Observations and Commentary

October 22, 2008

Maine Waterfront Property – Have You Got Radon?

One of the components of most general home inspections in Maine is to test for the presence of radon, a colorless, odorless gas that is a known carcinogen. Radon gas seeps out of fissures in granite bedrock and can find its way into the basements and […]

October 16, 2008

Maine Waterfront Property Owners – Planting For Protection

This time of year is a good time for planting vegetation in open areas that run to the water. If you live on the water and have open areas, planting shrubs, trees and groundcover is an effective way to control phosphorus runoff and thereby contribute to […]

October 14, 2008

Maine Lakefront Real Estate – Will It “Appraise Out”?

Just when you think it can’t get much tougher for lakefront property sellers, or better for lakefront property buyers, it does just that. For the last few years lakefront sellers have had to put up with weak demand and too much competition because of the large […]

October 7, 2008

Maine Waterfront Property – Bargain Hunters’ Bonanza

The first snow fell atop Mount Washington on October 3rd (see above). The leaves are reaching peak color. The Fryeburg Fair is over. The frost is on the pumpkin. The election is four weeks from today. Do you get my drift here? Summer is long gone […]

September 29, 2008

Maine Lakefront Real Estate – Can You Handle The Truth?

One of my favorite actors is Jack Nicholson. In ” A Few Good Men” he played a world weary Marine colonel who was being interogated by pretty boy Tom Cruise in a military court martial. When Cruise told the colonel that he wanted the truth, Jack […]

September 5, 2008

Maine Lakefront Real Estate – “Win-Win” Becoming a Thing of the Past

Years ago, when I first dipped my toe into the waters of lakefront real estate here in the Lakes Region of Maine, I was told by a long time veteran broker that too strong of a market, one that favored either the buyer or the seller, was […]

September 2, 2008

Maine Waterfront Property – Can I Cut Down That Tree?

Buyers of waterfront property have many things to consider when looking for just the right property to buy. Right at the top of the list are questions concerning the land and what can and cannot be done with trees, bushes, and other vegetation that lie within […]

August 30, 2008

Maine Waterfront Property Buyers – How Flexible is Your Wish List?

Frequently our team members here at Mr. Lakefront meet lakefront buyers who seem to have a really clear idea about what they want in a lakefront property. At first blush, this might seem to be a good thing. However, sometimes it’s not. In developing a lakefront […]

August 22, 2008

Maine Lakefront Real Estate – A Lesson in Timing the Market

At the height of the seller’s market in the summer of 2004, I met with a seller, a resident of Florida, who owned a great family compound on one of the largest lakes here in Maine with three separate camps on over five acres. I recommended […]