Archive for April, 2008
The Downeast Region - Waterfront Property By Sea and By Lake
April 29th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
If you seek the quintessential Maine coast experience, this area of Maine - from Stonington and Castine, through Blue Hill, Acadia and Bar Harbor, Ellsworth, and on up the coast and inland to Schoodic Point, Cherryfield, Milbridge, and Columbia Falls - offers visitors and locals alike everything one could ask for in a Maine coastal experience.
Acadia Park, Bar Harbor, and Mount Desert Island are known all over the world for their scenic beauty and history. The Blue Hill area and south to Deer Isle and Stonington are pure coastal Maine - a spare population, busy, working harbors, lobster traps, chugging boats, and the cries of the seagulls overhead. For many, this is what Maine is all about and what has drawn people to this area since Samuel de Champlain first gazed on Cadillac Mountain 500 years ago.
Volumes have been filled waxing poetic about this area of Maine. However, one of the attractions of this area that is little mentioned is the proximity and beauty of the mid-coastal mountains and how they surround many wonderful clear lakes and ponds.
These bodies of water have an abundance of sandy beaches, glacial rock deposits, and a network of hiking trails. In addition to the great boating and fishing, you can find a wide diversity of wildlife and unspoiled, regional fauna. Establish a foothold on any of these fresh water bodies and enjoy all the aforementioned inland beauty while being a stone’s throw from the Maine coast and the Great Atlantic.
Among the lakes and ponds you’ll find here are Walker Pond, Toddy Pond, and Wight Pond in the Blue Hill area. Then, as you move east and north, beyond Ellsworth, you’ll find Graham Lake, Green Lake, and Beech Hill Pond, as well as Upper, Middle and Lower Lead Mountain Ponds, Rocky Pond, Spectacle Pond, Molasses Pond, Webb Pond, Abrams Pond, Tunk Lake, Beddington Lake, and Pleasant River Lake.
From fresh water fun and recreation to the majesty of the ocean - the Downeast Region has much to recommend it.
Lakefront Locator will get you to available listings in the Downeast Region. LakeSmart is a research tool that will give you important information about area lakes.
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Engineers, Nonresidents Fuel Naples Lakefront Bridge Controversy
April 27th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Controversy continues to surround the fate of the Naples causeway bridge project as the date nears for a local, non-binding referendum vote on the bridge options May 20th.
Two items in the local newspaper point out the difficulties in deciding this question.
The first describes the response to an appeal made to the Army Corps of Engineers to designate the Standish-to-Harrison waterway a “U.S. Navigable Waterway”. Such a classification would make it incumbent upon the federal government to keep the waterway open which would impact the type of bridge that would be built to replace the aging swing bridge currently in place. The Corps of Engineers have told the town that the waterway does not qualify for such classification. However, Naples town manager Derik Goodine read the reasoning behind the judgement and felt that, given their criteria, this waterway should be classified as a “U.S. Navigable Waterway”, with all the attending benefits. He has repetitioned the Corps of Engineers and is awaiting a response. You can read the full article in our Lake News.
The other item that caught out interest was a letter to the editor of the Bridgton News that says that the referendum on May 20th is a sham because many of the people that will be affected by the bridge decision are lakefront property owners and many of them are nonresidents - and therefore not able to vote their preferences. The writer has a bit more to say, as well, and you can also read the full text in our Lake News.
As always, we will try to post updates about this controversy as they develop.
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Maine Lakefront Real Estate - Is There a Condo in Your Future?
April 25th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Now, I know what you’re thinking. When it comes to lakefront living, the thought of a condo leaves many lakefront buyers cold.
That’s because in their mind’s eye they see a concrete tower brimming with boxy units filled with indoor/outdoor carpeting, formica counters, vinyl sheet tile, avocado appliances and other vestiges of the seventies.
But, the truth is, lakefront condos in Vacationland, for the most part, are quite nicely appointed. They have woodburning fireplaces, screen porches, decks and master suites.
