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Bridgton, ME Real Estate News

By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
If you are among the fortunate and have a history of summer vacations in the Lakes Region area, or if you have recently discovered this area for the first time, you are probably already acquainted with our local movie theater, the Magic Lantern. Situated in downtown Bridgton, alongside Steven's Brook, the newest version of "the Magic" is a welcome addition to Main Street, Bridgton. With three screens and a pub, this theater has gone a long way in helping to revitalize downtown Bridgton. Its predecessor was housed in a building that was razed to provide room for the new version. The old building was literally sinking into the ground and there was no helping it, so down it came. The town voted to provide tax incentives for the construction of a new theater and worked with the owners to pr...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Signs of spring are becoming more prevelant by the day. A quick trip around the northern Sebago Lakes area today found brooks and rivers running pell mell with surging water and swift currents. The edges of lakes and ponds are ice free and there is much open water on the north end of Long Lake, where I live. Driving across the causeway in West Bridgton one can still see the Ice Man, keeping his happy vigil, waiting for the ice to melt out from underneath him. He won't last much longer, I think, and someone who guessed a relatively early "ice out" will win the prize this year. At Bear Pond in South Waterford the pond looks like a field of slush. A month ago, from the same vantage point, you could see a half dozen pick up trucks parked alongside ten or fifteen ice shacks. What a differenc...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Vacationers and lakefront owners who own porperty in southwestern Maine should be aware of the great amount of information provided online by the Lakes Environmenal Association, headquartered in Bridgton, Maine. They have recently published their 2008 Water Testing Report on 37 Maine Lakes and Ponds in the region. This is invaluable information for anyone who cares about the health and well-being of our area lakes and ponds. The LEA tests for and monitors such lake attributes as water clarity, chlorophyll content, and phosphorus levels. They have been doing this testing for a number of years and so can offer insights on how well our lakes and ponds are doing. In addition to just giving the test results, they also write a summary for each of the 37 lakes and ponds, giving their appraisal...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
We locals know all about Bridgton - a second home in the summer for vacationers for years, home to several beautiful lakes and ponds, a refurbished downtown, active in the winter with skiing and snowmobiling, and sporting such amenities as a wonderful hospital, two grocery stores, and a new cafe in town across from the more established women's clothing and home furnishings store, Craftworks. Imagine our surprise, however, and pleasure to find this wonderful small town profiled in Friday's New York Times! It was a complimentary article too, saying many nice things about the area and quoting several residents and non-residents alike waxing on about all things Bridgton. The major thrust of the article was about the outdoor recreational activities enjoyed here both in summer and winter. Bri...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
This past weekend, Bridgton proved once again that this area has more to offer than lazy summer days in the shade, fall foliage, and loon calls. Up to 5,000 people - and dozens of dogs - showed up to watch and participate in this year's version of the Musher's Bowl Winter Carnival - offering a variety of both indoor and outdoor activities stretched over a 10 day period, ending last Sunday. While the focus of many was on the dog sledding (and why not) others could participate in, or just watch, such varied activities as ice golf, broomball, and skijoring - that's where a dog pulls a human on skis. Many signed up for a dogsled ride and others got a free ride on a snowmobile.  There was a ping pong tournament, a photography contest, a dodgeball elimination tournament, and a biathalon (that...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
The town of Bridgton is one of the most popular destinations for buyers of lakefront property in the Sebago Lake Region. And why not? Bridgton has some of the most desireable lakes and ponds in the area, has a downtown that boasts a new movie theater, a new, expanded Reny's for retail shopping, a new Hannaford and updated Food City for groceries, a first rate seller of fashion and home furnishings at Craftworks, several attractive B&Bs and resorts, two booksellers, a wonderful new hospital, restaurants, a cafe...and the list goes on. Located less than an hour from Portland and the turnpike and less than a half hour from shopping mecca North Conway, NH, Bridgton is ideally situated on well-travelled Rte. 302. If you've never been to Bridgton or spent any time there, be sure to check it o...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
I got a call from my brother who asked me how the market is for lakefront property. I told him that selection was great, interest rates were at 5% heading even lower, prices had fallen 10 to 15% and sellers were motivated. He said, "Tom, that's great news! Are you getting the word out to to those wanting to buy lakefront property?" I said, "Well, I think so. But, you know, I'm not sure." I told him that my message might be getting lost among the great deluge of "bad news" such as government bailouts, bank failures and unemployment figures. The question is: Are all lakefront buyers being affected equally by today's economy? Many for sure, But all? If you are a lakefront buyer who is not suffering the ill effects of this economy you need to know something. There's never been a better tim...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
If you are among those who think we're in the middle of a deflationary cycle with regards to lakefront real estate, you're not alone. It would seem that buyers continue to sit on the sidelines thinking prices will continue to go down. So far, so good, but playing the waiting game is fraught with peril because no one, and I mean no one, can call the bottom of any market - real estate, stock, bond, currency, gold, commodities, or fine art, furniture and antiques. What we can do, though, is look at trends and draw inferences from history. Look at this report from Leeb's Market Forecast yesterday: A widespread thaw in the previously frozen credit market is taking place right now. Rates on conventional 30-year fixed mortgages have dropped to 5.7 percent nationally, down from 6.45 percent in ...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
