Archive for the 'Sebago Lakes Region' Category
Sebago Lake Region Waterfront Property - More Sales Figures
August 27th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
A recent report from the Maine Association of Realtors reports that July home sales in Maine fell more than 17% from the same month last year.
There were 1,032 single family homes in Maine that changed hands in July, a 17.2% decrease from the 1,247 homes sold the same month last year.
Meanwhile, the statewide median sales price dipped 3.5% to $192,000 in July. See the full press release here.
Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence in the Sebago Lake Region is that activity is picking up. I thought I would continue presenting some listing and sales figures for some area lakes and ponds as my recent blog post on activity on Sebago Lake, Thompson Lake and Long Lake proved pretty popular. Below, see a list of other lakes and ponds in the area followed by numbers for C (current properties for sale), P (under contract/sale pending), and S (sold - year to date).
Brandy Pond: C-5, P-0, S-2
Crescent Lake: C-4,P-0, S-2
Hancock Pond: C-5, P-0, S-3
Highland Lake - Bridgton: C-2, P-0, S-3
Highland Lake - Windham: C-7, P-1, S-3
Little Sebago Lake: C-27, P-3, S-3
Lovewell Pond: C-5, P-0, S-0
Moose Pond: C-16, P-2, S-4
Panther Pond: C-6, P-1, S-4
Raymond Pond: C-7, P-0, S-1
Thomas Pond: C-6, P-0, S-2
If you don’t see your favorite lake or pond in this list, send me an email and I’ll send the figures to you. Also, if there is other data that you’d be interested in reading about, e.g. sales prices, days on market, etc., let me know. I may have some future posts digging deeper into the numbers.
By the way, if you’d like to take a look at some current lakefront listings it’s as easy as clicking right here on our Lakefront Locator. View all the current lakefront listings for the entire state on this single website!
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Sebago Lake Region Waterfront Property - “Buy” the Numbers?
August 19th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get the question from some prospective lakefront property buyer, “How’s the market?”
Well, of course, the answer is, “That depends.” It depends on whether you’re a buyer or a seller, for one, and, for another, it depends on who’s interpreting the data.
I’ve compiled a few numbers about lakefront property sales in the Sebago Lake Region - defined by 26 towns and 60 lakes and ponds - and want to share them with you. I’ll present the numbers - you can provide the interpretation.
I will say, with some validity, that inventories are high and that listing prices are coming down, at least in some cases. There would appear to be some buying opportunities out there. Any further interpretation I’ll leave to you, dear reader.
As of today, August 19, 2008, there are 344 lakefront properties for sale in this Sebago Lake region; 151 were listed under $400k, 193 were listed over $400k. 141 of those 344 have reduced their price from the original listing price.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been 70 lakefront properties that have sold in this region; 33 were listed under $400k and 37 were listed over $400k. Of the 70 total, 28 had seen a price reduction before selling.
There are currently 19 properties that are pending - that is, an agreement to sell has been reached, but the sale has yet to close. Of those 19, 7 are listed under $400k and 12 are listed over $400k, with 9 of the total having had price reductions.
I took a closer look at three of the most popular lakes in the area - Sebago, Long, and Thompson. Here’s what I found:
For Sebago Lake there are currently 55 lakefront properties for sale, 25 have had reductions in price. Year-to-date, 9 properties have sold, with 4 of those having reduced their price.
For Long Lake there are currently 39 properties for sale, 14 have lowered their price. Year-to-date, there have been two properties sold on Long Lake and one is pending. Of the sold properties, one had reduced its price prior to its sale.
For Thompson Lake there are currently 20 lakefront properties for sale, 10 have had price reductions. Year-to-date, three properties have sold and, of those, two had reduced their price prior to sale.
What does it all mean? As I said, I think there’s an abundance of inventory, some prices are moderating, and there are opportunities for buyers. What do you think?
By the way, if you’d like to take a look at some current lakefront listings it’s as easy as clicking right here on our Lakefront Locator. View all the current lakefront listings for the entire state on this single website!
