Shirley began her career in real estate in 1980 as a salesperson and a real estate appraiser, learning these skills and their relationship to each other side-by-side daily. Within her first two years in the business, she obtained her NH Real Estate Broker's License and then opened her own company in 1984. It was a full-service agency that included marketing subdivisions, existing home, farm, and land sales as well as local commercial sales including a few historic landmarks. It quickly became a top agency in the area, outselling more established offices due to her broad knowledge and pursuit of going the extra mile.
Originally from Long Island, New York where things always felt too busy, country living appealed to Shirley and her love of horses, and all things animal and farm worked its way to the forefront of her personal sales business. The other agents in her office managed the "regular" real estate while she evaluated the waters as to the need for an equine and farm broker. The concept was widely and wildly accepted and business in this very specialized sector of the real estate market flourished. It turned out that the need for realtors devoted strictly to folks interested in buying or selling horse properties, facilities, and farm real estate was extraordinarily strong.
At that point, Shirley created a separate division to manage the complex issues that can accompany farm property transactions, from zoning to restrictions and easements to financing. In 2002, Shirley sold the original firm (while retaining the farm division) and opened Farms & Barns Real Estate, LLC.
Shirley lives on a farm in southern New Hampshire with 3.5 horses (the half being a mini named Lola), rare pigs, poultry, two spoiled barn cats, Dusty and Smudge, and her Carolina Dogs, Scarlett, Moxie, and Lily. She loves small-town living along with the culture of nearby cities. Much of her spare time outdoors, in the barn, on horseback or a bicycle.
Shirley gets great satisfaction in helping others settle into our rural communities around the state. It is a way of life that she is eager to share with others who want to expand what they already do, are new to country living or who want to move to or around New Hampshire's countryside.
