MELONY SWASEY
PRINCIPAL AND TEAM FOUNDER, REALTOR®
Affiliated with Unlimited Sotheby’s International Realty, Melony Swasey founded the Good Boston Living team, regarded for providing intimate, insightful advising to discerning clients buying and selling homes in and around Boston.
For Melony, the joy in real estate sales is forging genuine, trusting relationships. Since 2010, she’s worked closely with home buyers and sellers of all stages of life, guiding them to intelligent, winning decisions.
With a keen understanding of subtle market dynamics, Melony helps clients clearly define their needs in the context of the Boston area’s fast-moving markets. Always thinking ahead, she loves to champion a clever plan. And her highly competent team attends with thorough, thoughtful service.
With a degree in urban and regional studies from Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning, Melony settled in Boston’s Jamaica Plain in 2004. A first-generation American whose family hails from Jamaica, Melony is queer, vegan, and is a 20-year yoga practitioner.
Community leadership:
Melony chairs the board of trustees of The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts, a nearly 350-year-old nonprofit that teaches woodworking, painting and other manual arts to people of all ages and backgrounds––from its 1830s schoolhouse as well as in public schools and community centers throughout Boston.
Melony also serves on the board of Black History in Action for Cambridgeport, which is preserving the historic sanctuary building of Saint Augustine’s African Orthodox Church and reviving its pan-African community service legacy in Cambridge.
KELSIE EVANS
Operations Director and Agent
A resourceful marketing maven, Kelsie works closely with Melony and Ashley to distinguish and widely promote each property listing, from print and email to social media and video––sharing our client stories along the way. She designs open houses as festive events, and will even partner with local artists as part of staging a space. And as team manager, Kelsie oversees a high quality experience for our clients and our team.
In the community: Kelsie formerly launched chocolate products and managed a cafe for the Fair Trade co-op Equal Exchange, and hosted community events for Roslindale Village Main Street. A Rozzie mom tending an urban homestead with backyard chickens, throwing full-themed kid parties is her love language.
PETER RODRIGUEZ
RENTAL AND SALES AGENT
Peter works with buyers to understand their needs and helps them successfully navigate the market. With 10 years experience in retail customer service, Peter helps provide a smooth experience for clients, from coordinating property showings and open house schedules to facilitating inspections and final walk-throughs.
In the community: Boston born and raised, Peter enjoys being outdoors––especially hiking around Arnold Arboretum or the Blue Hills, or walking his family’s dog in Roslindale. He previously worked for a home staging company and has an appreciation for interior design.
ASHLEY SYMONS
MARKETING MANAGER
A creative storyteller and content creator, Ashley crafts compelling digital and print marketing to cleverly promote our clients’ property listings. From social media to print brochures, she enjoys helping folks understand the special Good Boston Living experience. Ashley previously spearheaded digital marketing for Equal Exchange co-op, and planned events and social campaigns to support neighborhood small businesses.
In the community: Ashley enjoys local restaurants, live music, and gardening in her yard. A Kalamazoo, Mich. native, she recently returned to the Midwest with her wife and two cats after 14 years in New England––and she’s deft at working remotely!
BRETT WEST
TEAM ADMINISTRATOR
Our team’s organizational expert, Brett manages our calendars, client transactions, and team logistics to ensure key dates are met and clients know what to expect at each step of their purchase or sale. From conducting initial property research to delivering documents to the closing table, Brett is there to shepherd the process. Brett has a background in wellness, diversity education, and performance arts.
In the community: Brett is currently recording an album with his band, Mnemonist. He bikes year-round and was formerly a stage crew member at Blue Man Group.
JAY BALABAN
TEAM ADJUNCT, REALTOR®
A trusted partner and colleague to Melony, Jay Balaban brings over 15 years of residential real estate sales experience, including initially as a real estate paralegal. Jay joins in to help serve clients who have unusual or historic properties to sell, or whose search is in the outer suburbs and rural regions. Jay’s trademark kindness may also find him notarizing a document or updating smoke detectors for closing.
