Archive for February, 2009
Maine Lakefront Property Offers Value in a Down Market
February 25th, 2009 categories: Observations and Commentary
Even though we got pasted with a huge dump of snow a few days ago, I can say without reservation that spring is within sight. I have seen robins all winter long and a neighbor told me he saw a bluebird. Can spring be far behind?
With spring comes the inevitable interest in buying a little piece of heaven – also known around here as Maine lakefront property. What everyone is asking me is “Have we hit the bottom yet?” My answer is unequivocal – “I don’t know.”
What I do know is that lakefront properties around here have not been hit as hard as some properties in other areas of the country. They’ve come down, but not the 30%-40% you see in some places.
We tend to moderation up here in Maine and I think a moderate approach to lakefront real estate is healthy – and warranted. If you’re looking for a property that has slashed its price 50% or more, look elsewhere. But if you’re in the market for a good property at a fair price I think you’ll find plenty to interest you in the Maine lakefront real estate market. It’s an old saw around here – but, oh so true – God only made so much lakefront and He’s not making any more.
If you don’t have the cash to buy a place and might have to borrow a little, you might keep this piece of information in mind. Borrowers need to be just as mindful of the mortgage rate as they are of the purchase price. Mortgage rates are the lowest they’ve been in many years. A 10% drop in the price of a property will be offset by a 1% rise in the mortgage rate. So, if you’re still waiting for the bottom of the market, you do so at the peril of a potential rise in interest rates.
If you’re a buyer, this could be your year. Many mortgage lenders will tell you it might not get any better than this. Now’s the time. Come on in. The water’s fine – especially when it comes to Maine lakefront property.
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Crystal Lake in Harrison the Site of Ice Harvesting Saturday
February 20th, 2009 categories: Maine Waterfront Real Estate News, Sebago Lakes Region
Crystal Lake in Harrison is normally the setting for swim lessons, picnic lunches and softball at the adjacent ballfield. But come winter, Crystal Lake is the site of something very old fashioned and interesting – ice harvesting.
An antique, gas-generated motor powers a wild-looking circular saw that does most of the ice cutting, followed by rugged men who finish the job with long, hand-held saws. Other men use huge ice tongs to grab the blocks floating in the water and hoist them out onto the ice. The blocks are slid along a conveyor and up into the sledge.
The local Historical Society has been organizing this demonstration for the last several years and have made it part of a more general Winter Carnival that takes place while the school kids are still on vacation. The demonstration starts around 10 a.m. and generally lasts several hours.
Read more about this by clicking on this article: Harrison to Recreate its Ice Harvest.
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Naples Vacation Property Some of the Best Lakefront in Maine
February 16th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Because it is situated at the south end of Long Lake, encompasses Brandy Pond, and also has frontage on Sebago Lake, Naples has always been considered the heart of the Lakes Region.
Well-travelled Rte. 302 runs right through Naples and the town can boast of three marinas, restaurants, a general store, a golf course and lots summer activities on the Causeway.
With their Winter Carnival over, Naples now starts to edge toward spring which brings an influx of buyers looking for new opportunities of lakefront property to consider. Make sure to stay in touch with the Mr. Lakefront website to stay up to date with new listings coming to the market as spring approaches.
Here are the current lakefront listings in Naples:
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Naples Winter Carnival on Long Lake This Weekend
February 13th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Naples will be a beehive of outdoor activity this weekend as it welcomes one and all to its 9th annual Winter Carnival. There will be plenty of outdoor activities for the whole family and plenty of indoor stuff, too. Here’s the lastest schedule of events:
Two full days of winter fun on Long Lake, Naples Maine
Naples Town Dock * Route 302
Radar Run * Sat & Sun — 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Poker Rally * Saturday — $100 first prize *
(Registration: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
Food Booths * Naples Fire Dept & Lions Club
Announcing:
Hannaford Bros. & United Way’s
First Annual Fishing Derby !!!
&
“SAVE SEBAGO COVE” – Help us Erase Milfoil
Stop at our Club House for food & beverages
Antique Snowmobile Show – Helicopter Rides – 50/50 Raffle – Snowmobile
Jumps – Santa Claus – Snow Coach Rides – Warm Up Shuttle – Naples Town Gym -
Free Hot Chocolate – Movies – Snow Sculptures -Fireworks – On
the Causeway – Saturday at 6 PM Bonfire on the lake during the fireworks.
Saturday night party at the “Tiki Bar ” 8 PM Dinner *Appetizers * Cocktails
* Live Entertainment
For more info contact Dan Allen at 207-318-6965 or 207-693-3876.
Stop on by and partake of some great community fun – all on or near beautiful Long Lake in Naples! See you there!
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Seeking Lakefront Perfection is the Enemy of the Good Maine Vacation Property
February 12th, 2009 categories: Observations and Commentary
Writer/philosopher Gustave Flaubert coined the expression “Perfection is the Enemy of the Good”. I heard a variation of this quote recently when Maine’s Senior Senator Olympia Snowe, when explaining her decision to vote for the compromise stimulus package, said “Perfection is the enemy of the essentials.”
