What happens when a marriage ends after decades together?

For people going through divorce after 50, the questions extend far beyond signing legal documents. Where will you live? Can you afford two households? What happens to the family home? How will retirement change? What happens at holidays, weddings, birthdays, and family gatherings? And how do you make decisions about the future when fear and anger are very real?

In this episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster talks with Kim Korven, a former family lawyer and mediator who now works as a family divorce strategist.

Kim practiced law for 25 years, including eight years in family law. After seeing firsthand how adversarial family law can intensify conflict, and then navigating divorce herself, she developed a different approach.

Kim encourages people to begin with the life they want to create rather than beginning with the fight.

Mary and Kim discuss gray divorce, adult children and grandchildren, financial consequences, housing decisions, mediation, separation agreements, conflict, retirement, and why the traditional legal system may not always be the best place to begin.

Kim also shares a deeply personal perspective on her own current separation and the fear that can come with leaving financial security later in life. Her philosophy is not to tell someone whether to stay or leave. It is to help people understand what they want, consider their options, and make clear-eyed decisions about the next chapter.

This episode is especially relevant for adults over 50, people contemplating divorce, adult children of divorcing parents, real estate professionals, financial professionals, and anyone helping families navigate major transitions.

Guest Bio

Kim Korven is a former family lawyer and mediator with 25 years of legal practice, including eight years in family law. She holds an LLB and LLM from the University of Saskatchewan and is a government-recognized family mediator who trained at CDR Associates in Boulder, Colorado.

After experiencing divorce herself and seeing the limitations of the traditional adversarial approach, Kim developed a non-adversarial process first for her own family and later built it into The Gentle Way Divorce Consulting Group, which now serves clients across North America.

Kim’s TEDx talk explores how a thoughtful approach to divorce can help foster resilience in children. Her work encourages people to approach divorce as a life transition first, identify what they want their future to look like, and make deliberate decisions about family, finances, parenting, and major shared assets such as the home.

Guest Links

Kim Korven:
 https://kimkorven.com/

About Kim:
 https://kimkorven.com/pages/about

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What does it really take to make multi-generational living work?

In this episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster talks with Juli Ford, founder of Home After 50™, host of the Home After 50™ Podcast, real estate broker, Certified Senior Advisor®, and multi-generational living expert.

Juli has spent decades working in housing and real estate, including 20 years in affordable housing, and she has lived in a multi-generational home with her mother for 11 years. Her work now helps families think through the practical, emotional, financial, and relational realities of sharing a home across generations.

Mary and Juli talk about why multi-generational living is becoming more relevant again, especially as families face an aging population, elder care challenges, housing affordability issues, and adult children who may not be able to access homeownership the way previous generations did.

Juli shares the story of how her own family came to live together after her father passed away. She explains why her mother first needed time to live on her own, how the right house eventually appeared, and how her family created a multi-generational arrangement that worked for everyone.

The conversation also explores money, home equity, family contributions, sibling conversations, privacy, ADUs, accessible design, reverse mortgages, multi-gen finance, and the different ways families can create shared housing. Juli also talks about her guides, workshops, clarity calls, Sunday Notes, and monthly Multi-Gen Coffee Chats.

This episode is for anyone considering a parent moving in, an adult child returning home, building an ADU, buying a multi-generational home, combining family resources, or reimagining what home can look like in the second half of life.

Guest Bio

Juli Ford is the founder of Home After 50™, host of the Home After 50™ Podcast, a multi-generational living expert, Certified Senior Advisor®, and real estate broker. Her work focuses on helping women and families reimagine what home looks like, feels like, and means after 50. Through real estate, media, coaching, resources, workshops, and community conversations, Juli supports families navigating multigenerational living, empty nesting, aging parents, major moves, and life transitions. Juli Ford

Juli has spent nearly three decades in real estate and housing, including two decades in affordable housing. She has also lived in a multi-generational home herself for more than 10 years, giving her both personal and professional insight into the decisions families face when they combine homes, resources, care, and everyday life. Juli Ford

Guest Links

Website:
https://juliford.com/

Home After 50™ Podcast:
https://juliford.com/podcast

Multi-Generational Living Resources:
https://juliford.com/multi-gen

Events and Workshops:
https://juliford.com/events

Real Estate Services:
https://juliford.com/real-estate-services

Contact from Juli’s website:
[email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What if a home built partly in a factory could be stronger, more efficient, more precise, and more durable than a home built entirely on site?

