Before you start looking for something, you need to know what that something is. This is especially true with a search as daunting as looking for your new home. Buying a house is unique because the process is long, the decision is emotional, and the investment is larger than most. The outcome affects not only where you live, but how you live. So once the budget is set and you know what you are willing to spend, it’s time to decide what you want to get for your money. Continue reading “What Are Your Must-Haves for Your New Home?”

If you’ve lived in Maine for at least one winter (or, even just for the past week), there’s a good chance you know what it’s like to lose power. It’s a total disruption in our lives. You wake up to see the oven clock blinking at 12:00. School is canceled and you have to keep the kids occupied, or maybe you usually work from home and now you have to find a coffee shop or library (that still has power of their own) to get things done. Sometimes, it’s just a simple annoyance like sleeping in because your alarm didn’t go off.

But beyond throwing off your whole routine, losing power can be dangerous. This week’s storm with near-hurricane force winds and the largest power outage in the history of Central Maine Power is a good reminder to prepare for the power outages that will likely come our way this winter. Here are our top tips for staying warm, safe, and entertained when the electricity goes out: Continue reading “So You’ve Lost Power – What Now?”

Summer is fading, and our Pine Tree State is still teeming with wildlife. We have been flocking to the beaches, we are hitting the trails – anything to get outside and enjoy the beautiful nature Maine has to offer. Even your own backyard probably has a lot to offer. Maybe you have a patio for outdoor dining, or a garden with beautiful flowers or even vegetables. Having some green space is practically a given when you live in a Maine home, and there are many ways for us to enjoy it. It reminds us of the natural beauty that surrounds us, and that we are not the only ones to inhabit it.

Wildlife sightings in a backyard are a treat (as long as it’s not a bear trying to sneak into your trash!). Bees helps gardens flourish, butterflies bring lively colors, birds showcase elaborate feathers and avian drama, and squirrels and other forest rodents will certainly keep your dogs busy. Even bigger mammals like raccoons, foxes, and deer can be seen in neighborhoods not far from Portland. Read on for our best tips to create a backyard space that feels like home to your critter visitors:

Continue reading “You’re Not the Only Resident on Your Property”

It might be hard to believe with this month of rain that we’ve had in Maine, but summer really is just around the corner! There’s no better time of the year to explore the bounty of nature that Vacationland has to offer. Whether you are a self-professed outdoors junkie or more of the homebody type, Maine has enough nature for everyone to discover and enjoy. And, no matter how long you’ve been living in or visiting the state, there is always something new to see. In this post we’ll be going on an adventure in the Greater Portland Area. Have you been to all of these places? Read on to find out! Continue reading “It’s Time to Get Out of the House”

If you’re lucky, you can afford to buy your new house without selling your current house. But unfortunately, that isn’t the case for most people in the real estate market. Many buyers will therefore have to make an offer that is contingent upon the successful sale of their current home. In today’s competitive housing market, that could pose some challenges when buying the home that you want – but it doesn’t have to. Continue reading “Buying Time to Buy in a Seller’s Market”

Where do you spend most of your time when you’re at home? If you’re like most people, you probably spend more time in your kitchen than anywhere else. We eat three meals a day, plus snacks in between, and when you think about how many waking hours you actually spend in your home, a lot of that time is centered around meals. It should come as no surprise, then, that the kitchen is the “money room” for any house on the market. An attractive kitchen will do much more for your home’s market value than a nice living room. So where does most of that kitchen value lie in the eyes of your buyer? Continue reading “5 Kitchen Features Buyers Love”

As much as this recent warm weather may give us hope that spring is near, we Mainers are still in the midst of another New England winter. The snow will surely return, and we’ll resume shoveling and snow blowing for just a little bit longer. This hint of spring weather, however, reminds us that spring is coming…someday. And with it – a busier real estate market. The number of home sales increases significantly as the housing market enters the spring home-selling season. Once the weather starts warming up, more and more houses start going on the market until it reaches peak saturation around June. If you are selling your home this year, give yourself a head start on competing listings and put your home on the market now.

Continue reading “Time to List: Selling in a Seasonal Real Estate Market”

It’s 2017. While it can simply seem like an arbitrary calendar change, the new year is special for a reason. It’s a chance to wipe the slate clean and focus on creating the life you truly want. For many homeowners, their living spaces become woven into their goals and resolutions for the new year. But, putting those resolutions into action is so much more difficult than we’d like it to be. Just getting started – deciding on a first step, and pushing yourself to make it happen, is where so many people get stuck. It happens to us all in some capacity each year, but we’ve seen many homeowners overcome that first step and achieve their homeownership goals. Read on for our top tips for putting your new year homeowner resolutions into action:

Continue reading “How to Achieve Your 2017 Homeownership Goals”

What does the holiday season mean to you? If you’re like most people, your life probably gets more hectic one way or the other. Work might become more demanding, or perhaps your free time becomes dominated by various commitments with family and friends. As fun and cheerful of a time as the holidays can be, there’s no denying the uproar in social activity and total deviation from routine can be downright exhausting.

And despite all of this, you’ve decided to sell your home during this busy time? Have no fear! Your Realtor has likely been dealing with the holiday housing market for years, and they can help you navigate the selling process with great success. To do your part to ensure a successful sale, be prepared by keeping the following items in mind.

Continue reading “Selling a Home During the Holidays: What You Need to Know”

Finding the right realtor to help you buy or sell your home can seem daunting. It is a big decision to make! Whoever you choose as your realtor will be your guide,advocate, and in charge of the fate of your most valuable asset: your current or prospective home. But oftentimes, initial online searches can make it seem that there are too many choices. Before you go to meet a realtor in person, make sure you know what questions to ask so you can hire the person who will best serve you.

Continue reading “Searching for a Realtor: How to Find The One”