About the Mavins Group

Susan Devaney is the founder and CEO of The Mavins Group, LLC, a move management and real estate sales company serving New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. She began Moving Mavins in April 2007 to help families navigate changes often associated with age and lifestyle transitions and moving from one home to another. She expanded the company into The Mavins Group in 2012 to include a real estate sales team with Keller Williams® Realty (KW) and expanded the Mavins’ services further in 2022 when she became a certified KW Real Estate Planner. The Mavins Group provides end-to-end services with move management, staging, and concierge services to make families’ moves as seamless and economical as possible.

Keller Williams® Real Estate Planner Community (a program to which only one of every 100 applicants is accepted) is a KW-exclusive certification program that prepares Realtors to guide families in planning investment strategies, wealth transfer among generations, and tax savings through real estate. Susan was recently appointed a Regional Ambassador for the New York – Tri-State region. As a Real Estate planner, Susan and her team support home sellers and buyers beyond a real estate transaction. The Mavins provide expert guidance in strategic planning in all aspects of real estate investments and management for both residential and commercial properties. Susan and the Mavins cadre of colleagues can guide families through strategic wealth planning and transfer, tax planning.

Susan is a past President and long-serving board member of the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) - the leading organization for move managers.

Susan has created an affiliate network of trusted professionals and skilled tradespeople to help their clients smoothly maneuver through moves and changes to the homes they love, as family needs change over time.

Growing up, Susan watched her parent’s roles in caring for and guiding family and their community - her father as a minister and educator, and her mother as a nurse. Susan’s mom was frequently the designated family “downsizer”, with many aunts and uncles without children, and for both sets of her grandparents and a few great-grandparents.

No surprise that Susan has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Community Planning and Development with an emphasis in gerontology. She has covered aging issues on a national level as a reporter on Capitol Hill and now specializes in these same concerns, one family at a time.

In 2022 Susan joined with Matt Paxton and Neil Patel in their work telling family stories through their PBS show “Legacy List”. Susan is working with the Legacy List team to provide a trusted source of information and referrals for families across the nation when they are planning moves, especially when those moves include the massive task of “downsizing”. Legacy Lists’ focus on the value of honoring family history and stories to keep them alive and treasured for generations to come fits exactly with the mission of The Mavins Group. Changing a family residence is truly so much more than a move.

Susan is an active member of numerous community and professional organizations related to supporting families through all life changes that impact our housing needs in and around living logistics. She has a range of real estate focussed qualifications and certifications including specific knowledge of Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs), 1031 Exchanges and Senior Relocation Services.

Through Susan’s network of contacts and partners, she has also supported international and interstate moves. Susan and her husband are parents to three sons and live in Westfield, New Jersey.

Credentials

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Susan Devaney

CEO, REALTOR ASSOCIATE

Growing up as the daughter of a minister, Susan Devaney had the privilege of knowing her grandparents and her great grandmothers. Raised in the age-old tradition of respect for elders, she learned how caring for the senior members of a family offered important lessons for the entire family.

Susan and her team love working with individuals and families (of all ages), one household at a time.

Ashley Cusik

REALTOR

Ashley Cusick is a Westfield, NJ resident who comes to Keller Williams with twenty years of experience managing Global Production and Product Development in the fashion industry. A creative problem solver with a can-do attitude and a proven record of success in negotiations, she enjoys using her skills to help other families find a home where memories are made.

Peggy Brugg

REFFERAL AGENT

As the proud daughter of an architect, a career transition into the real estate industry made sense. Excited about sharing my 25 years of legal-compliance experience and international background with a team that values service, excellence and collaboration, I joined The Mavins Group and Keller Williams.

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Testimonials

Testimonials Blog

What they are saying!

"Dear Maureen, Thanks so much for the wonderful move. I still can’t get over how beautiful and organized everything looks. My friends who have been over to visit are amazed and all comment that it looks like I have lived here for a month! I sent a friend in Washington some pictures and she commented that she would like a mavin to come to live with her! You have made a difficult situation so much easier."

- Susan F : 5/2016

What they are saying!

When we first decided to sell our Westfield house in February, 2015, I contacted Susan. She came in and respectfully and professionally put together a checklist of items that she recommended to be done in order to best showcase our home. She put me in touch with the appropriate people who accomplished the "to do" list. These workmen did excellent work in a timely fashion. Our home was listed in mid March and sold late May. It was amazing!

What they are saying!

Susan has been helping us look for a home and has been outstanding. We cannot recommend her enough as she has made sure we haven't overbid or let great opportunities and investments go. Not to mention her Mavins team is fantastic. If she is not available, there is always someone just as qualified and helpful available to show us homes and provide insight.

- Jeff Perrella : 1/23/2017

What they are saying!

