Join North Shore realtor Debbie Caniff of Coldwell Banker Realty as she uncovers the strategic analysis, local expertise, and human touch that turn potentially stressful real estate deals into seamless closings. With a CPA background fueling her pricing, offers, and negotiations, Debbie serves buyers and sellers from countryside to seaside across Lynnfield, Marblehead, and beyond, backed by a brand synonymous with integrity and technology.
Debbie debunks agent stereotypes, revealing the behind-the-scenes work—resolving title issues, bridging appraisals, and coordinating teams—while sharing how personal challenges like losing parents and overcoming bullying shaped her commitment to dignity and alliance in every transaction. Whether you're in the market or curious about top-tier representation, gain insights on prioritizing local knowledge, empathy in negotiations, and what truly drives success.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Yuan Godfrey.
SPEAKER_01 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Today we have the distinctpleasure of introducing to our
listeners Debbie Cannett.
She is the realtor for ColdwellBankers Realty here in the North
Shore area.
Debbie, how are you thismorning?
I'm doing great, Yuan.
How are you?
I am fantastic.
(00:33):
Thank you for asking.
Debbie, can you please tell ourlisteners a little bit about
your service in ColdwellBankers?
Well, sure.
SPEAKER_02 (00:41):
I've been a realtor for over 22 years with Cobwell
Banker Realty, with officesthroughout the country and
internationally, actually.
Cobwell Banker was founded backin 1906.
So we are one of the oldestbrands in the country.
And Coldwell Banker has beenalso in the forefront of
technology and integrity.
(01:02):
And that's one of the reasonsI've stayed with it.
It's always provided me withwhat I've needed to be a better
realtor and provide the bestservices to my clients.
So I work out of both theLinfield and the Marblehead,
Massachusetts offices.
I lived in Linfield for over 33years, and I've been in
Swampscott for 12 years.
(01:25):
So, you know, generally realtorswork mainly in the areas in
which they've lived.
So one of my taglines isactually from countryside to
seaside.
And basically, I've hadexpensive extensive knowledge in
the real estate market in mostof the North Shore communities.
So my clients actually includeboth sellers and buyers, and my
(01:50):
price range for my sales rangeanywhere from 700,000 to 4.3
million.
So no matter what the pricerange, my clients always tell me
that they have felt like I'vehad their best interest at heart
and was truly an ally for them.
And that's what you know makesmy job so rewarding.
(02:11):
This real estate business, it'sa people business, and there are
many personalities withdifferent wants and needs.
So as a realtor, we wear many,many hats.
We are consultants, decorators,stagers, planners, confidants,
and often psychologists, youknow, things that are unofficial
(02:32):
in our capacity, but we still doit.
So it's been a great career forme.
SPEAKER_01 (02:38):
Beautiful.
So what's the backstory?
How did you get into thisbusiness?
SPEAKER_02 (02:45):
So uh I graduated from Boston College with a
degree in in accounting andbusiness management.
And I earned my uh CPA andworked for one of the large
accounting firms in Boston forseveral years.
I did take a hiatus and was ableto raise my children and not
work.
And that was a great blessingthat I was able to have.
(03:06):
But I was always very active involunteering and then holding
leadership positions in my town,my church, and my kids' schools.
So when it was time to go backinto the workforce, I parlayed
my skills uh in organization andplanning and analysis and my
attention to detail to anindustry that I was really
(03:27):
interested in, which wasresidential real estate.
I love housing, I love gettinginto different properties,
seeing what it's all about.
And I really do enjoy workingwith people so much.
So it was a great fit for me.
And you know, I find it it'sstill rewarding because I feel
like I'm serving, you know,people's interests and being,
(03:50):
you know, a trusted advisor andhelping them achieve their
goals.
SPEAKER_01 (03:55):
Great, great.
So great.
So, Debbie, what are some mythsor misconception surrounding
your industry and your service?
SPEAKER_02 (04:06):
Well, uh, that's an interesting question.
Um so sometimes I think thatpeople feel that us realtors are
are like Vanna White from Wheelof Fortune.
You know, we show up in a niceoutfit, we do a little bit of
work, we smile, and then we walkaway with a check.
And I don't think that peoplerealize all the time, thought,
(04:28):
and stress that actually goes onbehind the scenes.
Um, clients really don't seewhat we're doing to make the
transactions go smoothly.