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Maine Waterfront Property - Naples Bridge Saga Continues
July 3rd, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
There’s more news on the continuing saga of the Naples swing bridge replacement controversey.
Now, it seems, the state of Maine is rerady to go back to the drawing board to review all the input it has been receiving over the last couple of months and said they didn’t see anything happening, construction-wise, until 2010.
Some locals are saying “Hold on a minute”, insisting the money is there in the budget to refurbish the existing bridge now and make it workable for many years to come.
A Naples selectman thinks that a recent letter from the Maine Department of Transportation keeps the fixed bridge plan in place due to economic impact considerations.
Where this all will end, nobody knows. But if you’d like to read the full article from today’s Bridgton News click on this link.
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Maine Waterfront Property - What To Do When You Get Here
June 24th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Summer in Maine is all about balancing activities with relaxation - and eating! If you’re coming to the Sebago Lakes area this weekend or next you might want to check out several things to do to locally besides just dangling your bare feet in the lake.
Here’s a short sampling of some of the area events. Make sure to check the local paper, The Bridgton News, or the local Chamber of Commerce website at www.mainelakeschamber.com for a complete listing of area activities.
June 25 thru 29 - 8 pm “In Good Spirits” by Howard Odentz at Deertrees Theatre in Harrison. Sat/Sun matinees at 2 pm. A musical comedy about ghosts, an old theatre, and a small town in Maine that could almost been written about Deertrees itself. FMI: 207-583-6747 or www.deertreestheatre.orgJune 28 - Barn Sale to raise money for both Pondicherry Park and the Lakes Environmental Association. 8 am to 2 pm at home of Nina Keene, 76 High St., Bridgton, rain or shine.
June 28 - Strawberry Pancake Supper, 5 to 6 pm, Casco Village Church, Rte. 121, Casco.
June 28 - Horse Show and fundraising events at Waterford’s World Fair, Green Road off Rte. 35. Chinese auction fundraiser, preview 11 am, auction 1 pm. Horse show and livestock demonstrations begin at 9 am.
June 28 - Strawberry Festival, Poland Spring Resort Inn, Rte. 26, Poland. FMI: 998-4364, 782-1077.
June 28 - Mary Kaye with Professor von Wienerschnitzel at Denmark Arts Center. FMI: 207-452-2412.
June 28 and 29 - Lakeside Grange #63 Ninth Annual yard sale starting at 7 am at the Grange in Harrison Village. Early birds welcome!
June 29 - Painting a Maine Garden at McLaughlin Garden in South Paris. 10 am to 3 pm. FMI: 207-743-8820.
June 30 - Open House at Narramissic/Peabody Fitch House in South Bridgton. FMI: 207-647-3699.
June 30 - Portland Symphony Orchestra at Shawnee Peak. 7:30 pm. Fireworks following show. Pre-event tickets on sale at Shawnee Peak or online at: www.porttix.com
July 3 - Spaghetti Feast at Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, 5 to 7 pm.
July 4 - 32nd Annual Bridgton 4 on the Fourth Road Race begins at 8 am at Main St. and Rte. 117. FMI or to register online: www.4onthe4th.com
July 5 - Friends of the Library Annual Book and Bake Sale at the Bridgton Public Library, 9 am to 3 pm. FMI: 207-647-2472.
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Maine Lakefront Real Estate - Sandy Beach Tops the List
June 12th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
Of all the attributes of a lakefront property, having a sandy beach tops the list.
I remember growing up in Harrison and learning to swim at the public beach at Crystal Lake. This was long before the ballpark and picnic area was put it. There was just a winding path through an open field for the village kids to follow that ended at a beautiful sandy public beach on the south shore of the lake. Having that long expanse of sandy beach and also having sand beneath your feet as you walked out into the water was wonderful, but we just took that for commonplace. How little we knew as kids and how lucky we were.
