Mooers Realty Blog

There are some who argue after the July 4th fireworks end, start thinking about getting the Maine home banked, wrapped for winter.

We have no igloos, polar bears in Maine though. That is further north quite some distance. But even with four beautiful seasons, Maine winters do demand tightening up the homes. To make them less drafty, more economical to heat.

To make the Maine home toasty warm and cozy.

Getting away from dependence on foreign oil is nothing new in Maine.

With 91 percent of the state wooded, the fire box for heating.

With birch, maple, ash and all the other species of wood is still big. Well stocked.

Stacks of next year's home heating supply are pretty common, evident as you ride around Maine.

Neighbors, family share wood splitters and pitch in, have weekend afternoon gatherings. To one by one make sure all the members get their supply of wood in the right length split in two and racked, stacked, packed.

For the one by one ride into the furnace over the winter months. To get the Maine home owner to spring comfortably. When the woodstove gets turned off. Parked and not needed for three seasons.

Small rural markets in real estate sales, the treatment of property listings is vastly different.

Than the approach with urban offerings of real estate for sale. What should a seller do to enhance their real estate listing in less populated areas like Maine?

In a small rural market, like city settings what is important is pricing first.

Then possession date, the over all condition of the buildings. If there is a house and bank financing is involved then those come right along into the picture.

Of the adding any perks to enhance and attract interest to the property listing for sale.

It's all way way less important in small priced rural markets like in the less populated, out in the country Maine real estate areas.

Practical considerations, like low cost to run. Easy to maintain features trump the fancy, luxury elements. Everything is lower priced in small rural markets too.

Less money flowing, better impulse control managing or spending it wisely happens. The condition of the roof, heating system, foundation, overall structure of the property listing is what gets eyeballed hard. Like the cost to heat to keep the household budget balanced, in the black.

Maine is rural and the property listings that are off grid, lacking year round access can develop an illness.

For real estate resale, the mostly recreational properties that are for getaway fun have a distinct role  or purpose.

But when the Maine real estate owner starts to add more and more improvements, a tipping point can happen in the resale value.

The lack of juice wired to the place, easy or year round access missing can come with the territory.

When attracting a low cost Maine real estate property seeker. Wanting to be unplugged, off the beaten path.

But easy does it. Keep it simple, cheap and don't create a Frankenstein property listing. One that the buyer scratches his head. Beyond the simple cabin in the woods.

Becoming more and more Maine home like.

But still no foundation, property heating, ventilation, etc. Lacking other features the Maine home buyer expects as a given. That a camp property lacks by nature. As the simple camp tries to move up into a home category. If it walks like a duck, well you know. What is it? Or trying to be?

The design of Maine properties, homes with open concept layouts.

Not tight, dark, long hallways of wasted space. Those just compartmentalize a place and restrict easy flow of heating or cooling too. When we list, market, sell Maine land, to folks that want to build, it is big time exciting.

To hear about the structures they dream of having hammered out, erected. Staging put up, constructed for their finally Maine home sweet home.

The long list of what goes into the new Maine home filled with all they did not like in other homes to date. What to avoid considered.

And everything they wanted but did not have in their past houses factored into the new construction. Poured into the Maine home building blueprint design.

Cathedral living area where your kitchen, dining, living room are all one big space. To join forces rounding up the individual areas to work in sweet harmony. Your Maine home 24x24 cathedral ceiling living space is bigger when the furniture placement defines the layout. Not sheetrock and hung doors to slice and dice up the new Maine home living area.

More and more with rising fuel, heating prices, the most efficient use of combined space for Maine homes under construction is happening.

What is being built is making it seem larger, open. More glass, splash. Combined space to reinforce each part of the use a home owner puts the house into action for daily living. Joining forces for the best take away final impression when it is wide open, wall to wall long and high ceilings for the added space, angles.

A real estate appraiser looks a property over and determines the good, bad and the ugly.

Gives it a grade and explains for the customer that ordered the appraisal what we have for a property. How it fits into the local market of current real estate listings, closed sales.

