Dava Davin

When we started Portside Real Estate Group in 2012, we had a handful of agents, a small office in Falmouth, Maine, and one simple idea: to put the “real” back in real estate. Today, we have 200+ agents and ten offices throughout Coastal Maine, New Hampshire and the North Shore of Massachusetts. Portside is the second largest real estate company in Maine, and the only woman-owned practice in the top 10. If I had to pick three words to describe our practice—and my professional journey—they’d be: gritty, grassroots, and gratitude. They’re values that we at Portside live every day.

Our success as a company is about more than just growing our business. It’s about cultivating relationships, and creating a culture we can all be proud of. At Portside, we care about one another—and our clients. We also believe in giving back to our community. Our “Portside Gives Back” events directly benefit local non-profits, raising over $250,000 annually. We also contribute a portion of every commission earned to our non-profit partners. At Portside, we believe that when everyone gives just 1% more—more effort, more time, more money—we have the ability to impact Mainers in a sustainable way. Our motto is to make doing good easy. When we care about our neighbors, that love lifts all Mainers up. Mindset, goal-setting, and being better today than I was yesterday carry over outside the office in my passion for endurance sports. I’ve completed several marathons (qualifying for the Boston Marathon multiple times), as well as a four-time IRONMAN finisher.

In 2018, I was named one of MaineBiz’s Women to Watch, and in 2020, one of HousingWire's Women of Influence. Ten years after leaving a successful job to start a career in real estate, the honor was further validation that I’d made the right decision. Although I’ve never had to look far for inspiration: From my loving family to my incredible colleagues, it’s the people around me who’ve made me the person I am—and the leader I’m learning to be.