But what about privacy? Relax. Here in the lakes region there are no concrete hallways smelling of boiled cabbage and stale garlic. No grumpy asssociation members trying to outlaw fun.
Most condos have private entrances. Units are grouped tastefully in quads, threes, twos and even single “stand-alone”. Condominium communities feature large, beautiful sandy beaches, private boat slips, garages, and private boat launches. Some have tennis courts and playgrounds for kids.
But the real reason for the growing popularity of condos is they are, in two words, PRACTICAL and CONVENIENT. There are no walkways to shovel or driveways to plow in winter. No lawns to cut or bushes to trim from spring to fall. No putting in and taking out your dock. The exterior of your unit is painted every few years and the roof is reshingled every 15 or 20 years. Monthly association fees take care of it all. Drive up on a Friday night and there’s nothing to do but RELAX. What could be nicer?
Still skeptical? Okay, but seeing is believing. I happen to be listing a townhouse condo in Winsor Green, a lovely lakefront community in Naples right on Brandy Pond in the heart of the lakes region.
I am planning an Open House for Sunday May 4 from Noon to 3PM. Why not plan to visit and take a look. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like what you see. Consider yourself invited!
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Maine Waterfront Property - Embden Area Offers Beauty, Serenity
April 23rd, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
The Embden Region is located north of the Belgrade Lakes and south of Moosehead, about 4 1/2 hours from Boston. This sparsely populated area is dotted with small lakes and ponds and offers lakefront properties in a variety of settings and price points.
The names of the prominent towns in this area - Bingham, Solon, Caratunk, Harmony, Athens, Guilford, and Monson - are not that well-known outside of Maine, reflecting the rural nature of this region. Similarly, the lakes and ponds are not household names either - Embden Pond, Great Moose Lake, Indian Pond, Piper Pond, Lake Hebron, Sebec Lake, Whetstone Pond, Pleasant Pond, Moxie Pond, Kingsbury Pond, and Manhanock Pond - but what they may lack in size and recognition they more than make up for in offering settings for properties that reflect the timelessness and serenity of rural Maine lakefront living.
The mighty Kennebec River courses through this area from north to south and the Appalachian Trail bisects the region from west to east, meandering its way to its terminus on top of Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak. There is ample opportunity for fishing, camping and canoeing or, if you’re a little more adventurous, try one of the area white water rafting trips. Great downhill skiing is nearby, just to the west, at both Sugarloaf and Saddleback and there’s unlimited opportunities for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Lakefront Locator will get you to available listings in the Embden Lakes Area. LakeSmart is a research tool that will give you important information about area lakes.
Remember, you can change the house but you can’t change the location. So, do your homework! If you have a question or need a friend in the business let us know. We love Maine’s lakes and ponds and want to share them with you.
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Maine Lakefront Real Estate - Finding It Your Way, Phase Two
April 21st, 2008 categories: Observations and Commentary
A couple of weeks ago we announced several upgrades to the search capabilities found on our website. Today we bring another fantastic feature.
Starting today, when you do a search for properties on our website, www.mrlakefront.net, once you get the search results, you will see a button on each individual listing that says “Map It“. What this will do is actually show you the location on the lake of the listing you’re looking at on a Google map. How cool is that?!
If the specific address is not provided to us, the button will say “Lake Map” and show you a Google map of the lake that the listing is located on. Over time you will see more and more “Map It” buttons with the specific location of the property on the lake and fewer and fewer “Lake Map” buttons with the just the lake itself. We know for many of you this has been a feature you have been waiting for and will love to use over and over.
So many times when we get inquiries about a lakefront property one of the first questions we get is, “Where is this on the lake?” and “Which way is the property facing?”, or “Does this property get sunsets?” Well, while we’re still happy to answer those questions, now you will be able to see for yourself.
To try this out, go to our Lakefront Locator, pick a property type and region, select a lake size, lake name, and/or town and price range, then, when you get your results, click on the “Map It” button and see where the property is located on the lake. It’s that simple.
