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

Maine Real Estate Market Update Spring '26 Part 1: Why Buyers Are Still Buying in 2026 (Part 1)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2468487/fan_mail/new] 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 market looks very different from 2008 • The growing divide between regional housing markets across the country • Why homeownership continues to be one of the most powerful long-term wealth-building tools available to families • The increasing role of women in homeownership and wealth creation • The Great Wealth Transfer and its impact on real estate • How parents and grandparents are helping younger generations purchase homes • The opportunities—and potential emotional complexities—when family money enters a real estate transaction Whether you are a first-time buyer, helping an adult child purchase a home, considering a move to Maine, or simply interested in understanding today's housing market, this episode offers practical perspective on ownership, wealth creation, and long-term planning. In Part 2, we'll shift our focus to Maine-specific trends including ADUs, multigenerational living, luxury buyer preferences, wellness amenities, privacy, and the evolving definition of luxury living in Maine. For more information about Maine real estate or to connect with Elise, visit Elegant Maine Living. 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 [https://elisekiely.com/] 📸 Follow Elise on Social Media: * Instagram: @elisekielyrealestate [https://www.instagram.com/elisekielyrealestate] * Facebook: Elise Kiely Real Estate  [https://www.facebook.com/elise.kiely/] * LinkedIn: Elise Kiely  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-kiely-b026ba7/] 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.

Elegant Maine Living with Shana Cook Mueller: A Maine Family Sabbatical Through Africa & Europe Part 2

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2468487/fan_mail/new] 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 announced the plan to leave Maine for nearly a year, neither daughter was enthusiastic. In fact, both wondered what they would miss—from friends and school traditions to sports, activities, and everyday routines. But over time, what began as uncertainty evolved into an experience that neither would trade. Jasmine and Sydney discuss: * Their initial reactions to learning about the family sabbatical * Leaving friends, school, sports, and familiar routines behind * Attending an international school in Tanzania * Making friends from around the world * Learning and living in a new culture * Family adventures throughout Tanzania, Cape Town, Switzerland, and Europe * Homeschooling while traveling * The challenges and rewards of spending so much time together as a family * What surprised them most about living abroad * Returning home to Maine after a life-changing year This episode offers a rare glimpse into a family sabbatical through the eyes of children and explores how travel, cultural immersion, international education, and shared experiences can shape confidence, perspective, resilience, and lifelong memories. Whether you're considering a family sabbatical, worldschooling, homeschooling while traveling, living abroad with children, or simply looking for inspiration to step outside your family's comfort zone, this conversation is filled with practical insights and heartfelt reflections. 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 [https://elisekiely.com/] 📸 Follow Elise on Social Media: * Instagram: @elisekielyrealestate [https://www.instagram.com/elisekielyrealestate] * Facebook: Elise Kiely Real Estate  [https://www.facebook.com/elise.kiely/] * LinkedIn: Elise Kiely  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-kiely-b026ba7/] 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.

Elegant Maine Living with Shana Cook Mueller: A Maine Family Sabbatical Through Africa & Europe

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2468487/fan_mail/new] 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 through Tanzania, Cape Town, Switzerland, and beyond. Together, Elise and Shana discuss: *  The decision-making process behind a family sabbatical  *  Raising children with global perspective and cultural awareness  *  Leaving behind routines, school schedules, and professional obligations  *  Building community while living abroad  *  Parenting through uncertainty and adventure  *  Life in Tanzania and the experience of international schools  *  Homeschooling while traveling through Europe  *  The impact of slowing down and living more intentionally as a family  This episode is a thoughtful conversation about family, purpose, courage, and creating a life aligned with your values. And in Part 2, Jasmine and Sydney Mueller join Elise to share the experience from their perspective — from leaving friends behind and starting new schools to unforgettable adventures, family dynamics, and what it felt like to finally come home to Maine. 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 [https://elisekiely.com/] 📸 Follow Elise on Social Media: * Instagram: @elisekielyrealestate [https://www.instagram.com/elisekielyrealestate] * Facebook: Elise Kiely Real Estate  [https://www.facebook.com/elise.kiely/] * LinkedIn: Elise Kiely  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-kiely-b026ba7/] 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.

Returning to Maine with Molly Platz (Part 2): How and When to Come Home & Build a Lifestyle

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2468487/fan_mail/new] 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 discuss how they chose the Willard Beach neighborhood in South Portland, what they were looking for in a community, and why they intentionally wanted to build something that felt like their own—not simply recreate Molly’s childhood experience in Maine.  We also talk about: *  Purchasing a home remotely without ever seeing it in person  *  The emotional reality of relocating while preparing to welcome their first child  *  Building community intentionally as new parents while both working remotely  *  The importance of walkability, neighborhood connection, and access to nature in the greater Portland lifestyle  *  How Maine’s culture of friendliness and community surprised both Molly and Nick  *  Balancing closeness to family with independence as adults  *  What younger generations may prioritize differently about work-life balance, community, and lifestyle  Molly also shares thoughtful reflections on Maine identity, community involvement, and how she and Nick are intentionally designing a life that reflects who they are now—not simply who they were when they left Maine years ago.  And of course, we end with some favorite Maine places, including walks around South Portland, Willard Beach, Scratch Bakery, and what makes Maine such a special place to call home. 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 [https://elisekiely.com/] 📸 Follow Elise on Social Media: * Instagram: @elisekielyrealestate [https://www.instagram.com/elisekielyrealestate] * Facebook: Elise Kiely Real Estate  [https://www.facebook.com/elise.kiely/] * LinkedIn: Elise Kiely  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-kiely-b026ba7/] 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.

Returning to Maine with Molly Platz (Part 1): How and When to Come Home & Build a Lifestyle

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2468487/fan_mail/new] 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 talk about the experience of leaving Maine to discover who you are outside the expectations and familiarity of home. Molly shares how moving away gave her the freedom to grow independently, create new communities, and better understand the kind of life she ultimately wanted to build. After years living in Austin, Texas, Molly and her partner Nick began thoughtfully considering a return to Maine—not out of nostalgia, but out of a desire for a different kind of lifestyle, stronger connection to family, and a more intentional way of living as they thought about their future and starting a family of their own. Together, we discuss: *  Why leaving Maine can sometimes be an important part of ultimately returning  *  Building identity and confidence away from home  *  Creating community as a young adult in a new city  *  The push and pull many people feel between opportunity, lifestyle, family, and belonging  *  How relationships and priorities evolve in your late 20s and 30s  *  The early conversations Molly and Nick had about moving back to Maine  Molly grew up in Auburn, Maine, in a multigenerational Maine family with deep roots in design, community, and philanthropy. She attended Connecticut College, later studied design through Parsons School of Design, earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas, and built a career blending communication, design, and social impact work before returning to Maine. In the second half of our conversation, we discuss what happened next: choosing the Willard Beach neighborhood in South Portland, purchasing a home remotely without seeing it in person, building community while working from home, and what surprised her most about returning to Maine at this stage 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 [https://elisekiely.com/] 📸 Follow Elise on Social Media: * Instagram: @elisekielyrealestate [https://www.instagram.com/elisekielyrealestate] * Facebook: Elise Kiely Real Estate  [https://www.facebook.com/elise.kiely/] * LinkedIn: Elise Kiely  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-kiely-b026ba7/] 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.