Now that I work in a real estate business that specializes in lakefront property I realize how rare that sandy beach/sandy entry can be to find. But don’t despair. If you’re looking in the Sebago Lake area for property, your chances for finding that sandy beach are far greater than if you’re looking up in the Rangeley area, for instance. For some reason, known only to geologists, sandy beaches are as rare as hen’s teeth in Rangeley.
The Sebago Lake area is another story, however. We are blessed with many shorefront feet of sandy beach on any number of lakes and ponds in the area. Realize, however, that a property in possession of a sandy beach will reflect that desirable attribute in its price. The more sand you have, the higher the price, generally speaking.
If you’d like to read about all five top attributes of a lakefront property including the sandy beach go to our Lakefront 101. If you’d like to search on your own for a property with a nice sandy beach, use our Lakefront Locator.
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Maine Lakefront Real Estate - Kids and Fishing a Great Combination
June 6th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
I was reading a recent dispatch from the local fisheries biologist about some of the Sebago Lake area fishing going on and was remided what a memory-making activity fishing can be.
Young children are so impressionable and giving them a good fishing experience can provide them with wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.
Take a minute to read this recent report and see if it doesn’t make you want to go find a young person, dig up a bunch of worms, and go try your luck at a nearby lake or stream.
From the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, June 4, 2008:
Southwestern Maine - Local anglers have reported some great trout and salmon fishing in southern Maine over Memorial Day week, and the cool nights should continue that trend for the foreseeable future.
An angler from Raymond reported a fantastic trip on Sebago Lake, where two fishermen each caught and harvested their limit of six lake trout. Although their primary target was togue, they also caught and released several salmon with a total of 19 salmonids boated!
My dad went out on Sebago on Memorial Day with my brother-in-law, nephew, and my niece’s boyfriend and they landed three salmon and a laker. My 11-year-old nephew, Casey Brown, caught a 16-inch landlocked salmon and a 24-inch lake trout. He released the salmon, but proudly harvested the trout. My sister stuffed the togue and baked it for dinner, and my nephew proclaimed, “I’m providing dinner for the family tonight!”
Stream fishing for trout also has been good. I ran into my neighbor’s son while shopping at Cabela’s and he reported catching some brookies and browns on the Little River in Gorham. He released the browns hoping they would grow up to the 24-incher he landed there a few years back, but decided to keep the “put-and-take” brookies that wouldn’t fair too well once the river warms up later in the summer. I was planning to take my 4-year-old son, Hunter, bass fishing over the weekend, but our plans were foiled by the weather. Saturday rained and it was blowing a gale on Sunday afternoon. A four year old, high winds and a canoe are not a good combination. Hunter was disappointed, so I took him down to the Presumpscot River below the Mallison Dam. We saw several fly fishermen, and two of them landed trout during the short time we were there. Hunter managed to get in a half-dozen or more casts in with his Scooby-Doo fishing rod before deciding that throwing rocks into river was way more fun! He had a great time, and I realized that I was probably going to have to invest in a rod that casts more than 6-10 feet if I ever want him to catch a fish and stop throwing rocks!
Smallmouth bass are spawning and largemouths will soon follow. It’s a great time to get out there and bass fish. Male smallmouths are extremely aggressive when guarding their nest, and it is not uncommon to catch the same fish multiple times in a day. However, spawning can be a difficult time on these fish and I wouldn’t recommend over fishing a particular individual. Besides there may be a bigger bass behind the next boulder, although less aggressive, largemouths will also be easier to target during their spawning season. Not only is the action good, but you combine that with sight fishing and quality sized adults – it’s hard to beat! In my opinion it can be one of the best fishing times of the year, and I’m a trout fisherman at heart.
Late spring bass fishing is also a great way to introduce kids to fishing, since the action and catching can be almost nonstop. Get outdoors and enjoy. It’s one of the best seasons for both trout and bass! - James Pellerin, Assistant Regional Fisheries Biologist, Gray .
My thanks to the Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for this report. You can check out an abundance of fishing opportunities at their website. Just click on this link.
