Introduction to Elegant Maine Living

🎙 Episode Title: Welcome to Elegant Maine Living – The Way Life Should Be

📌 Episode Summary:
In this inaugural episode of Elegant Maine Living, host Elise Kiely, Senior Vice President and Real Estate Advisor with Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, introduces listeners to the heart and soul of Maine’s unique lifestyle and luxury real estate market. She shares her personal journey from practicing law in Washington, D.C., to Maine, her passion for real estate, and the inspiration behind launching this podcast.

This episode sets the stage for upcoming conversations about Maine’s vibrant communities, market insights, hidden gems, and the people shaping the state’s future.

Key Topics Covered:

✅ Elise’s Journey to Maine – From a one-year move in 1996 to falling in love with the Maine lifestyle
✅ Why This Podcast? – A blend of lifelong learning, storytelling, and real estate expertise
✅ Who Is This Podcast For? – Longtime Mainers, newcomers, seasonal visitors, or anyone dreaming of the Maine way of life
✅ Defining Maine’s Elegance – It’s not about opulence, but intentional living, hospitality, and blending rustic charm with refined beauty
✅ What to Expect in Future Episodes – Real estate trends, stunning home sales, local businesses, artisans, and community leaders

Notable Quotes:

📍 “Elegance isn’t about exclusivity or extravagance—it’s about living with intention.”
📍 “You can ski and surf in the same day in Maine, then head to Portland for a fabulous dinner in a restaurant full of charm and character.”
📍 “Every transaction, whether a $400,000 starter home or a multimillion-dollar waterfront estate, represents a new chapter in someone’s life.”

📢 In the next episode, Elise takes a deep dive into Maine’s real estate market—what happened in 2024, what to expect in 2025, and how buyers and sellers can navigate this unique landscape. She’ll also share insights on one of Maine’s most stunning recent waterfront sales.

Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

🎧 Thank you for listening to Elegant Maine Living—where elegance isn’t just an aesthetic, it’s a way of life.

Elegant Maine Living explores Maine’s homes, communities, and people—through the lens of lifestyle, values, and thoughtful living. I host conversations with leaders, creators, and advisors who help illuminate what it truly means to live well in Maine.

Connect with Elise

🌐 Website & Listings: EliseKiely.com
📸 Follow Elise on Social Media:

• Instagram: @elisekielyrealestate
• Facebook: Elise Kiely Real Estate
• LinkedIn: Elise Kiely

Have Questions or Topic Suggestions, e-mail Elise at

• Elise@EliseKiely.com
  
  

Subscribe, share with a friend, and join Elise every other week to discover what makes Maine not just beautiful—but beautifully lived.

Please remember this podcast is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not create an attorney client or real estate advisor client relationship. Please reach out to me directly if I can assist you in your real estate journey.

Transcript

EML Intro.31.25

Elise: [00:00:00] Welcome to Elegant Maine, living the Way Life should be. In this podcast, we will explore what makes Maine one of the most extraordinary places to live. From stunning real estate and vibrant communities to hidden gems and inspiring stories, we'll dive into everything that defines the main way of life.

Elise: Elegance, authenticity, and a deep connection to nature. I am your host, Elise Kiely, senior Vice President and Real Estate Advisor with Legacy Properties Sotheby's International Realty, headquartered in Portland, Maine, with offices up and down the main coast. Since this is the first episode, let me give you a little backstory of how I found myself to Maine.

Elise: In 1996, my husband and I had just married, just graduated [00:01:00] law school and found ourselves with two grueling legal careers in Washington DC. One night we got a call from a company in Maine who needed some regulatory help, and my husband was asked to come up for a year. We sat and thought about it and I said I would come for one year, and then I wanted to return to DC where I expected my life to go as I had planned.

Elise: Well, that was 1996 and we've never looked back. Now, nearly three decades later, we are still here having built careers, a family, a community, and a deep love for this place. That move not only changed our lives, but also led me to a passion for real estate. And today I help others discover what makes Maine such an extraordinary place to live, work, and play.

