Archive for the 'Maine Waterfront Living' Category
Maine Waterfront Property - Living Green, Shopping Local
September 18th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
I was talking with a friend of mine in Portland today who publishes an annual guide to “living green” in Southern Maine. This book, called the “SunriseGuide” is chock full of great information, but the bonus is that it contains over $5000 worth of coupons that help the purchaser buy products which sustain and nurture a healthy and friendly environment.
Anyone interested in living the good life in Maine, especially on a lakefront property, should take a look at this book. Once you pick it up, you can’t put it down. It offers tons of helpful hints on such things as financing energy efficient home improvements, tips for improving your gas mileage, nature-friendly insect repellent, composting, and the efficacy of cloth diapers.
In addition, the advertisers have to satisfy a criteria, and I quote, “It is our goal that all products and services advertised in the SunriseGuide have significantly reduced environmental impacts compared to their competitors or alternatives.” How cool is that?!
The book is divided into areas of interest including Food & Dining, Health & Outdoor Living, Home & Garden, and Style & Personal Care. Each section has an editorial focus as well as coupons from vendors in that area of interest.
From green building suppliers, to wellness spas, to many places to eat, to greenhouses, to recreational centers, to the Portland Symphony and Portland Museum of Art - all have valuable coupons here ready for use by you and your family.
Part handbook, part coupon book, this publication is a keeper. The 2009 edition is due out soon, but there are still plenty of 2008 issues available and the coupons are good through the end of the year.
Take an online look at this compelling publication and decide for yourself if you wouldn’t benefit from having a copy. Click here to go directly to the SunriseGuide website.
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Maine Waterfront Property - Getting Familiar with Shoreland Zoning
September 9th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
Last week I provided a link to information that explained the rules and regulations regarding removal of vegetation on shorefront property. Because we had such a good response to that post, I thought I would offer up some more free information.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has produced a 36 page booklet entitled “Maine Shoreland Zoning - A Handbook For Shoreland Owners”. This booklet explains, in clear language and with the use of drawings and diagrams, the state’s Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act.
While it is meant for informational purposes only and not to be used as a substitute for the law itself, this publication goes a long way in explaining and showing different aspects of the Act. Find here explanations of what a non-conforming structure is, expansion rules for non-conforming structures, what a grandfathered lot is, building setback and lot coverage restrictions, guidelines for erosion control, septic disposal rules, clearing vegetation and timber harvesting guidelines, and an explanation of the roles of local boards and state agencies.
For anyone who currently owns property in the Shoreland Zone or is thinking about purchasing property that lies within the Shoreland Zone, this publication is a “must have”.
The best part is that it’s free and you can download it off a website and print it out on your printer right at home. Click on this hotlink:
http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docstand/szpage.htm ,
then scroll about halfway down the page and you’ll see a link to the pdf file that says “Maine Shoreland Zoning — A Handbook For Shoreland Owners”. Click on that and it will take you to the file. Make sure you have enough paper in your printer as it is a 36 page document - but it’s well worth the expenditure of paper and ink.
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Maine Lakefront Real Estate - HGTV’s “House Hunters” Visits Mr. Lakefront
August 7th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
If any of you are fans of HGTV’s House Hunters program, we have a treat for you. The folks from House Hunters recently made a call on Mr. Lakefront and are producing a segment for airing next Spring that features Mr. Lakefront’s buyer’s broker Diane Monaco (third from left in photo) and buyers she represented in a recent lakefront home purchase.
For those of you not familiar with the program, House Hunters takes viewers behind the scenes as individuals, couples and families learn what to look for and decide whether or not a home is meant for them. Focusing on the emotional experience of finding and purchasing a new home, each episode shows the process as buyers search for a home.
The production crew (seen with Diane in the photo) were here for three days doing the shooting and will edit down many hours of shooting to a half hour program. The segment will follow our buyers as they go through the process of looking at three lakefront homes and deciding which one they would like to buy.
Lakefront homes featured in the program are located on Thompson Lake in Otisfield, Parker Pond in Casco, and Moose Pond in Denmark. They also did some production in our offices here in South Casco.
We’ll let you know when this program will air and, in a future post, Diane will share some of what she experienced during the preparation and shooting of the episode.
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Maine Waterfront Property - Allagash Just Woods, Water, Beauty
June 1st, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
One would be hard pressed to find a more remote wilderness area in the lower 48 than this most northwest area of Maine that we call The Allagash. It is also referred to, quite accurately, as The Great North Woods.
Largely owned by paper company and timber interests and encompassing no towns, save Allagash, this huge area features several large lakes in the south and rivers in the north.
The Allagash and St. John Rivers bisect the northern part of this region providing canoeists and fishermen with an unparalleled wilderness experience as they follow the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. To the south are the large lakes - Chamberlain, Caucomgomoc, Allagash, Churchill, Munsungan, Eagle, and Chemquasabamticook. The region is also spotted with many more smaller lakes and ponds.
Criss-crossed by logging roads and hiking trails, the Allagash is remote and harder to access than any other area in Maine, but holds a wonder and a unique beauty for any who are bold enough to explore it.