Um, we try to make the processseamless for our clients.
Um, sometimes there's some dramagoing on uh in the background
that we try to solve withoutinvolving the client to make the
(04:52):
experience as positive as wecan.
And that's the things thatpeople just don't see is the
time and the energy going onbehind the scenes.
Understood.
So outside of work, what do youthink fun, Debbie?
Well, I really enjoy hanging outwith my family.
You know, my children are grown,I have five grandchildren, and I
(05:13):
just love, you know, babysittingor playing games with them.
Uh, I like to do things withthem.
I go to museums, you know, we goto sporting events, I watch them
play in their own games.
So I really enjoy spending timewith my family, but um, I do
really enjoy golf.
I'm a terrible golfer, but Ilove the game and I enjoy the
(05:34):
outdoors.
And again, being with some of myuh people that I play golf with.
Um, I'm a better tennis playerthan a golfer, and I really
enjoy tennis a lot.
And I do love my flowers and mygardens.
So I spend a fair amount of timetaking care and creating my
gardens and picking my flowersand doing some flower arranging.
(05:55):
So I have I am very blessed withwhat I'm able to do and what I'm
able to actually enjoy what Ido.
SPEAKER_01 (06:02):
All sounds relaxing and very, very grounded.
SPEAKER_02 (06:07):
Well, it it's been uh I've I've been blessed with a
wonderful life.
I have got a great husband andwonderful kids and a career that
I enjoy.
So life is good.
SPEAKER_01 (06:18):
Beautiful.
Thank you.
So, Debbie, changing gears, canyou describe for our listeners
one hardship or one of life'schallenge that you rose above
and can now say that because ofit, you're better, you're
stronger.
What comes to your mind?
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Well, honestly, I can think of two.
Um, one of my greatest hardshipswas losing my parents, you know,
both to long-term illnesses andgoing through the process of
death.
That was very tough for me.
And to watch both my parents andmy in-laws go through it, it was
it was rough.
But one of the challenges that Ithink like define me as a person
(06:59):
was something that a lot ofpeople may have gone through in
their middle school years.
Um, when I was in seventh grade,I was the new kid in the school,
and honestly, I was bullied by abunch of seventh-grade girls who
were in the in-crowd.
And I experienced a lot of hurtand pain at the time.
I didn't understand how what Iwas doing wrong or or why they
(07:23):
were treating me so poorly.
Um, my mother was actually veryworried about me at the time,
and um she said, you know, theywere very nasty.
I still remember some of theirnames.
But in any event, um, I finishedout the seventh grade and I went
back to the original school thatI had been in before.
(07:43):
And, you know, at that point inmy life, or sometime after that,
I remember I came to resolvewith myself that I wasn't going
to let my self-worth bedetermined by somebody else.
You know, I it it actually mademe want to achieve things and
work hard in my own right sothat I could be independent of
(08:04):
other people and what theythought of me.
So I think, secondly, and mostimportantly, it actually taught
me never to be unkind to anotherperson.
Uh, you never know what someoneelse is going through, and you
need to have empathy for others.
Um, I truly have tried to teachmy own children to treat someone
(08:26):
the way that you would like tobe treated, you know, with
dignity and respect.
And I've tried to do that inevery aspect of my life.
Beautiful.
SPEAKER_01 (08:35):
Beautiful.
That was well said, and that wasencouraging.
Um I'm sure you were not theonly one who was bullied at some
s stages of schooling.
Thank you for sharing.
So, Debbie, can you please tellour listeners one thing they
should remember about yourservice with Coldwell Banker
Realty?
SPEAKER_02 (08:56):
Well, I try really hard to work in the best
interest of my clients.
I truly want to be their allyand and make them feel like they
have achieved what they'vewanted to achieve and work hard
to do that.
SPEAKER_01 (09:10):
Great.
How can our listeners learn moreabout you or your service?
Do you have a website?
SPEAKER_02 (09:19):
Well, I do have a website that I'm very proud of.
It's DebbieKaniff.com,D-E-B-B-I-E-C-A, and is in Nancy
I F Frankf Frank.com.
And you can check me out on thewebsite or Google me.
Um, I'm also open 24 hours aday, so they can call or text me
(09:40):
at 617-771-2827.
And you can Google me, ColdwellBanker, Debbie Kaniff.
SPEAKER_01 (09:48):
Beautiful.