Local talk radio here in Maine has a conservative bent. Local conservatives were venting on The John McDonald Show this morning. “How could our two Senators dare to call themselves Republicans after deciding to vote for a package so full of pork?”, they asked.
I was kind of surprised when Susan Collins went along with Senator Snowe. This past summer Senator Collins, who was up for re-election, was painted by Democratic campaign operatives as a right wing crazy. Now the right wing crazies are saying she sold them out.
Senators Snowe and Collins are never liberal enough for the Democrats and never conservative enough for the Republicans. I’m amazed they can win anything at all.
So after being attacked all summer, Susan Collins works with Senators Lieberman , Spector and Nelson to broker a compromise which will result in the passage of the stimulus package. All of them agree that the package is far from perfect.
Now what has this got to do with Maine Lakefront Property? EVERYTHING!
Let me break some bad news to you: there are no perfect lakefront properties. Some have great views but no sandy beach. Others have great views but marshy or mucky frontage. Some lakefront camps are more primitive than rustic. In all the years I’ve been selling lakefront real esate I’ve never seen a truly perfect lakefront property.
So, when looking for a lakefront property, be prepared to compromise a little. You don’t want to be like the buyer who recently told me she has been looking for FIVE years. She told me that she would rather not have a lakefront home at all if it wasn’t exactly what she wanted. And so she keeps looking.
So…for five years she hasn’t had to live in a lakefront home that didn’t measure up to her “exacting” standards. But, also, for five summers she and her family have missed the wonder, pleasure and memories of five golden summers in Maine. Too bad.
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Raymond Offers Wide Selection For Maine Lakefront Buyers
February 8th, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Last week’s Saturday Send Out proved pretty popular – lakefront listings for Casco. Today, I’ll continue along that same vein and give you all the Raymond lakefront listings. Raymond is a popular destination for lakefront buyers because of its proximity to the Maine Turnpike (30 minutes) and its great array of lakes and ponds.
Here are the listings:
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Buying Lakefront Property in Maine is Like Ballroom Dancing
February 5th, 2009 categories: Observations and Commentary
Recently Mr Lakefront decided that it was high time that he learned to ballroom dance. If macho football players like Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor and Jerry Rice can risk making fools of themselves on Dancing with the Stars, surely I can give it a go too.
On Tuesday nights I visit The Ballroom in downtown Harrison, Maine. The owner, the charming Nan Brett, has hired the exquisitely beautiful and cultured Polina, a Russian émigré, to teach ballroom dancing to us rural western Mainers in the Lake Region.
Polina appears to be as delicate as a Faberge egg, but boy, oh boy, how looks can be deceiving! She knows ballroom dancing and we students don’t. We are there to learn. She is exceedingly professional, but exacting. If one is doing something wrong she corrects it immediately. We happy few feel fortunate to be in the hands of a true professional.
Polina makes it clear that even though I am new to ballroom dancing, as the male, I must lead my female partner. With the lead comes responsibility – to signal to my dance partner my every move. My dance partner is willing to give me the lead with the understanding that I signal my intention so that I do not step my size 15E foot on her tiny size 7.
There is a compact between my partner and me. I lead and she follows, with the understanding that I signal my every intention.In working with a real estate buyer agent, a lakefront buyer should have a similar understanding.
Lakefront buyers should look to the buyer agent as a lakefront authority who will “lead” them to the right lakefront property. And the understanding is this, “If I ‘lead’ you to a lakefront home that meets your requirements, you, the buyer, are prepared to offer a fair price for that lakefront home.”
Nine out of ten lakefront buyers will say “YES!” to this understanding. However, some buyers do not agree with this tacit understanding. They prefer to look for homes priced much higher than their budget allows, then make unreasonably low offers hoping that the seller, under duress, will accept their low offer.
Buyer agents at Mr Lakefront will work hard for every lakefront buyer, negotiating the lowest possible price. However, it’s unreasonable for any buyer not to buy a lakefront property that meets their requirements when the property is fairly priced.
Ready buyers should take the lead from our lakefront experts, as they know the market well and are best able to help buyers find the lakefront home of their dreams.
So, dear lakefront buyers, remember – the buying process should be fun! As much fun as ballroom dancing. But partners dance best only when intentions are known, understandings reached, and trust is earned.
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Casco Offers Up a Wide Variety of Maine Lakefront Property
February 2nd, 2009 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
The village of Casco lies along Rte 121, about five miles north of Rte. 302 and Raymond. It’s a quaint little place with several white clapboard houses, a general store and gas pump, the library, a Grange Hall and a church.
Cast an eye a little further afield and you’ll find the reasons that many lakefront home buyers gravitate to Casco – the variety and number of water bodies that call Casco home: Sebago Lake, Thompson Lake, The Heath, Pleasant Lake, Parker Pond, Thomas Pond, Coffee Pond, and Crescent Lake.
Here are the current lakefront listings that call Casco home:
The next time you’re in the area take a little drive off the beaten path and discover the village of Casco and see if you don’t think it has some charm. Then start casting about to find a lake and property that seem just right to you.
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Tom - MrLakefront