In this episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster talks with Seth Clarke, AIA NCARB, a licensed architect with more than 20 years of experience in residential, institutional, and commercial projects. Seth is a graduate of Rice University School of Architecture, a member of the AIA and the Boston Society of Architects, NCARB certified, and currently serves as Director of Business Development for Bensonwood.

Mary first became fascinated with Bensonwood after touring the company’s facility and seeing how its offsite building process works. In this conversation, she and Seth explore what makes Bensonwood’s approach different from common assumptions about modular or prefab homes.

Seth explains why Bensonwood uses the term offsite construction and why its panelized architecture approach is different from the volumetric box-style modular homes many people imagine. He also shares how Bensonwood’s history began in 1972 with timber framing, craft, reclaimed materials, and a commitment to building homes that last.

Mary and Seth talk about energy efficiency, airtight wall panels, vapor-open wall systems, energy recovery ventilation, indoor air quality, moisture management, factory-installed windows and doors, and why building in a warm, dry factory can create better results.

They also discuss the buyer process, financing conversations, working with local jurisdictions, ADUs, New England housing needs, missing middle housing, and why duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and small multifamily buildings may become an important part of solving the housing affordability crisis.

This episode is for homeowners, real estate professionals, developers, buyers, architects, and anyone interested in smarter, more efficient, more durable ways to build.

Guest Bio

Seth Clarke, AIA NCARB, is a licensed architect with more than 20 years of experience in residential, institutional, and commercial projects. A graduate of Rice University School of Architecture, Seth is a member of the AIA and the Boston Society of Architects, and is NCARB certified.

Seth currently serves as Director of Business Development for Bensonwood, where he advises homeowners, architects, and construction managers on the possibilities of Bensonwood’s design-build offsite approach. In this episode, Seth helps explain how Bensonwood’s panelized construction, building science, and high-performance home systems are changing the way people think about modular, prefab, and factory-built homes.

Guest Links

Bensonwood:
 http://www.bensonwood.com

Seth Clarke on LinkedIn:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethclarkeboston/

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What financial plans should families have in place before aging parents need care?

Natalie Kime returns to Real Estate Connections for a practical and eye-opening conversation with Mary Foerster about aging, caregiving, long-term care, final expenses, annuities, life insurance, and financial planning before a crisis.

Natalie is a wealth strategist, financial professional, and host of The Chat with Nat Podcast. She works with individuals, families, and business owners to help them become financially literate and create customized financial plans that support their goals and dreams.

In her previous episode, Natalie shared the deeply personal story of moving her parents from Utah to Texas after her mother’s vascular dementia diagnosis. In this follow-up conversation, Mary and Natalie talk about the financial mechanisms that helped Natalie support her parents while also preserving their independence.

Natalie explains how her family organized legal documents, medical powers of attorney, financial powers of attorney, trusts, savings, annuities, and income planning. She also talks about what happened after her parents sold their longtime home of 43 years and how those proceeds were positioned to help cover possible future care needs.

Mary and Natalie also discuss final expense policies, funeral and burial costs, cremation versus burial, why families may need access to funds quickly after a loved one dies, and how planning ahead can reduce stress during an already painful time.

The episode also explores long-term care planning, life insurance with living benefits, fixed index annuities, self-insuring for care needs, capital gains conversations before selling a home, and why a wealth strategist often works alongside a CPA, investment advisor, and other financial professionals.

This conversation is educational, compassionate, and practical. It is for anyone thinking about aging parents, future care needs, selling a family home, caregiving, retirement income, legacy planning, or how to make sure loved ones are not left scrambling when life changes.

Guest Bio

Natalie Kime is a financial professional, wealth strategist, and host of The Chat with Nat Podcast. She works with individuals, families, and business owners to help them become financially literate and create customized financial plans that meet their goals and dreams.

Natalie believes in removing fear and emotion from financial conversations by meeting clients where they are, walking alongside them, and helping them understand their options. Her work is relational, practical, and grounded in helping people make educated decisions about their future.

In this episode, Natalie brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation, sharing what she learned while helping her parents navigate aging, caregiving, selling their longtime home, long-term care planning, and final expense preparation.

Guest Links

Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/nattykime

The Chat with Nat Podcast:
 https://chatwithnatpod.buzzsprout.com

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What happens when the old idea of independence no longer fits the realities families are facing?

In this solo episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster talks about necessity as the mother of invention and how that idea is showing up in housing right now.