We still have more in store to help you find just the right property. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you posted as developments occur.
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Maine Waterfront Property - Meet the C.E.O.
April 17th, 2008 categories: Observations and Commentary
So, you’re reading this headline and thinking, “Meet the CEO - the Chief Executive Officer - of Maine Waterfront Property?!” “Huh?” “What are they talking about?!”
Well, to most of the world a CEO is a chief executive officer - the person at the head of a company who makes a six figure salary and a seven figure bonus, who is driven to work by a uniformed driver, and who wears $3000 suits, customed-made shoes, and shirts ordered in from a personal tailor in Hong Kong.
Here in the world of Maine waterfront property, though, a CEO is somewhat different. Here in Maine, a CEO can be full-time or part-time, he pulls down somewhere in the low five figures, and drives around in a 12-year-old Ford F-150 pick-up truck. He wears a pocket T-shirt in the summer, a flannel shirt in the fall and spring, and a pocket T-shirt under a flannel shirt in the winter. Ayuh.
“Who is this CEO person you’re talking about, anyway?”, you may ask. Well, he’s your local Code Enforcement Officer and if you own, or plan to own, Maine waterfront property you’d better know him - and know him well.
The CEO is an officer of the town who enforces the codes (or laws or rules or ordinances) that determine what you can and cannot do on your lakefront property. To quote the Maine Municipal Code, “Code enforcement officers are municipal officials appointed annually by the elected municipal officers of a city or town. State law requires code officials enforcing any regulations concerned with land use regulation, shoreland zoning, internal plumbing, subsurface wastewater disposal, and building standards to hold proper state certification.”
There currently exists a state shoreland zoning ordinance that provides the minimum rules and restrictions that apply to property generally within 250 feet of a lake, pond, or river. Individual towns can adopt amendments to the state ordinance, but only if it makes the ordinance more stringent and restrictive - never less. Most towns stick pretty closely to what the state has drawn up.
The CEO enforces the ordinance and makes unilateral judgements, interpretations, and recommendations. Just like a Supreme Court Justice applying the rule of law to a case, however, there is almost always room for differing opinions and no two situations (and no two CEOs, for that matter) are exactly alike when it comes to applying and enforcing the ordinance.
One of the key provisions of the state shoreland zoning ordinance is that no structure can be built within 100 feet of the water unless something previously existed there prior to the ordinance adoption in 1987. That rule brought a host of buyers who would purchase a run down camp that sat 20 feet from the water, tear it down, and build a new structure on the same footprint.
There are many rules and regulations that address what a lakefront property owner can and cannot do within that 100 foot zone. Can I cut down a tree, put in a patio, put out a dock? How far out can I put a dock? Can I add on a deck, add a second floor, or build a garage? Can I make a lawn area, plant trees and shrubs, and put up a fence down near the water so my three-year-old won’t wade in unattended? Can I spray weed killer on the poison ivy, build a campfire at night, or have a spotlight on my dock? Where does my leach field have to be in relationship to my well? Can I cut off the lower branches of the trees to allow a view to the water from my deck?
All of these questions, and many, many more, are the types of issues and situations a local CEO listens to, sees, and rules on every day.
Our advice to anyone contemplating the purchase of lakefront property is to make any offer contingent on having a satisfactory meeting with the local Code Enforcement Officer. Meet him at the property and have him tell you what you can and cannot do. Ask questions. Take notes. Be sure you understand.
The more you know about what is and is not allowed on a particular piece of shorefront property, the better off you’ll be.
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If you’d like a copy of the Maine Shoreland Zoning Ordinance, send me your email address and I’ll send it to you in a pdf file.
If you’d like to check out some of the great Maine lakefront properties currently listed for sale, use this hotlink to use our Lakefront Locator.