But a buyer for Maine real estate, a property listing.

He or she, they whip out their own crimpled, wrinkled, special check list.

To size up and do the "what do we have here" once over.

To highlight the differences. To help create the distinction of each Maine property listing.

To see if it meets their needs, priorities. Fulfills their Maine real estate dream.

As they kick the tires, test drive. Sort through the subtle, and not always so small differences Maine real estate listings all possess.

It's like an extra filter, template is fit over the property listing. To put the Maine real estate on their own personal dynometer. To run it at high RPM's, see how it performs in the twists, dips, turns from the buyer's unique perspective. What works best for a property listing that consider their individual needs, wallet or purse size.

You don't want to hang out a day longer in the rent rut and financing a Maine home, getting a house loan mortgage is the mission.

Home ownership in Maine is a big step. Makes the Maine home buyer more intimately tied, connected to the community. Because as a property taxpayer, a keen, sharper interest in local town decision making, revenue expenditures kicks into gear.

But getting a Maine home mortgage loan has changed radically since the days of only local lending.

Where it was pretty cut and dry, simple. A black and white given that the Maine home buyer kept renting until the bell rang.Work like a busy bee.

And the all important twenty five percent home loan down payment was saved up, squirrelled away. No easy task. But far less foreclosures on Maine homes happened with this big of an investment going in. Put down, made by local Maine house buyers.

The World Acadian Congress For 2014 Is In Maine.

It's time for Vacationland, specifically Aroostook County to take its turn at playing host. To thousands of Acadians travelling to the Crown Of Maine.

Unlike a Phish musical band concert, all the groupies following it, the few held on the former Loring Air Force Base grounds in Limestone, this event differs.

The Acadian festival happenings are spread out.

Not so self contained logidstical details to iron out.

Traveling back and forth. Across the International border from Maine into Canada.

With opening ceremonies kicked off in a location where Quebec, New Brunswick, Maine are touch respectively.

To signify, add emphasis to the fact that the tow mostly wooded, farm spreads too countries embrace.

Where cultures blend and strengthen for the greater good of heart to heart, face to face discussion of common goals.

To look into solutions for similiar set of problems, issues each has to work around too.

The behind the scenes logistics to handle public safety at the World Acadian Congress 2014 schedule was one topic discussed at this Monday's noon Houlton Maine Rotary Club meeting.

Head of the Troop F barracks of the Maine State Police, Lt John Cote spoke about the enormous task.That required lots of planning, special task forces to handle all the elements of the World Acadian Congress 2014 event in Maine this weekend.

The need for a tour guide, navigator in the Maine real estate list and sell.

To get to the property listing closing on time. In one piece, not badly battered or bruised. The experience should be fun, educational, and free of confusion.

No one gets bloodied, black and blue sucker punched in the real estate sales process.

Delays happen but expectations and explanations of why this is happening in the property sale.

What is the next step in the play by play of the Maine real estate transaction?

Keeping everyone, current, in the loop.

Tapping the shoulder one by one. Of the many professionals involved in the Maine property sale. To make darn sure they get the cue. Before their play part in the real estate script gets page flipped. Comes up quickly. And it is show time. For their role, spotlight purpose in the Maine real estate sale.

So the time has come, for you to start your search for Maine waterfront homes.

Maybe used as a camp, cottage for now. Until the golden retirement bell goes off in a few years. As you ease into being off the clock. Chasing the dollar.

Possibly just a Maine waterfront property without the buildings, structures, improvements.

That's the plan.

To use when the time arrives to build from scratch.

The ground up, side to side. To get what you want. Not someone else's nightmare to tame.

Making changes to existing Maine waterfront properties can be expensive, stressful.

In the undo, redo, make do. Throwing good money after bad. And shoreland zoning in Maine, is not going to make it easier to modify and get what you want.

Living in Maine, what do you get around a property listing when you buy real estate here?

Going in the price is so low that living debt free opens up all kinds of options. Because you are freed up on the worry of making a large monthly payment for this or that. Or many at all.

