Meet The Team
Marion B. Rafferty,
MVA, Broker
Born one of ten children in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, I learned quickly how to care and share from the best parents and siblings! After emigrating to Canada in 1975, my husband got a job with BMO in Aurora and I was a stay-at-home mum raising 3 wonderful kids whilst doing home daycare, selling Tupperware and Mary Kay and running my own cleaning company. This allowed me to be home for the kids during the day, as well as giving me time to be active volunteering with various associations in the community.
My first job in Canada as a real estate secretary in Aurora, drew me to the business and I decided to become a realtor, earning my Broker’s License and an MVA (Market Value Appraiser). After many successful years of real estate, gaining the loyalty, respect and friendships of many clients, associates and referrals from family and friends, I asked a very special and amazing lady to join me as my business partner.
As Shirley mentioned, one day we spoke on the phone and when we met in person, it sure was the “Luck of the Irish” as we knew we would be best friends and strong successful business women.
Shirley I Russell,
Broker
Born and raised in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland just like Marion, meant our cultural backgrounds, if not exactly the same, were remarkably similar [hence why she seems like a sister to me]. With my hubby of just 2 weeks, I emigrated to Canada in 1975, bought our first home in Unionville in 1978 and lived for a while in the Markham area. Dipped my toes in real estate in 1981 but moved back to N. Ireland in 1988 for a family business and returned to Canada in 1996 [with our 3 kids – now experienced ‘pond jumpers’].
After working in the Markham real estate market for a few years, my husband and I settled with the kids in Aurora, where we were active in the community. Whilst working in an Aurora Brokerage, I picked up the phone one day and heard that sweet Northern Ireland accent and my heart swelled – it was Marion! A few days later she popped into the office to ‘put a face to the name’ and the friendship began. It was when I joined Sutton Group Future Realty Inc in 2004 and she offered to share her office that the Rafferty & Russell Team was born! We proved wrong the naysayer at our first open house who told us “I’ll give you 6 months” and after 17 highly successful, Award Winning years we are still going strong.
My hubby and I have lived on the waterfront in Barrie, close to 2 of our children and grandchildren, for 3 years and love it!