The primary reason lakefront buyers come to the Mr Lakefront website, www.mrlakefront.net , is to look at lakefront real estate. That's as it should be. The Lakefront Locator is designed to allow waterfront home buyers to narrow down your search to those properties that fit your criteria or meet your needs. There's lots of choices. What Lake Region? What type of property? What price range? What town(s)? What lake(s)? Once you've figured that out, then one can select how the results are displayed. From oldest on the market to newest or newest to oldest. Highest priced to lowest prices or lowest to highest priced. There is also a Map Results feature. This feature allows one to display the results of one's search on a map. It took some effort on our part to bring it to you. Zooming in and ...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
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 living areas of Maine homes. Because we have a lot of granite bedrock in Maine we often find varying levels of radon gas. If too much gas is found then the installation of a mitigation system is usually recommended that reduces the amount of the gas to an acceptable level. Here is what the Department of Environmental Protection has to say about radon: "Radon is an odorless, invisible gas known to be a human lung carcinogen. Millions of homes and buildings contain high levels of radon gas. The EPA's efforts are directed at locating homes wit...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Mr. Lakefront does not usually make it a practice to promote the sale of other agents listings. I have an obligation to my sellers to promote their properties. However, we do care about getting our lakefront buyer clients great deals, whoever has the listing. Occasionally, some great bargains become available for whatever the reason. I think it's a good thing to let our readership know of these terrific deals. I'm referring to lakefront building lots on beautiful Woods Pond in Bridgton. There are three lakefront building lots available . These lots all have over 200 feet on the water and are all over an acre and a half in size. Lot #5, MLS# 903722 originally priced at $315,000 is now $169,000! Lot #7 MLS# 869580 originally priced at $275,000 is now $149,000! Lot#2 MLS # 869558 originall...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
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), ...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
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 ar...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
From time to time a lakefront listing will come on the market that will be in poor condition. Lakefront buyers will ask Mr Lakefront, " Why did the owners allow the place to slip or fall into this condition?" "It's a sin that they let the place go." Well, if it is a sin, it was a sin of omission, not commission. In most cases, it was not a willful act on on the the part of the owners. Here is the most common scenario. Mom and Dad pass away and leave the lakefront home to their three kids. Over time, two of their children move away and no longer visit the Maine lakefront home, prefering Cape Cod or some other vacation area. Sometimes one of the adult children will just want the money from the sale of the property. Whatever the reason, the much loved summer place becomes a burden. "Why sh...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
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 mo...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
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 ...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
At the risk of beating the drum once too often, I was reading the local daily, the Portland Press Herald, and on their editorial page they were making note of the recent downward slide in home prices. They seem to see the same silver lining I do. While the lower prices may be a source of consternation for sellers, they are also a source of great opportunity for buyers. Much is made, the editorial says, about buyers trying to time the market - waiting for the moment the bottom is reached and then jumping in with both feet. As I have opined in a previous post, the editorial says market timing is sheer folly. The editorial ends with these words of wisdom: "This is likely a good time to buy a home, even if the market hasn't bottomed out. Sure, maybe in six months you might say you wished yo...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
For folks not familiar with Maine, searching for lakefront property can be somewhat frustrating. After obtaining search results buyers have pondered "where the heck are these properties and what is their relative position to each other? " Until now, displaying your search results using Lakefront Locator meant listing your results in a variety of ways. You can list results by price, high to low or low to high. You can list results from oldest listings to newest or newest to oldest. All good options, but still not totally satisfying. Last fall, in response to our annual survey of suggested enhancements, we received a number of requests to plot, or map, search results so that one can see where each listing is in relation to each other. Mr. Lakefront is proud to announce our new display opt...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
A couple of weeks ago we announced several upgrades to the search capabilities found on our website. Today we bring another fantastic feature.Starting today, when you do a search for properties on our website, www.mrlakefront.net, once you get the search results, you will see a button on each individual listing that says "Map It". What this will do is actually show you the location on the lake of the listing you're looking at on a Google map. How cool is that?!If the specific address is not provided to us, the button will say "Lake Map" and show you a Google map of the lake that the listing is located on. Over time you will see more and more "Map It" buttons with the specific location of the property on the lake and fewer and fewer "Lake Map" buttons with the just the lake itself. We kn...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
The Maine winter has certainly been a long, snowy one. I'm wondering if you will still recognize this photo. It's a picture of the Shawnee Peak ski area on Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton with beautiful Moose Pond in the foreground.Many of you who come to this area know this view well if you drive west along Rte. 302 from Bridgton to Fryeburg. I'm running this photo to remind us all that the predominant colors in this area will soon be green and blue - not white!I'm also running it because I've found out that Shawnee Peak has received nearly 200 inches of snow this season - so much, in fact, that they are extending their season through this weekend. Wow, April skiing in Bridgton. Congrats to all you skiers out there!For waterfront real estate buyers, however, these can be trying times - b...
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