Once the not needing lots of money to live in Maine sinks in, the new property listing buyer starts to add up savings in other areas too.

Car insurance when you live in the 4th lowest crime state. Means expect to pay about one quarter of our friends behind the wheel.

With the hands in 10 and 2 on the way to work on 495 or 128 in Bean Town.

More car accidents, thefts means higher premiums due to the risk.

Simple Maine living has lots of other advantages too.

Like not locking your door. Smiling. Making eye contact and waving at your neighbor. Or to anyone you meet. Strangers don't stay that way long in small town rural Maine living.

Maine real estate is local, the property listings are fixed based.

But the financing help and legal closing assistance is something that we see gypies asking for a slice. Trying to muscle in.

To sample some of that hit, flit and run local pie.

I am fiercely territorial, home town proud of our local Maine service providers.

Every local Maine  taxpayer should be for area survival, growth, prosperity.

We have talented local Maine bank lenders.

Legal beagle local Maine attorneys, lawyers to shuffle, coordinate the paperwork.

Local Maine insurance agents, brokers to bind the property listings when they sell too.

So when we get Maine real estate office visits from a "gypsy" lender from hours away asking to just give us a whirl.

Try us, you'll like us please. I just smile. Hand goes up, hold it happens. Stop right there. We have plenty of local Maine providers of that service. They create local jobs that feed, support the small Maine town community economy.

Maine real estate buyers purchasing a property listing wonder what their taxes are going to be the following year.

Especially when buying Maine land and many buildings. So often the question comes up, what are my property taxes on the Maine real estate going to be?

The next time I rip open the envelope.

Get the bill for my new property in Maine delivered.

They gonna walk it, sock it to me?

Property taxes in Maine go up.

They stay the same.

Some years they even drop. And every town in Maine is run differently. Some hip hip, ship shape, tight is right. Others, well loose as a goose. Not so cost efficient.

Each town, plantation, city also does not have the same features. That may help make the property taxes on the Maine real estate lower than others. Industry, making money off licensing, services all go into the same kitty as the property taxes of a Maine community. To pay the bills.

You know the feeling from getting your money's worth when eating out, dining away from home.

Maine land acreage is like that. You always leave a closing on a property listing for Maine land loaded to the gills, happy, giddy.

Feeling the same buying Maine land as loaded down with the carry out white boxes of food.

From the local Maine diner. Where you always get your money's worth.

That you paid for, just could not eat. But get to save for another sitting.

When hunger returns and you wander out to the refrigerator for a little snack. A quick looksie of just what hiding in there. On those shelves during a commercial break of some reality show. And you are thinking about grazing, putting the feed bag on.

Maine land is plentiful, always included in large supply in a property listing purchase.

Around the in town home with extra lots. Surrounding, wrapping loosely the farm or waterfront property listing in Maine. That includes plenty of acreage in the property trade. To add to the experience of all four season outdoors. With the real estate in Maine, the property listing you zero in on. You decide to purchase.

You are buying or selling Maine real estate, what about property closing costs?

You are in the dark. Hope you have enough money to cover them. Have questions. Wonder and worry what are they? Just don't know what to expect.

How wide the wallet or purse is going to have to open.

Do you have enough can cause sleepless nights.

You hope you do.

What's the damage to buy or sell the property in Maine?

Spell out what everything costs in a Maine property sale.

That's our job. Closing costs are this big black hole of unknown to most.

Because buying and selling Maine real estate is not something people do very often.

And unless paying attention you can be shelling out too much. Or writing checks for items not their responsibility. Without knowing better. Shifted over to the your side of the closing settlement statement. Talked into it not knowing, seeing the shell game underway.

Tell me about closing costs on Maine real estate Mister Broker Man. Gladly. Sure can.

Banks will by law have to provide a good faith estimate of closing costs. They usually aim high. Don't want you coming in short. Right up front, going in. Here's the score, ball park estimates. All of them.

And if the property sale is for cash so much is left blank for numbers on the HUD-1 settlement statement.