Mary reflects on the cultural message many older adults grew up with: own your home, raise your family, stay independent, and do not become a burden to your children. But today’s families are facing a different reality. Housing costs are high. Many adult children are living with parents longer. Long-term care is expensive. Older adults may want to age in place but still need support. And families are beginning to rethink what home, independence, and shared living can look like.

Mary explores the rise of multi-generational housing, accessory dwelling units, and family-based housing solutions that allow older adults, adult children, and caregivers to live with more flexibility. She also talks about why these arrangements require thoughtful planning, honest communication, written agreements, and a clear understanding of both financial and non-financial contributions.

This episode also highlights resources families can explore, including AARP, the National Aging in Place Coalition, Generations United, Julie Ford’s work through Homes After 50, and Natalie Kime’s caregiving conversations through The Chat with Nat Podcast.

This conversation is for anyone thinking about aging in place, helping adult children, building an ADU, planning for caregiving, sharing property with family, or exploring what multi-generational living could look like in real life.

Resources mentioned:

Aging in Place: https://ageinplace.org/
Generations United: https://www.gu.org/
Julie Ford / Homes After 50: https://juliford.com/
AARP: https://www.aarp.org/
The Chat with Nat Podcast: https://chatwithnatpod.buzzsprout.com

For help connecting with strong real estate professionals in your area, contact Mary at:
 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What happens when aging parents can no longer live safely on their own?

In this deeply personal episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster talks with Natalie Kime, a wealth strategist, financial professional, and host of The Chat with Nat Podcast.

Natalie works with individuals, families, and business owners to help them become financially literate and create customized financial plans that support their goals and dreams. She believes in removing the fear and emotion around financial conversations, meeting people where they are, and walking alongside them through each stage of the planning process.

Mary originally connected with Natalie to talk about financial planning and long-term care. But before that conversation could happen, Natalie’s own family story became the heart of this episode.

Natalie shares how her mother’s vascular dementia diagnosis changed everything for her family. Her parents had lived in their Utah home for 43 years. After a doctor said they could no longer live on their own, Natalie began the process of moving them to Texas so she could care for them in her home.

This conversation covers the real-life decisions many families avoid until a crisis forces them to act: reviewing legal documents, preparing a home for sale, holding an estate sale, coordinating with siblings, protecting access to finances, managing proceeds from the sale of a longtime home, and honoring a parent’s independence while making safety the priority.

Natalie also speaks openly about the emotional reality of caregiving. She shares how her father struggled with the loss of independence, how she helped redefine the word “burden,” and how her family created clear caregiving roles during her mother’s decline.

This is a conversation about money, but it is also about love, dignity, family communication, dementia care, real estate decisions, and finding moments of joy in one of life’s hardest seasons.

Guest Bio

Natalie Kime is a financial professional, wealth strategist, and host of The Chat with Nat Podcast. She works with individuals, families, and business owners to help them become financially literate and create customized financial plans that meet their goals and dreams.

Natalie believes in removing the emotion and fear around financial conversations by meeting clients where they are, walking alongside them, and helping them understand their options. Her work is deeply relational, not transactional, and the relationships she builds with her clients are the lifeblood of her business.

In this episode, Natalie also shares her personal journey of moving her aging parents from Utah to Texas, caring for her mother through vascular dementia, and helping her family navigate the financial, emotional, and practical realities of caregiving.

Guest Links

Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/nattykime?

The Chat with Nat Podcast:
 https://chatwithnatpod.buzzsprout.com

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

Suzanne Sharkey is back on Real Estate Connections, and this time she is taking us into the “quiet side” of real estate: creative finance.

In Episode 24, Suzanne talked about distressed homes, renovation, integrity, and turning overlooked properties into beautiful homes. In this follow-up conversation, Mary and Suzanne go deeper into how some real estate deals come together when traditional financing is not the right fit.

Suzanne explains what creative finance means, why traditional lending does not always work for every situation, and how hard money, private money, seller needs, and off-market opportunities can all become part of the conversation. She also makes it clear that while creative finance can sound exciting, it requires strong ethics, trusted professionals, transparency, and a deep respect for all parties involved.

Mary and Suzanne talk about hard money lenders, private money, using funds from an IRA, distressed properties, foreclosure pressure, buying with existing debt in place, helping sellers avoid worse outcomes, and why real estate investors need solid people around them.

One of Suzanne’s most important reminders is that the first step is not asking, “How can I benefit from this deal?” The first step is asking, “What does the seller need?”