Susan Devaney has been with us every step of the way as we have searched for our new home. She has worked tirelessly on our behalf to help is identify properties and quickly lined up homes for us to view. In such a competitive market, you want someone as timely, prepared, and knowledge as Susan Devaney. We feel incredibly lucky that we have had the true pleasure of working with her – she and her team are fantastic! I cannot recommend Susan Devaney more highly.

- Zuser : 3/16/17

What they are Saying!

If you want to buy/sell the house in New Jersey, no need to look around. Contact Cheryl Siko and/or her team and you will find out. Not only she has extensive experience and knowledge, but also she has warmest heart for her clients. Have you heard real estate agent on call 24x7? Not in my previous experience until I meet Cheryl and her team. Any question you ask, they will communicate back to you either real time or asap, never go to another day/night. You will have a good night sleep since you feel she and her team care, and they are always there for you!

In the open house and closing walk through, Cheryl helped me to understand the land, house, structure, component, material, gardening, how to do home improvement, pros and cons. It is not just the house I bought. I also learn how to build the healthy relationship with the house.

There could be expected events during the real estate process. I can not imagine to get my deal done without the help from her and her team. A lot of this or that regulation in the township and mortgage bank may scare the seller and buyer, delay or even jeopardize the deal. Hiring the best professionals like Cheryl will make your life easy and comfortable in the whole transaction.

- TestaOtesta1 : 5/19/17

What they are saying!

When my husband and I hired Cheryl Siko, one of the associates of the The Mavins Group, I was surprised to find out that I also got the second person, Susan Devaney, who worked on my case together with the associate. Both Susan and Cheryl oversaw the daily progress of my case, on call 24x7, and communicated with me with detailed information of status and issues almost every day. They considered and respected your interests and concerns very seriously. I cannot thank Susan enough for her help and guideline.

The most impressive part is that Susan knows how to negotiate with other parties, when to press buttons, make decisions, to then finally get the things done. Not all real estate transactions run smoothly. Unexpected events may happen one by one. I am lucky to have Susan and her team to work together to overcome challenges and find solutions.

Some people may want to do real estate transactions without agents and attorneys. Well, it may or may not work. I believe majority of ordinary people should hire best professionals like Susan and Cheryl. Government regulations and/or mortgage applications are too complicated and may cause the deal abort. Susan and her team have excellent experience, knowledge and ability to handle challenges. Contact them to find out yourself.

- TestaOtesta1 : 5/20/17

What they are saying!

Faced the task of downsizing her older parents while caring for one with dementia. She hired the Mavins to help and said: "The energy and enthusiasm was contagious. The Mavins were very focused on the job and really helped distinguish what should be kept and why. The people were exceptional on all levels. Professional but still friendly and compassionate."

When asked if she would recommend our services, she said:
Absolutely. There is no way we would have been able to downsize from a 3-story house to a one bedroom apartment, and deal with all the stuff, without their advice and efforts.

- Deborah : 6/15/17

What they are Saying!

“Someone planning a move — for themselves or for a loved one — could not choose a better partner to help them than The Mavins Group. Their team of professionals will put you at ease from the moment you engage them.

Moving is such a stressful and overwhelming task, and they make it so so comfortable to do. Their time-tested methodology, their cheerful “can-do” attitude, their willingness to do as little or as much as you might need or want, and their overall professionalism is beyond compare.

The Mavins Group helped manage a move for an 88-year-old cousin from whom I live some 1,200 miles away. They met with her several times and helped hold her hand during the entire process of organizing and closing out her house. They were patient, respectful, firm, and very very pleasant in their dealings with her onsite and in their dealings with me from afar.

They were amazingly transparent with their communication, their fees, their scope of work, and all the small odds and ends that arise during a move. And they never got flustered even though we had many changes during the whole process.

They engage the services of other professionals with whom they have had extensive dealings, and the whole process works like a fine-tuned machine.

My cousin’s house was packed and moved in a day and a half and then unpacked in a half-day. The Mavins Group organized the disposal of items for various nonprofit groups, as well as the disposal of items that were simply to be thrown away. They made it so easy for my cousin, which allowed her to focus on the important things — getting ready for a very significant life change in event – a move from her home of over 30 years.

I simply can’t recommend them highly enough.

A very satisfied customer, "Paul”

- Paul -6/27/2018

What they are saying!

“Susan and the Mavins Group are five stars all the way. I do not think I could have managed this sale without her. I have dealt with other agents before and by far Susan was the most knowledgeable and most responsive. By nature, I am a very nervous person. Susan guided me throughout this process and had to talk me "off the ledge" many times. Her team is professional and attentive and each one knew haw to effectively answer my questions and keep me from having a breakdown. She also facilitated providing me with every service I could use from a contractor to a mover. She was my moving concierge. KUDOS TO HER AND HER TEAM!!!!! The BEST!!”

- Eyergalonis 6/12/2017

What they are saying!

“Although I did not ultimately buy or rent another place, it was great to deal with Cheryl. She cares about people and knows a great deal about the local market. Plus, she is willing to spend a great deal of time getting to understand her prospect.”