Thank you so much.
Debbie, we really appreciate youbeing on the air with us today.
We wish you and your service toColdwell Bankers, Realty, all
the very best moving forward.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
It's been my pleasure.
Thank you so much, Yuan.
SPEAKER_00 (10:06):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to gnpnorthore.com.
That's gnpnorthore.com.
Or call 857 703 9406.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Yuan Godfrey.
SPEAKER_01 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Today we have the distinctpleasure of introducing to our
listeners Debbie Cannett.
She is the realtor for ColdwellBankers Realty here in the North
Shore area.
Debbie, how are you thismorning?
I'm doing great, Yuan.
How are you?
I am fantastic.
(00:33):
Thank you for asking.
Debbie, can you please tell ourlisteners a little bit about
your service in ColdwellBankers?
Well, sure.
SPEAKER_02 (00:41):
I've been a realtor for over 22 years with Cobwell
Banker Realty, with officesthroughout the country and
internationally, actually.
Cobwell Banker was founded backin 1906.
So we are one of the oldestbrands in the country.
And Coldwell Banker has beenalso in the forefront of
technology and integrity.
(01:02):
And that's one of the reasonsI've stayed with it.
It's always provided me withwhat I've needed to be a better
realtor and provide the bestservices to my clients.
So I work out of both theLinfield and the Marblehead,
Massachusetts offices.
I lived in Linfield for over 33years, and I've been in
Swampscott for 12 years.
(01:25):
So, you know, generally realtorswork mainly in the areas in
which they've lived.
So one of my taglines isactually from countryside to
seaside.
And basically, I've hadexpensive extensive knowledge in
the real estate market in mostof the North Shore communities.
So my clients actually includeboth sellers and buyers, and my
(01:50):
price range for my sales rangeanywhere from 700,000 to 4.3
million.
So no matter what the pricerange, my clients always tell me
that they have felt like I'vehad their best interest at heart
and was truly an ally for them.
And that's what you know makesmy job so rewarding.
(02:11):
This real estate business, it'sa people business, and there are
many personalities withdifferent wants and needs.
So as a realtor, we wear many,many hats.
We are consultants, decorators,stagers, planners, confidants,
and often psychologists, youknow, things that are unofficial
(02:32):
in our capacity, but we still doit.
So it's been a great career forme.
SPEAKER_01 (02:38):
Beautiful.
So what's the backstory?
How did you get into thisbusiness?
SPEAKER_02 (02:45):
So uh I graduated from Boston College with a
degree in in accounting andbusiness management.
And I earned my uh CPA andworked for one of the large
accounting firms in Boston forseveral years.
I did take a hiatus and was ableto raise my children and not
work.
And that was a great blessingthat I was able to have.
(03:06):
But I was always very active involunteering and then holding
leadership positions in my town,my church, and my kids' schools.
So when it was time to go backinto the workforce, I parlayed
my skills uh in organization andplanning and analysis and my
attention to detail to anindustry that I was really
(03:27):
interested in, which wasresidential real estate.
I love housing, I love gettinginto different properties,
seeing what it's all about.
And I really do enjoy workingwith people so much.
So it was a great fit for me.
And you know, I find it it'sstill rewarding because I feel
like I'm serving, you know,people's interests and being,
(03:50):
you know, a trusted advisor andhelping them achieve their
goals.
SPEAKER_01 (03:55):
Great, great.
So great.
So, Debbie, what are some mythsor misconception surrounding
your industry and your service?
SPEAKER_02 (04:06):
Well, uh, that's an interesting question.
Um so sometimes I think thatpeople feel that us realtors are
are like Vanna White from Wheelof Fortune.
You know, we show up in a niceoutfit, we do a little bit of
work, we smile, and then we walkaway with a check.
And I don't think that peoplerealize all the time, thought,
(04:28):
and stress that actually goes onbehind the scenes.
Um, clients really don't seewhat we're doing to make the
transactions go smoothly.
Um, we try to make the processseamless for our clients.
Um, sometimes there's some dramagoing on uh in the background
that we try to solve withoutinvolving the client to make the
(04:52):
experience as positive as wecan.
And that's the things thatpeople just don't see is the
time and the energy going onbehind the scenes.
Understood.
So outside of work, what do youthink fun, Debbie?
Well, I really enjoy hanging outwith my family.