Elise: I've been fortunate in my career to have some record breaking sales in the greater Portland area, [00:02:00] and last year sold over $40 million in real estate. But what's more important than the number of sales or the volume is that every transaction and there have been hundreds if not thousands, whether it's a $400,000 starter property or a multimillion dollar property on the water, every transaction represents an individual, a couple, a family, or even an investor looking or hoping to begin a new chapter and a new lifestyle.

Elise: That starts with either finding the right community and home or selling a home. So why this podcast? Why elegant main living? Well, the mission or the why as Simon Sinek would say of elegant main living is to showcase the beauty, lifestyle and unique high-end real estate market of Maine. On the lifestyle side, [00:03:00] I will be sharing everything from favorite restaurants, local entertainment, both sports, music and art, as well as some of our vital community service organizations that provide high impact services in our state. On the real estate side, I will be sharing market trends, some significant sales, and some predictions about where I see the market heading. In light of mortgage rates, buyer demand, and current inventory levels.

Elise: Who is this podcast for? Well, whether you are from one of Maine's oldest, most established families, a newer neighbor, or have a connection to Maine, perhaps you went to summer camp here, went to college here, or had a grandmother with a seasonal family home on the coast or on one of our beautiful lakes, or you are simply dreaming of the main way of life.

Elise: I hope this podcast will provide some [00:04:00] insight, valuable market information, or simply a reminder of why it is so special to live in this beautiful part of the country.

Elise: So why am I doing this podcast? Why me? Well, this podcast is a way for me to combine three passions, lifelong learning, vibrant storytelling, and showcasing Maine's way of life. I want to share insider insights into Maine's real estate market. Introduce you to the vibrant communities and local businesses that make this state unique and have meaningful conversations with the people shaping our region's future.

Elise: In my career as a real estate advisor, I am fortunate to meet really interesting, sophisticated people who recognize the value of a Maine lifestyle for themselves and their families. And who are looking to move here. I've spent years introducing people to [00:05:00] Maine, helping them find the right home, the right neighborhood, and the right community to achieve their desired lifestyle.

Elise: I realized that I wanted to do more than just sell homes. I wanted to share the stories behind them. And what better way to do that than through a podcast where I can introduce you to the incredible people, places, and experiences that make Maine so special. Frankly, I love Maine. I've lived in different areas in my life.

Elise: I grew up in Baltimore where I had a wonderful childhood, went down to North Carolina for college, go Tar Heels, and eventually found myself in Atlanta at Emory Law School and spent my early career in Washington, DC. And I was happy in each of these communities , and frankly, I think you can find something beautiful and to be grateful for no matter where you live.

Elise: But none of those wonderful communities have the specialness that [00:06:00] Maine has. Having spent the last almost 30 years in Maine, and I'm still not a Mainer, I realize that I feel fortunate to have lived most of my life here. It's easy to be active, it's easy to be engaged. It's easy to create community in Maine.

Elise: Activities are easily accessible, whether it's skiing, fly fishing, hockey, tennis, golf, or surfing. You have access to learn and pursue these activities and more with low commitment. For example, I often say you can ski and surf in the same day in Maine, and then you can go down to Portland and have a fabulous dinner in a restaurant full of charm and character.

Elise: It's very easy to create community in Maine and in this world of parasocial and virtual relationships and an increased amount of screen time community is increasingly important. For example, I, along [00:07:00] with a lot of my colleagues, and I'm sure a lot of you am involved in several community service organizations, and it's more than just going to a fundraiser and writing a check, but really involved with a hands-on commitment.

Elise: I will be highlighting some of these organizations along with others. One of the things that makes Maine unique is that we are small enough that if you want to engage and have an impact and be part of something, it's a pretty low barrier to entry. Pick your passion and there's an opportunity to pursue it.

