During her time in Whitianga, Mary and her husband Ross have been staunch personal supporters of the Coastguard body and the Mercury Bay Art Escape organisation as they promoted the works of local artists and crafters.
Her two Bayleys branches have been sponsors of organisations like Surf Lifesaving and the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Walker says she had a fantastic time running Bayleys in Whitianga and Thames, but the past two years under Covid have really shown her and Ross the importance of family.
"So we're going to enjoy life ... with the kids and see more of the country. Hopefully, international travel will get easier too, so we can see a bit more of the world as well."
She says she also wants to spend more time with her daughter at their co-owned horse breeding and training stables in the Waikato, but she and Ross will still be based in Whitianga.
"[We] will still be actively involved with Coastguard and Art Escape, so you'll still see us out there fishing or wandering around the local arts scene ..."
Incoming Bayleys Whitianga and Thames co-owner Chris Bayley is the son of company founder Graham Bayley. He says he is excited about taking over from Walker in what has become one of the agency's most successful provincial locations.
Bayley has been working in the family business since the 1980s, establishing the company's South Auckland office, selling real estate, and managing various commercial property teams at the company's head office.
He says Walker had done an outstanding job in building the Bayleys brand throughout the Coromandel.
"For years I've been reading about Aucklanders getting out of the 'big smoke' to a much more rewarding quality of life in the regions, and the past couple of years under Covid restrictions have certainly driven home that message to me personally."
Fellow shareholder Shaun Paterson, too, has a strong family link to Bayleys because his father Garry worked in real estate - under Mary Walker.
Paterson spent his formative years in Whitianga, but also worked for Bayleys in Auckland. He just returned home to live in the area with his wife and their young baby, after working in the corporate real estate sector in London for 11 years.
He said while there may be new personnel from a leadership perspective, the salespeople and administration team in the offices were still the same.
"Karl, Chris and I already have deep-rooted networks across the Coromandel and a passion for the local area. We are excited about working with clients ... as the area continues to grow and evolve."
The third shareholder is Karl Davis, a top Hauraki Plains rural real estate salesman and long-time member of the Hauraki North Rugby Club.
Bayleys is New Zealand's largest full-service real estate agency with a network of 90 offices nationwide, employing more than 2000 staff.