Lakefront Locator will get you to available listings in the Allagash Region. LakeSmart is a research tool that will give you important information about area lakes.
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Bangor is Central to Central Maine Waterfront Property
May 6th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
The Bangor Region is centrally located - and some would say, ideally located - in the state of Maine as it serves as the gateway to the Katahdin/Baxter State Park area to the north and the Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park to the south.
The area is surrounded by all the natural beauty that Maine is famous for - our rugged ocean coastline, majestic mountains, a mighty river - the Penobscot, and many beautiful, clean, scenic lakes and ponds.
Bangor, central Maine’s queen city, was once the lumber capital of the world. Now it has a more cosmopolitan flavor, featuring many fine restaurants, interesting shops, and much in the way of cultural events and performing arts.
The Maine Turnpike bisects this region, providing easy access to all its lakes and ponds. From Dover-Foxcroft, Milo, and Howland in the north to Bucksport and Unity in the south, the Bangor Region features many small towns and many attractive lakes and ponds as well.
The larger ones to look for are Sebec Lake, Sebasticook Lake, Pushaw Lake, and Branch Lake. Some of the popular smaller lakes and ponds are Phillips Lake, Green Lake, Lake Winnecook, and Cold Stream Pond. These area lakes and ponds have been enjoyed by locals for generations and are now becoming discovered by people “from away” as places to retreat to while providing a jumping off place to discover the natural wonders of Maine that lie within easy driving distance.
Lakefront Locator will get you to available listings in the Bangor Region. LakeSmart is a research tool that will give you important information about area lakes.
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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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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 - 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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A Laker’s Dozen - Tips For Maine Waterfront Property Owners
March 7th, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
13 Ways You Can Help the Lake
I was checking out the latest newsletter from our friends at the Worromontogus Lake Association in the Augusta area and came across this great list of things Maine waterfront property owners can do to help their lake. I’ve seen this before, but neglected to save it, so am now happy to pass it along to our readers.
1. Always check boat, trailer and equipment for plant fragments before launch and after take-out.
2. Respect Shoreland Zone Regulations. Before making any change on your land, check with your town to see what’s permitted and what’s not in the shoreland: 250’ of the lake and 75’ of streams.
3. Control storm water run-off from buildings, paths, driveways and road. Check your property on a rainy day and fix run-off sites by planting vegetation or constructing swales to direct water flow away from the lake.
4. Cultivate a wooded buffer. Trees, shrubs and grasses slow the flow and filter soil and pollutants from rainwater before they end up in the lake.
5. Limit lawn size, mow less often, and don’t rake duff within 75 feet of shore.
6. Limit fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide use. Long lasting residues in these chemicals can turn lakes green and harm aquatic life.
7. Don’t stress the septic system. Inspect the system yearly. Pump the tank regularly. Systems 20 years and older should be inspected by a specialist. Use phosphorus-free cleaners, and detergents. Stagger laundry loads. Minimize water use. Don’t put grease or toxics down the drain.
8. Construct docks and floats with lake-friendly materials. Choose cedar, cypress, plastic, or aluminum over wood that’s pressure-treated with arsenic.
9. Dogs, humans and boats should never be washed in the lake!
10. Observe headway speed within 200 feet of shore. Boating in shallow water disturbs fish habitat and stirs up sediment.
11. When you replace a boat motor, choose a clean 4-stroke engine.
12. Preserve wildlife habitat on land and underwater. Lake shallows and shorelands are home to many native species and nurseries for young.
13. Support your local lake association and Maine COLA (Maine Congress of Lake Associations).
Thanks for your attention to these things. Have a great weekend!
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Mid-Coast Maine - The Best of Both Worlds For Maine Waterfront Real Estate Buyers
March 2nd, 2008 categories: Maine Waterfront Living
The Mid-Coast Region of Maine is known all over the world for windjammer cruises, lobster bakes, and lighthouses. What is less well-known about the area is that there are a number of beautiful lakes and ponds which give freshwater lovers great places to boat, fish, and swim while providing easy access to coastal attractions.This region runs along the coast from Freeport to Belfast and includes the towns of Brunswick, Bath, Wiscasset, Boothbay Harbor, Damariscotta, Rockland, and Camden - all towns synonymous with the Maine coast. A few miles inland from all these coastal towns sit freshwater lakes and ponds offering a variety of lakefront and lake access home and land listings.Old Indian names are not lost on bodies of water here. All within close proximity to the coast are lakes or ponds named Pemaquid, Megunticook, Sennebec, Chickawaukie, and Quantabacook. Also find a string of ponds - South Pond, North Pond, and Seven Tree Pond - a pond for baseball fans - Pitcher Pond - and, for opera buffs, Swan Lake.However your taste might run in Maine waterfront real estate, you’re likely to find what you want here. With the added benefit of accessing all that mid-coast Maine has to offer in activities and amenities, this location is hard to beat.
Lakefront Locator will get you to available listings in the Mid-Coast Region. LakeSmart, is a research tool that will give you important information about area lakes.
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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Tom - MrLakefront
