Meet Our Team

Amy Paternite is a Partner and Global Luxury Certified Agent at The Good Life Group at Coldwell Banker, the #1 ranked real estate team in Maplewood in 2025 by Real Trends Verified and the #1 top-producing team at Coldwell Banker Maplewood since the team's founding in November 2022. With 20 years as a licensed REALTOR® and a 5 Star Professional award winner for over a decade, the Good Life Group serves Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, Bloomfield, Montclair, Glen Ridge, Summit, Millburn, Short Hills, Livingston, and Morristown—primarily NYC suburbs along the NJ Transit Midtown Direct line with a commute under an hour to NY Penn Station.

Amy and her partner, Ben Garrison, also Global Luxury Certified, along with teammate Sara Brown, close 40+ transactions annually and achieved $42M in sales volume in 2025. While the average home in the South Orange/Maplewood (SOMA) market sold at 111% of asking price, The Good Life Group averaged 123% of asking price, outperforming the SOMA market by 12%, a performance unmatched by any other team.

A recipient of the NCJAR Circle of Excellence every year since 2009, Amy has built a reputation for unbeatable local wisdom, innovative marketing, and tough negotiation in New Jersey's competitive residential market. With 101 five-star Google reviews and 151 five-star Zillow reviews, Amy and The Good Life Group deliver a boutique, concierge-level experience for clients buying and selling homes and first-time properties, with an average price point exceeding $1M. Amy's extensive network of contractors, tradespeople, and fellow agents, combined with her detail-obsessed team, ensures seamless logistics and full-suite marketing at every stage of the transaction.

Before discovering her passion for real estate in 2006, Amy spent a decade as the owner of a boutique music industry public relations firm, honing the problem-solving and negotiating skills that now benefit her clients daily. A South Orange resident since 2003, Amy is deeply involved in her community, volunteering weekly at The Interfaith Food Pantry of The Oranges, serving on the JCRC of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, and supporting the Achieve Foundation for the SOMA School District. Amy lives in the Newstead neighborhood of South Orange with her husband Ryan, two children, and their dog Cheech.

As a top-producing Broker Sales Associate for the last 13 years, Ben Garrison brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every real estate transaction. Respected and trusted by his peers and clients alike, Ben strives to build long lasting relationships founded on exceptional service. Clients describe Ben as a passionate, innovative, and calm partner, always willing to go above and beyond to get the job done. Working in the music industry in London and NYC for 15 years as a Grammy-nominated recording engineer taught Ben the importance of collaborating creatively with others. While running his own business, he developed strong marketing techniques and a commitment to the customer experience. His clients appreciate his negotiation skills, local knowledge, and attention to detail.

Born and raised in New York City, Ben made the transition to Maplewood in 2004 and quickly grew to appreciate how much it had to offer. As a true community ambassador, he loves to celebrate the amazing beauty, culture, diversity and lifestyle the area provides. When not practicing real estate, Ben enjoys playing guitar, marathon and trail running, traveling and spending time with family and friends. He actively supports Project Purple, the Achieve Foundation for the SOMA School District, and volunteers in the local schools.

Ben takes great pride in providing a luxury experience for his clients, with a focus on understanding their needs and taking the stress out of the transaction. which result in creating clients for life. Ben lives in Maplewood with his wife, three children, and their cats, Lyra and Fern.

Sara is a highly skilled real estate agent with over seven years of experience in the Brooklyn and New Jersey areas. Prior to her successful career in real estate, Sara had a thriving career as a performer in New York City, which provided her with invaluable lessons in communication, perseverance, and adaptability.

As a buyer's agent, Sara leverages her extensive market knowledge, tenacity, and creativity to ensure that her clients make the best possible offer. When it comes to listing properties, Sara has a deep understanding of the target audience and is skilled at collaborating with her curated team of experts at The Good Life Group to ensure maximum return on investment for her clients.

On a personal note, Sara understands firsthand the challenges that come with searching for the perfect home. When her family outgrew their Greenpoint, Brooklyn apartment, she explored every commutable option before choosing the SOMA community in Maplewood. Today, Sara takes full advantage of all that the area has to offer, from walking with her children to the charming downtown, to hiking the many trails in the South Mountain Reservation, to singing in the Maplewood Popchoir and attending family meet-up events.

Sara is committed to being a valuable resource for her clients in both the NYC and New Jersey markets, and is passionate about helping them make the leap of faith to the suburbs with excitement and confidence. With Sara's expertise and the support of the Good Life Group, you can be confident that your real estate needs will be met with the utmost professionalism and care.