, part endurance, and part community movement—that brought professional soccer to Portland.
From a childhood shaped by both the game of soccer and a deep commitment to social impact, Gabe describes how his upbringing, pr...
In this second half of my conversation with Chris Lynch, Founder and Designated Broker of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
, we go beyond the headlines to discuss the real forces shaping Maine’s high-end real estate market today.
We explore how cash and generational wealth transfers are driving demand, the enduring truth of Chris’s “three-legged stool”—price, condition, and location—and the growing ...
Phrase of the Day: “Multiple truths can coexist.”
In this episode, I am joined once again by Chris Lynch, Founder, Owner, and Designated Broker of Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty. Chris first appeared on Elegant Maine Living in Episodes 5 and 6, Leading in Luxury, and returns to share his perspective on Maine’s real estate market—where trends arrive last, if at all, and stability continues to define th...
In this special and heartfelt episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with five remarkable young women from Poland Regional High School who recently graduated after completing the three-year leadership curriculum through the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute.
For the past three years, my co-mentor Timi Carter and I have had the privilege of guiding these students—Autumn, Mabel, Olivia, Lily, and Shaw...
In this second half of my conversation with Chris DiMillo, owner of DiMillo’s Yacht Sales, we dive deeper into how he expanded his family’s Maine waterfront legacy — growing the yacht brokerage business beyond Portland to Long Island, New York and the eastern shore of Maryland — all while maintaining a culture grounded in hospitality, service, and relationships.
Chris shares his insights on:
🌊 Scali...
In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with my friend and client, Chris DiMillo, whose family name is synonymous with Portland’s waterfront. The word of the day is DiMillo—because that single name tells a story of hard work, family, entrepreneurship, and Maine grit.
Chris shares his father’s remarkable journey—growing up on Munjoy Hill, leaving school at age 12 to help support his family, and ultimately bu...
There’s something truly special about life in Maine — where being active and outdoors isn’t a hobby, it’s a way of life.
In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with my friend Tom Ackerman, an incredible storyteller, guide, and fly-fishing travel consultant, to talk about what makes the Maine outdoors so restorative and how a life connected to nature brings balance, joy, and adventure.
Tom’s career has spann...
In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I continue my conversation with Charlotte Miller about building an intentional, balanced life in Maine. Charlotte and her husband moved from Boston during the pandemic and chose Maine as their permanent home, and together we explore what it means to raise a young family here while pursuing rewarding careers.
We talk about the daily rhythms of life that come so naturally in Maine...
What does it look like to design a life around health, family, and the outdoors?
In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with Charlotte Miller, a consultant, ski ambassador, sailor, and now proud resident of Cumberland, Maine.
Charlotte shares her journey from growing up outside Boston to college in Colorado (where she spent as many days on the slopes as in the classroom!) and eventually back to New England....
Episode Title: Maine Moves Differently
Host: Elise Kiely, Global Real Estate Advisor with Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty
Duration: ~20 minutes
Air Date: September 2025
💬 Episode Summary:
In this month’s market update, Elise Kiely reads between the lines—and the headlines—to explain why Maine moves differently. While national real estate trends point to cautious buyers, rising inventory, and f...
Here’s a set of shownotes for Part 2 of your interview with John McArthur. I’ve kept them inviting, clear, and professional — highlighting the themes of artistry, community, and Maine lifestyle that shine through in the transcript:
Show Notes – Elegant Maine Living with John McArthur, Part 2
In this second half of my conversation with John McArthur, co-owner of The Studio Portland, we explore the artistry, business, and...
In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with John McArthur, one of the owners of The Studio Portland, to talk about how creativity, connection, and community come together in the heart of Maine.
John shares his journey from being a gigging musician to working in tech for 35 years, and then back into the world of sound and music through his son’s career as a composer and sound engineer. Along with his wife R...
In this second half of my conversation with my dear friend and client Erika Gabrielsen Neumann, we continue exploring the unique beauty of life on Chebeague Island. Erika shares more about the close-knit community that defines island living and the extraordinary sense of belonging that comes with it.
We also dive into The Log House—a truly iconic waterfront property on Chebeague that I am proud to co-list with my colle...
What does it really mean to build a life on one of Maine’s most enchanting islands? In this episode of Elegant Maine Living, I sit down with my friend and client, Erika Gabrielsen Neumann, to talk about the unique joys and challenges of living year-round on Chebeague Island.
Erika shares her remarkable journey from California to Chebeague Island where she and her family settled in the signature Log House, raised childr...
In this month’s Elegant Maine Living, Elise Kiely unpacks what the national real estate market is whispering to Maine — and why timing, strategy, and local insight matter more than ever. From national affordability challenges to Maine’s rising inventory, Elise explains how trends from other markets eventually make their way up the coast, giving Maine buyers and sellers a chance to prepare and act wisely.
You’ll learn:
<...In this heartfelt episode of Elegant Maine Living, Elise sits down with her dear friend and co-leadership advisor, Timi Carter, to reflect on the impact of mentorship, community, and living a life of intentional service.
A longtime resident of Yarmouth, Maine, Timi is known for her calm strength, generous spirit, and ability to quietly build community wherever she goes—from the halls of Portland High School to her chur...
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