This episode is a helpful conversation for anyone interested in real estate investing, distressed property, private lending, creative finance, off-market deals, family property challenges, or understanding what happens when a standard mortgage or traditional sale is not the answer.

Please note: this conversation is for education and discussion only. Creative finance, private lending, foreclosure situations, and investment decisions require qualified legal, financial, tax, and real estate guidance.

Guest Bio

Suzanne Sharkey is a fourth-generation real estate investor and developer who buys and renovates homes throughout the North Shore of Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. She specializes in untangling complex real estate situations, creatively buying distressed properties, and bringing neglected homes back to life with care and integrity.

Suzanne is the founder of Creative Elite and is passionate about making real estate more approachable by sharing her experiences openly and building a network of high-integrity professionals. Her work centers on creative problem-solving, ethical investing, thoughtful renovation, and helping people find real solutions when traditional real estate options do not fit.

Guest Links

Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/suzanneksharkey

Company:
 Creative Elite

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What happens when an aging parent needs to move, but no one knows where to begin?

In this episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster talks with Nicole Ramer, founder and owner of Organized Haven and home to Safe Moves for Seniors Polk. Nicole and her team help older adults and their families navigate organizing, downsizing, aging in place, senior relocation, estate cleanouts, and home transitions with confidence, compassion, and peace of mind.

Nicole explains why a senior move is not just a physical move. It is a life transition.

Mary and Nicole discuss the emotional weight of sorting through decades of belongings, the stress that can arise between parents and adult children, and why families need to begin these conversations long before a crisis. Nicole shares how her team uses space planning, careful listening, organizing systems, and compassionate decision-making to help seniors decide what will fit, what should be passed on, what can be donated, and what truly matters.

This conversation also explores the reality of aging in place, chronic disorganization, hoarding, cognitive decline, long-distance caregiving, and the overwhelming number of decisions that can come with every object in a home.

Nicole also shares the mission behind Safe Moves for Seniors Polk, which helps older adults who cannot afford move management services but still deserve safety, dignity, and support.

Whether you are helping an aging parent, thinking ahead for yourself, downsizing after decades in one home, or supporting clients through a major life transition, this episode offers practical guidance and a deeply human reminder: downsizing is not about living with less. It is about making room for more freedom, safety, peace of mind, time with family, and confidence in what comes next.

Nicole Ramer is the founder and owner of Organized Haven, home to Safe Moves for Seniors Polk. For more than a decade, Nicole and her team have helped older adults and their families navigate organizing, downsizing, aging in place, senior relocation, estate cleanouts, estate sales, donation coordination, and home resettling.

Nicole is a nationally recognized speaker, educator, and advocate for proactive aging. She is also the author of Caring Through Clutter: How Caregivers Can Create a Safer, Simpler Home for Their Loved Ones, Chapter 2 of Aging in Place Conversations: The Caregiver’s Edition. Through her work, Nicole helps families begin important conversations before a crisis arises and supports older adults through transitions with dignity, compassion, and peace of mind.

Guest Links

Website:
 www.organizedhaven.com

Safe Moves for Seniors Polk:
 www.safemovesforseniors.org/lakeland

Facebook:
 www.facebook.com/organizedhaven

YouTube:
 https://www.youtube.com/@organizedhaven

Instagram:
 www.instagram.com/organizedhaven

LinkedIn:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nramer/

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What if the right home is not just about square footage, location, or price?

In this episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster sits down with Amy Moeller, a realtor, designer, entrepreneur, and creator based in the Greater Cincinnati area. Amy brings a thoughtful and deeply personal perspective to real estate, helping clients think beyond the basic checklist and consider how they actually want to live in a home.

Mary and Amy talk about preparing a house to sell, neutralizing and staging a home, and why buyers need to imagine their real daily life inside a space before making a decision. Amy shares why she asks clients questions like: How will you live in this house? Where will you sit with your coffee? Where will everyone go when they need space? Will this home support your life, your relationships, and your next chapter?

The conversation also explores downsizing, especially for empty nesters and adults in the second half of life. Amy and Mary discuss why smaller is not always simpler, why everyone still needs space of their own, and why the decision to move should not be based on finances alone.

Amy also introduces her new work through Growing Happy Souls and her upcoming course, Surroundings Matter, which helps women create peace, clarity, and purpose in their homes. From decluttering and room planning to reimagining unused spaces, Amy encourages listeners to see their surroundings as a reflection of the life they are creating.