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Maine Lakefront Real Estate - Jetskis, the New Controversy
April 14th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
When it comes to Jetskis, or “personal watercraft ” as the manufacturers like to call them, ninety percent of lakefront homeowner opinions I’ve heard fall into two extreme positions.
Extreme Position #1: OUTLAW THEM COMPLETELY – Many believe that unlike powerboats, which are designed to take one from point A to point B, jetskis are not designed for that peaceful and benign purpose. Folks seeking thrills, excitement and a rather noisy kind of fun are drawn to jetskis like moths to a flame. To some, jetskis are to boats as “funny car” hot rods are to automobiles. A virulent strain.Most jetski owners are not oblivious to the fact that many people hate jetskis. Strangely, this does not deter them from buying jetskis. In gentler times, irritating the neighbors would be considered bad form, or at least unneighborly. Not any more. They seem to feel that “the right to own jetskis should not be infringed upon”. Their sentiment seems to be that folks who come from hundreds of miles away to enjoy the peace and tranquilty of the lake or pond are, well, just going to have to put up with us jetski owners.
Many in the “peace and quiet” crowd who yearn to commune with nature from their kayaks and canoes, generally favor the outlawing of jetskis, especially on smaller lakes and ponds.
Extreme Position #2: NO RESTRICTIONS ON JETSKIS ON ANY LAKE OR POND AT ANY TIME - Folks who hate the government interfering with our personal liberties decry the oncoming “nanny state”. “Where in the constitiution does it say that the government can abridge or eliminate the right to use one’s jetski whenever and wherever one wants?” is the hue and cry.Although only a tiny percntage of Maines lakes and ponds have prohibited jetski use, a fight is brewing. It was reported this week that a jetski owner is questioning the legality of the state to allow lakefront homeowners to prohibit jetskis on their lake (SEE FULL STORY). This jetski owner may be kicking a sleeping dog that just might bite him. Ever since the horrendous power boat accident on Long Lake attitudes are hardening.
The “Silent Majority” position - Allow jetski use on most lakes and ponds excepting the very smallest in size. Those jetskiers who become a problem or a nuisance would lose their right to operate a jetski on the lake. This position, however reasonable, is an enforcement nightmare for the harbormaster, the warden service and the local authorities. But the irresponsible and careless actions of a few should not bar the responsible use and enjoyment of jetskis by many lovers of Maine lakes and ponds.
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Maine Waterfront Real Estate - Choosing the “Sow’s Ear”
April 12th, 2008 categories: Observations and Commentary
Most folks have only so much money to spend on a lakefront property. After conferring with a reputable mortgage broker, lakefront buyers have a pretty good idea of what they can afford to spend . (Need the name of a good mortgage broker? Let us know.)
Determing how much one can spend is a lot easier than determining what to spend it on. Let’s say your budget indicates that you can afford to spend $400,000 on a lakefront home.
Here are your 5 choices:
1)One can purchase a $300,000 house on a $100,000 lot
2)One can purchase a $250,000 house on a $150,000 lot
3)One can purchase a $200,000 house on a $200,000 lot
4)One can purchase a $150,000 house on a $250,000 lot
5)One can purchase a $100,000 house on a $300,000 lot
Once acknowledging these five choices, 9 out of 10 people select a 6th choice - that is, a $300,000 house on a $300,000 lot. Unfortunately, this choice does not work with a $400,000 budget even in this extraordinary buyer’s market.
You might ask “What would Mr. Lakefront do if presented with these same choices?” My advice: Buy the best lot possible with a house that meets your minimum requirements. How come?
Two reasons: First, a lakefront home is an investment. What appreciates over time is the lot, not the house. Secondly, you can change the house but not the location.
My advice is not usually welcomed very warmly. “But I want a place I can be proud of “, “I want a place that will impress my sister and her snooty husband”, or “I want a place large enough to accommodate the kids and the grand kids.” I’ve heard it all.
So what choice would Mr Lakefront make? With a $400,000 budget I would select #4 - I would buy a $250,000 lot with a $150,000 house.
