How can I help you?
I am a Real Estate Broker, Hospitality Investment Specialist, Consultant, Experienced Innkeeper, Hospitality Investor, Cookbook Author, and former Cooking Instructor—roles that together define my unique expertise and passion for hospitality and lifestyle.
Those who know me recognize my creative drive and unstoppable energy. Every endeavor I pursue connects back to a single thread: hospitality. From writing cookbooks—including Breakfast (1st edition 2011, 2nd edition 2019) and LOBSTER: 75 Recipes Celebrating America’s Favorite Seafood (2021)—to nearly a decade teaching at Stonewall Kitchen’s York cooking school, I’ve built a career around both the business and the art of hospitality.
Along the way, I’ve had some fun winning multiple culinary awards, including Best Lobster Bite and People’s Choice honors at Boothbay Harbor’s Claw Down competitions and the Lobster Chef of the Year People’s Choice Award at Harvest on the Harbor.
Creativity fuels me—whether in the kitchen, behind the camera, or at the negotiating table. I thrive on being both left- and right-brained: imaginative yet analytical. I love pairing creativity with numbers, and I’ve found that balance to be the perfect fit in my professional life.
Since 2008, I’ve specialized in selling Maine hospitality real estate: inns, B&Bs, boutique hotels, motels, cottages, restaurants, and event venues. My clients come to me not only for proven brokerage expertise but also for insider perspective—I’ve lived the innkeeping lifestyle, invested in hospitality properties, and guided countless buyers and sellers through their own journeys.
Because at the heart of what I do, I don’t just sell real estate. I sell a lifestyle.
I’m an eternal optimist. I love dogs, wine and cheese, and Fedoras!
-dana
You just might find a few photos of our rescue dog, Izzy, on Social Media!
We Bought an Inn!
My husband and I left behind two decades of corporate careers in the Washington, DC metro area to pursue a dream: owning an inn in Maine. We purchased The Kingsleigh Inn in Southwest Harbor, near Acadia National Park, and in just three years hit the five-year revenue goal we had set for ourselves.
SO WHY DID WE SELL? That success inspired us to look for a larger, waterfront property—I knew firsthand how powerful the water element was for business.
By then, I had earned my Maine real estate license (after starting in Maryland) and listed our inn with The Swan Agency. Soon, I was representing other inns as well—16 listings before we even sold our own. When the recession hit in 2008–2009, our search for the next inn went on hold, but I found a new passion: hospitality brokerage. What began as a pivot became my calling, and since then I’ve dedicated myself exclusively to helping others buy and sell Maine’s most iconic inns, B&Bs, hotels, motels, restaurants, and hospitality properties.
And I don’t just talk the talk. In March 2021, I invested alongside partners in Smuggler’s Cove Inn, a 54-unit waterfront resort in East Boothbay. Combined with my years as an innkeeper at The Kingsleigh and two years leasing The Pomegranate Inn in Portland, this investor perspective keeps me deeply connected to today’s hospitality industry and the nuances of seasonal versus year-round operations.
Beyond brokerage, I bring 35+ years of experience in commercial real estate management and budgeting, adding social media marketing, design, and photography since 2009. I’m also a cookbook author, former Stonewall Kitchen cooking instructor, award-winning lobster chef, and unapologetic foodie. My love for Maine hospitality, tourism, and lifestyle fuels everything I do.
At my core, I believe in transparency, responsiveness, and bringing both creativity and financial savvy to the table. I’m equal parts right brain and left brain—passionate about food, art, and lifestyle, yet energized by numbers, spreadsheets, and strategy.
Above all, I’m an advocate for my clients and will work tirelessly to help them succeed. Because in the end, inn ownership isn’t just a business—it’s a home, a lifestyle, and an investment. And helping my clients find the perfect balance of all three is what I absolutely love.
I love what I do and I love to inspire...so please, let me know what I can do for you!
Check out my SALES HISTORY and Inns for Sale
Understanding Brokerage Relationships
Read my top 12 blog post topics helpful to buyers and sellers (financing, tax benefits, valuation, why are they selling, etc)