This is a thoughtful conversation for anyone considering a move, preparing to sell, rethinking their space, or asking what they want the next chapter of life to feel like.

Guest Bio

Amy Moeller is an entrepreneur, realtor, designer, and creator based in the Greater Cincinnati area. She studied Interior Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, received multiple patents for an invention, and has written and taught a decorating course for homeowners. Amy is also launching three digital courses in 2026 to guide women in creating a life they love. She uses her background in design, entrepreneurship, creativity, and real estate to help clients make thoughtful, personal, and practical decisions about home and life.

Guest Links

Website:
 https://www.amymoeller.com

Additional Link:
 https://tinyurl.com/2bhvhbxe

Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/helloamymoeller/

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.

What does it take to turn a neglected property into a home someone can be proud to buy?

In this episode of Real Estate Connections, Mary Foerster sits down with Suzanne Sharkey, a fourth generation real estate investor and developer who buys and renovates homes throughout North Shore Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Suzanne is the founder of Creative Elite and specializes in complex real estate situations, distressed properties, creative acquisitions, and thoughtful renovations. Her work focuses on breathing life back into neglected spaces while building a network of high-integrity professionals who believe they can do more together.

Suzanne shares how real estate runs through her family tree, beginning with a grandmother whose investments helped shape Suzanne’s understanding of property, security, opportunity, and legacy. She also talks about her mother’s career in real estate and how watching her serve clients helped Suzanne understand both the beauty and the difficulty of this work.

Mary and Suzanne discuss Suzanne’s current renovation project in Nashua, New Hampshire, and the real-world decisions that come with renovating a home well: permits, contractors, tile choices, cabinets, budget limits, quality materials, and the concept Suzanne calls “affordable luxury.”

This conversation also explores creative finance, subject-to transactions, foreclosures, auctions, hard money, family lending, and the unconventional real estate deals that do not always fit inside the traditional MLS box. Suzanne explains why she is drawn to complicated situations and why distressed sellers often need customized solutions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

At its heart, this episode is about integrity, relationships, problem-solving, and the belief that real estate can be both profitable and deeply human.

What You Will Hear

• How Suzanne became a fourth generation real estate investor
• The role Suzanne’s grandmother played in shaping her real estate mindset
• How Suzanne’s mother influenced her understanding of service and clients
• Why traditional real estate roles did not fully fit Suzanne’s personality
• What creative finance means in Suzanne’s work
• Why distressed properties often require customized solutions
• How foreclosures, auctions, and off-market opportunities differ from traditional MLS listings
• Why Suzanne is drawn to complicated real estate problems
• The story behind Suzanne’s Nashua renovation project
• What “affordable luxury” means in a renovation
• Why material choices matter when renovating a home
• How to compare contractor quotes intelligently
• Why the lowest bid is not always the best choice
• How Facebook contractor groups help Suzanne find qualified tradespeople
• Why Suzanne believes in ripping out work and doing it right when something is wrong
• How family support helped her finish a difficult project
• Why relationships matter in real estate entrepreneurship
• How community helps investors avoid isolation

Suzanne Sharkey is a fourth generation real estate investor and developer who buys and renovates homes throughout North Shore Massachusetts, Southern New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

As the founder of Creative Elite, Suzanne specializes in untangling complex real estate situations, creatively buying distressed properties, and breathing life into neglected spaces. Her work includes unconventional acquisitions, foreclosures, auctions, creative finance opportunities, and renovation projects that require thoughtful problem-solving.

Suzanne describes her renovation style as “affordable luxury,” choosing quality materials and finishes that elevate a home while remaining within reach for real buyers. She is passionate about making real estate more approachable by sharing her experiences openly, fostering a network of high-integrity friends and professionals, and helping people do more together.

In this conversation, Suzanne shares how her family legacy in real estate, her love of problem-solving, and her belief in connection have shaped the way she invests, renovates, and builds community.

Instagram:
 https://www.instagram.com/suzanneksharkey

Send us Fan Mail

This episode is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.

Connect with Mary: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-foerster-realestate/

https://www.instagram.com/realestateconnectionspod/

Real estate is about more than buying and selling property. It is connected to how we live, build wealth, care for our families, navigate change, and plan for what comes next.

On Real Estate Connections, host Mary Foerster brings together trusted professionals, thoughtful conversations, and practical information to help you make more confident decisions about your home, finances, and future. Episodes explore home buying and selling, downsizing, aging in place, multigenerational living, real estate investing, renovations, caregiving, financial planning, and the personal transitions that often accompany a move.