So many markets in real estate are houses, just homes.

Maine homes are part of what we peddle, but other property listings are marketed too. Because when a Maine real estate broker is lucky enough to live in a place called Aroostook County, well now. 

Maine land is part of the property sales, buyer match making.

Because so so many people, like 8 out of 10 have to live.

Do time chasing the dollar in the city, land comes at a premium.

Space is a luxury and expensive.

Or just non-existent.

Except for a park here, some monuments. Maybe a river winding through in a special location of an urban area.

In Maine, the homes all come with lots of land.

And sales of Maine farms, land is part of the selection we offer. Maine waterfront land is part of the vending slots of real estate we do stock. To make sure that there are all the locations, prices.

Every type of each Maine property listing category filled to the brim. To push the selection button. For release, to hear it thud thud. To slide open the bottom door slot. To pull it out and enjoy fully the Maine land.

Maine real estate sales, it's all about attracting the attention of more buyers.

Property listings in Maine need to be seen by the largest audience possible. And videos do a round the clock delivery using the eyes and ears too.

Nothing like seeing, hearing all about the local area events in Maine late at night wearing your jammies.

The property for sale in the area of Maine. Where the community happenings occur, the local flavor impresses people.

Simple living, low crime, four seasons, less traffic, more wildlife. And plenty of drop dead gorgeous four seasons beauty, scenery included for free.

But keeping it all a secret, only cueing in the locals is like flirting in the dark.

Winking, hoping something good comes out of the eye action. Playing footsy. Sending signals. Hoping for good results, a connection that leads to more.

Marketing property listings in Maine is no longer an Monday through Friday 8-5 job.

Not just catering to, chasing a local audience either. 

You are a Maine home buyer, not flush with cash.

Want to buy some real estate in Maine, but need a home loan mortgage, some financing. So wandering out onto the information highway.

Like sliding a buffet cafeteria tray down the aluminum tubes.

Under the sneeze guard, you are getting hungry.

Anxious to buy a Maine home for your young family but needing backing, a mortgage loan.

But unlike the days of rent a long time to save up the 25% down payment, deal with a local lender.

And everything done in the home town bank with a character assessment of you, the property, the title.

It is way way more complicated now.

Because Maine home buyers don't have 25% of the house price all squirrel away, mortgage insurance is needed. Add in some flood insurance if the Maine home is somewhere Noah will be blowing through after building the 100 year Ark.

You Tube videos for real estate property listings.

One sweet way to make the connection in the show and tell. To do the delivery of local community area events.

The what's available to consider buying, owning. Now playing on the You Tube real estate channel.

That's for sale in the Maine real estate market.

Real estate videos work so fine, round the clock.

No matter what the buyer's time zone or location. Weather never interferes with the transfer of information either using powerful video.

Videos avoid the need for numerous, expensive trips north to kick the tires. The gas, motels, pressure of find something today. Because we have to trot back home. Racing back and forth is not an option time and money wise.

The owners of a property in Northern Maine live in Boston MA and a property break in happened.

Rare in the 4th lowest crime state where Aroostook County is half that pretty impressive statistic.

But the copper plumbing was stripped for scrap value from a Maine vacation property.

And now the Maine home seller is anxious to sell.

Worried about a return visit from the help yourself gang.

But pricing, wanting what they paid for the place, all the money put into the property. And a tidy profit on top of all those numbers.

(Buzzer sound) Not so fast. And remember no insurance on the property listing so kinda of exposed, vunerable and on thin breaking ice.

The owner of the home in Maine relocated, has to rent the house out to help subsidize the property they carry here.

To be able to buy a place in the new location. Or just to help with bills because they too are renting on the other end.

Until the place, home in Maine sells. But there is a problem, a kink, a wrinkle.

The renter tells the owner he is going to buy their home in Maine.

So the owner figures here we go. One loose end tied up. But months go by.

No purchase and sale agreement. No talk even on the price the property is going to be selling for to see if they can even afford it.