When making this selection I realize that the lot will be terrific and the house rather plain. But I can fix the plain Jane. Because I know there are interior designers that can turn the proverbial “sow’s ear ” into a silk purse. A good interior designer can turn an average looking place into a dazzling show place. They have a team of loyal subcontractors who perform good work within a budget.
So the next time you enter a lakefront home with shag carpeting, avocado kitchen appliances, dark brown cheap masonite paneling, and orange formica countertops don’t turn away too quickly. If the lot is good to great, maybe with the right help you, too, can turn that “sow’s ear into a silk purse.”
Need the name of a great interior designer? Let us know. We can help you find one.
We love Maine lakes and want to share them with you.
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For Maine lakefront homes in your price range in the region of your choice check out Lakefront Locator.
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Maine Waterfront Real Estate - It’s for the Birds!
April 10th, 2008 categories: Observations and Commentary
Before buying my Maine lakefront camp I was not really “in touch” with our feathered friends. Having grown up in the city, my idea of birds was pigeons, grackles and the sparrows. They co-existed in the old South Boston neighborhood that was all the world to me. These were the kinds of birds that I was used to.
When I was a kid, I really liked the sounds of pigeons. Their cooing in the eaves of the old three decker on Dorset Street seemed strangely calming to me. Most folks don’t think much of pigeons. In fact, I’ve heard them refered to as rats with wings. A bit unkind I would say. They probably never heard them cooing.
Living on a lake in Maine gets one acquainted with a different world of birds. Everyone who spends anytime on a lake will praise mightily the common loon. What a misnomer! There is absolutely nothing common about the common loon. I could go on and on about how special they are. But that’s for another day.
As much as I love loons, I have a special fondness for the common merganser. Nothing common about this bird either. In the Spring, before the lake is taken over by powerboats, one can observe a mother merganser with her family of chicks. To watch them feed is an absolute delight. Because they are fish eaters they come in close to shore to feed off the minnows in the shallow water. To see these chicks only days old diving for food and skittering over the water is so much fun.
Can’t wait to see mergansers in action? If you’ve got three minutes, check out this incredible video from YouTube, “Ride of the Mergansers”.
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For Maine Lakefront Real Estate Buyers, Spring Training Is Over
April 8th, 2008 categories: Observations and Commentary
While we wait for “ice out” to come to area lakes and ponds later this month, the snow is already melting around here at a rapid pace. Camp roads and shorelines are emerging and, much like our beloved Red Sox, lakefront property buyers should be moving out of “spring training” mode and into the “regular season”.
Phones in the office are ringing and new lakefront property listings are coming onto the market. Early bird buyers are venturing out of hibernation to see what the new listings are - as well as what older, unsold listings have come down in price.
If you’re in the market this season for a Maine lakefront property, there are distinct advantages to starting early.
The first is selection. There’s a lot of lakefront inventory and it’s growing by the day. That means a lot to look at and a lot to choose from. Start now and pare down your possibilities.
The second reason has to do with money - more specifically, price and financing. A seller may take an early season “fair” offer, rather than wait for a fuller price offer, finding the “bird in the hand…” scenario more appealing. In this strong buyer’s market, it eliminates a huge amount of uncertainty for the seller and puts cash in his hand, now! And as far as financing goes, mortgage rates are still at historically low levels and there’s no predicting where they’ll be in six or eight months.
The third and, I feel, most important reason for buyers to look early and often, is because if you were to put something under contract now, you can get a full season’s enjoyment of your purchase this year. If you delay looking and buying until mid-summer, it’s very possible you could make a purchase this year, but not start to really enjoy the property until summer of 2009.
Don’t miss a season’s worth of enjoyment and memories - come now to see what the possibilities are and make your summer of 2008 truly memorable.
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Don’t forget - our Lakefront Locator is here to serve you. If you’re thinking about looking at Maine lakefront real estate, there’s no better place to start than with our Lakefront Locator.
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Tom - MrLakefront