Elise: We have very vibrant and strong community organizations. When I travel outside the state, whether it's on vacation with family or networking groups with other Sotheby's, international Realty agents, when they ask where I am from and I say Maine, frankly, their eyes light up and they lean in. It's always interesting to them.

Elise: I often hear, oh, I love Maine. I've heard it's beautiful. Or I went to [00:08:00] summer camp there, or My great aunt had a house on the coast that was gorgeous. We have a brand, a brand that says outdoors, physical activity, natural beauty, authenticity, hard work, and integrity. I know my children are very proud to be from Maine, and I'm frankly grateful I could give them that legacy.

Elise: You know, I want to tell a quick story about some clients of mine from several years ago. They were deciding whether to purchase a home in Maine or another New England state, which I won't name, and they were moving here from New York City. He was going to be running an established company in Maine, and as a company, they were deciding whether to keep the headquarters in Maine or to move it to this other state, and then this family would buy a home, whichever decision the company made.

Elise: And they wanted to be transparent with me to let me know they were looking at homes in both states. And my response was, you know, that's perfectly [00:09:00] fine and, and frankly, I don't think there's a wrong decision between the two. You have a beautiful family. You are really nice people. This job opportunity sounds amazing and you're going to have a great life no matter where you live.

Elise: The one thing I did say to them though, that was when my children meet people when they go to college or camps or vacation or now where they're living - they're grown and living in other major cities -and they say they grew up in Maine. Well, that says something that says something really special. Now, when I decided I was going to do this podcast, I really didn't know anything about how to do a podcast.

Elise: That's part of the lifelong learning piece. So I did a lot of research. I read a ton of books, read articles, listened to podcasts, and spoke to numerous people. And on the technical side, I immediately knew. That I needed help, I needed expertise. So I [00:10:00] reached out to the studio in Portland where I'm recording this podcast now, and I connected with John MacArthur, who's one of the owners, along with his team of experts and engineers, including, , Logan, who's helping us today.

Elise: I asked for their help to facilitate all of the behind the scenes work from recording and mastering, to connecting me with a wonderful composer, Jameson Hunt on providing music. I didn't even know I needed music for a podcast, but this whole team was terrific and John and his team have made this experience a pleasure, and it has been a reminder to me that we have such a robust and vibrant creative arts community in this area.

Elise: We are so fortunate to have this type of talent in Portland, Maine. 

Elise: So what does elegance mean when I talk about elegant Maine living? Well, Maine's elegance isn't about opulence, exclusivity, or extravagance. It's not about which fork to use. [00:11:00] It's about intention. Whether it's a historic home, carefully restored a lobster, men's quiet morning ritual pulling traps, or the way a local craftsman builds a home that blends into the coastal landscape.

Elise: Elegance is everywhere. If you know where to look. True elegance is often understated. Blending of the rustic in the refined. It's about hospitality and living with intention. Our elegant homes include historic homes with incredible detail and millwork and character to contemporary coastal retreats with clean, minimalist lines and expansive use of glass.

Elise: There's an elegance to Maine's appeal for families, professionals, and retirees seeking a balance of beauty, culture, and community. So what can you expect in the next few episodes? [00:12:00] Well, next week I'll be diving into Maine's real estate market. What happened to the market in 24? What to expect in 2025? How are buyers and sellers navigating the market?

Elise: I'll also take a look at one of the most stunning waterfront properties recently sold. Later this season, I'll be talking to different Maine Artisans, outdoor guides and community leaders about what makes living here truly exceptional. So if you're dreaming of a lifestyle in Maine or already living it, this podcast is for you.

Elise: Please be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. I invite you to take this journey with me. Please share it with your friends, family, partner, neighbors to the new recruit in your office. I encourage you to reach out with any questions or topics that you'd like to hear. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or simply an email to [00:13:00] elise@eliseKiely.com, and all those links will be provided in the show notes.

Elise: Thank you for listening to Elegant Maine Living where elegance isn't just an aesthetic, it's a way of life. Until next time, keep living with elegance.