You know, my children are grown,I have five grandchildren, and I
(05:13):
just love, you know, babysittingor playing games with them.
Uh, I like to do things withthem.
I go to museums, you know, we goto sporting events, I watch them
play in their own games.
So I really enjoy spending timewith my family, but um, I do
really enjoy golf.
I'm a terrible golfer, but Ilove the game and I enjoy the
(05:34):
outdoors.
And again, being with some of myuh people that I play golf with.
Um, I'm a better tennis playerthan a golfer, and I really
enjoy tennis a lot.
And I do love my flowers and mygardens.
So I spend a fair amount of timetaking care and creating my
gardens and picking my flowersand doing some flower arranging.
(05:55):
So I have I am very blessed withwhat I'm able to do and what I'm
able to actually enjoy what Ido.
SPEAKER_01 (06:02):
All sounds relaxing and very, very grounded.
SPEAKER_02 (06:07):
Well, it it's been uh I've I've been blessed with a
wonderful life.
I have got a great husband andwonderful kids and a career that
I enjoy.
So life is good.
SPEAKER_01 (06:18):
Beautiful.
Thank you.
So, Debbie, changing gears, canyou describe for our listeners
one hardship or one of life'schallenge that you rose above
and can now say that because ofit, you're better, you're
stronger.
What comes to your mind?
SPEAKER_02 (06:36):
Well, honestly, I can think of two.
Um, one of my greatest hardshipswas losing my parents, you know,
both to long-term illnesses andgoing through the process of
death.
That was very tough for me.
And to watch both my parents andmy in-laws go through it, it was
it was rough.
But one of the challenges that Ithink like define me as a person
(06:59):
was something that a lot ofpeople may have gone through in
their middle school years.
Um, when I was in seventh grade,I was the new kid in the school,
and honestly, I was bullied by abunch of seventh-grade girls who
were in the in-crowd.
And I experienced a lot of hurtand pain at the time.
I didn't understand how what Iwas doing wrong or or why they
(07:23):
were treating me so poorly.
Um, my mother was actually veryworried about me at the time,
and um she said, you know, theywere very nasty.
I still remember some of theirnames.
But in any event, um, I finishedout the seventh grade and I went
back to the original school thatI had been in before.
(07:43):
And, you know, at that point inmy life, or sometime after that,
I remember I came to resolvewith myself that I wasn't going
to let my self-worth bedetermined by somebody else.
You know, I it it actually mademe want to achieve things and
work hard in my own right sothat I could be independent of
(08:04):
other people and what theythought of me.
So I think, secondly, and mostimportantly, it actually taught
me never to be unkind to anotherperson.
Uh, you never know what someoneelse is going through, and you
need to have empathy for others.
Um, I truly have tried to teachmy own children to treat someone
(08:26):
the way that you would like tobe treated, you know, with
dignity and respect.
And I've tried to do that inevery aspect of my life.
Beautiful.
SPEAKER_01 (08:35):
Beautiful.
That was well said, and that wasencouraging.
Um I'm sure you were not theonly one who was bullied at some
s stages of schooling.
Thank you for sharing.
So, Debbie, can you please tellour listeners one thing they
should remember about yourservice with Coldwell Banker
Realty?
SPEAKER_02 (08:56):
Well, I try really hard to work in the best
interest of my clients.
I truly want to be their allyand and make them feel like they
have achieved what they'vewanted to achieve and work hard
to do that.
SPEAKER_01 (09:10):
Great.
How can our listeners learn moreabout you or your service?
Do you have a website?
SPEAKER_02 (09:19):
Well, I do have a website that I'm very proud of.
It's DebbieKaniff.com,D-E-B-B-I-E-C-A, and is in Nancy
I F Frankf Frank.com.
And you can check me out on thewebsite or Google me.
Um, I'm also open 24 hours aday, so they can call or text me
(09:40):
at 617-771-2827.
And you can Google me, ColdwellBanker, Debbie Kaniff.
SPEAKER_01 (09:48):
Beautiful.
Thank you so much.
Debbie, we really appreciate youbeing on the air with us today.
We wish you and your service toColdwell Bankers, Realty, all
the very best moving forward.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
It's been my pleasure.
Thank you so much, Yuan.
SPEAKER_00 (10:06):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on the
show, go to gnpnorthore.com.
That's gnpnorthore.com.
Or call 857 703 9406.
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