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Maine Waterfront Property - Land Prices Reflect Quality of Water They’re On
May 8th, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
I had a customer recently who inquired about a waterfront land listing on the west shore of Kezar Lake in Lovell. This property is 1.96 acres with 438 feet of shore frontage and lists for $625,000.
After I sent him the listing information he sent me back an email that said, “What makes this, less than 2 acre, plot so expensive? At over $600K for 2 acres, I would expect a house, etc. on the property.” Indeed.
I told him that there were two key factors at play here. One is that there aren’t many nice private, buildable lakefront lots out there for sale. The second is that Kezar Lake is one of the most desireable lakes in the area. That combination keeps the price on the high side.
Now, while I don’t think there is a line of people ready with full price offers beating down the door of the local real estate office, this asking price is probably not too far off the mark. In fact, there’s another lot right beside this one that is 1.13 acres with 150 feet on the water that’s listing for $675,000! Last year a lot on Thompson Lake in Poland that had 600 feet on the water sold for over $1 million. Kezar and Thompson are two very sought after lakes.
Take those same lots and move them to smaller bodies of water and the price goes down. Move them to bodies of water further north in the state and the price will also go down. Yes, it’s the old “location, location, location” song that the real estate market sings. Generally speaking, the smaller the body of water the smaller the price for the land around it - relatively speaking, of course. Go up north and the price goes down, too.
In the same town that Kezar Lake is in, Lovell, there’s another body of water called Bradley Pond. It’s probably not 50 acres in size. There’s nothing wrong with it - it’s just small, that’s all. There’s a land listing with shore frontage on that pond - 6.5 acres and 665 feet of frontage. The asking price? $187,500.
Now there are, of course, other mitigating factors on these land values besides 1)buildable lakefront land scarcity and 2)the lake they’re located on. For instance, what’s the slope to the lot, will the soils condition allow a septic system, what’s the entry to the water like, how good is the water view, is it private, what’s the vegetation, and are there accessability issues.
But desireability of the lake and the size of the lake play a big role in the price of the land that touches it’s waters. One of the keys to knowing lakefront land value is to know your lake.
To take a closer look at the land listings referenced in this blog posting by using these hotlinks:
Lovell - Kezar Lake - 1.96 acres - 438 feet of frontage - $625k.
Lovell - Kezar Lake - 1.13 acres - 150 feet of frontage - $675k.
Lovell - Bradley Pond - 6.5 acres - 665 feet of frontage - $187,500.
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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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Naples Waterfront Bridge Controversy Proceeds to Non-Binding Referendum
April 3rd, 2008 categories: Sebago Lakes Region
The latest news out of Naples is that the local populace - business owners, waterfront property owners, and landlubbers alike - will be sounded out via a May 20th referendum on whether they would prefer to see a fixed bridge or moving bridge replacement for the existing, deteriorating swing bridge. The vote would be non-binding, but would help officials steer a course toward resolution with the Maine Department Of Transportation, who only have enough budget for a fixed span.
The other development that came out of the meeting was the acknowledgement of a quiet groundswell of support for the less expensive fixed bridge option. At a meeting in January there was a strong, vocal outcry against the fixed bridge option, with opinion at the meeting running about 80 to 20 against the fixed bridge option. But a local selectman says she thinks there’s a lower key movement in favor of the fixed span and says she thinks the town is running about two to one in favor of the fixed bridge.
Proponents of the fixed bridge option cite not only the lower cost, but the benefits of having uninterrupted traffic flow throughout the summer, when traffic counts can reach as much as 20,000 a day. The current swing bridge brings all that traffic to a dead halt several times a day to allow boat traffic through the causeway.
A lengthy, more detailed article about this issue appeared in today’s Bridgton News. You can read the full article here.
We’ll post more information about this controversy and its effect on waterfront property owners and buyers as developments occur.
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If you are interested in lakefront real estate in the Naples area, you can use our Lakefront Locator to view all the currently available properties for sale in the area.
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Tom - MrLakefront
