Behind the House is the Longfellow Garden, a secluded Colonial Revival style garden that is an urban oasis in the heart of downtown Portland. Located on what had once been the domestic farmyard for the family, the Longfellow Garden Club created the garden in 1926, and continues to maintain the property to this day. This year, the beautifully landscaped garden will be transformed into a winter wonderland with festive illuminations and holiday décor made possible through the generosity of electrical contractor Anthony Mancini, Inc. of Portland.  Stop by and to take in the lights, stroll down the Poet’s Path, and enjoy hot cider and holiday cookies under the Children’s Gate portico.  The recently-restored Children’s Gate ties the Brown Library and the Longfellow House together.  The gate w... 12/17/2012

Robert Moody strikes up the biggest band in town for Maine’s finest holiday extravaganza. Celebrate the traditions, story and spirit of the season — experience the Magic for yourself! Be inspired by cherished musical traditions that evoke fond Christmas memories. Be awed as a master illusionist brings real magic to the holiday festivities. Be moved by hundreds of voices lifted in sacred song and the miraculous story of the Christmas season. Discounted prices available online for: Children 18 & under Full-time college students w/ ID Seniors 65 & over How to order: When selecting seats, look at ticket type and choose the one you want. Tickets will be verified at entry.If you have questions, please call the box office before placing your order 207-842-0800. Robert Moody, conductorLyn Dilli... 12/17/2012

Portland is the largest city in Maine. It is also the state’s cultural, social and economical capital. Portland is a small seaside city, with shops, museums, galleries and many things to do. Portland has been granted with specific characteristics that make owning properties, a luxury house, or investment properties in the city highly desirable. The Portland real estate has managed well in the present downturn. The city has also been attractive for investors and homebuyers because it boasts of some of the most breathtaking and beautiful scenic landscapes in the country. The said characteristics of Portland are the very reason why it appeals to a lot of property purchasers looking for investment property or a dream house that comes with an exceptional value.   Real estate in Portland, Mai... 12/09/2012

  This was a fire gutted home in Oakland, CA in the late 1990's.  It was raining lightly the day the inspection was made.  A small contractor was buying this home as a self-help project.  He obviously was qualified to do the work but the consultant must make a recommendation he was the time and knowledge to get this project completed with his normal workload.  Though the self help project doesn’t allow the contractor to get paid for his personal labor, he can get paid for work done by others including his employees but he must be able to prove they are being paid for work on this project. The day after he purchased this property I was called out for a draw inspection on the roof. The contractor called for a draw on the finished roof.  When I took the appointment I restated to him that I... 11/24/2012

  A seller’s agent should know that a 203k buyer can get a loan up to 110% of the appraised value after the rehab is complete. To get the most out of a property for your seller you should know the cost to repair and bring the property to the HUD Minimum Property Standards (MPS). How can you do that? Hire a 203k consultant to perform a ‘feasibility analysis’. You can estimate the after-improved value for the purpose of this segment of the process. If you know what the cost of the rehab is to be, then merely deduct that amount and loan costs from the ‘after-improved’ value estimate and you have the maximum amount your property is worth. If you try to get more than that you are just kidding your client and yourself.  There are agents who will say anything to get that listing but I think mo... 11/11/2012

  Portland, Maine has recently been named as the #1 city in America for “Second Acts” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, meaning empty nesters looking for a change should check out our beautiful city! Kiplinger’s compiled lists of the top 5 best cities for various times in life, whether someone be just starting out, an empty nester, or a retiree. Each list reveals the top five cities that satisfy specific requirements for each life stage, including cost of living, income growth, population share for each age group, crime rate, healthcare, public schools, and community services and cultural resources. Check out the complete list here! 07/26/2012

Jane and Garry Smith | Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage | (207) 838-2011 57 Lawn Ave, Portland, ME Turn of Century Victorian in highly sought after Deering Center neighborhood in Portland, Maine 4BR/3BA Single Family House offered at $379,000 Year Built 1920 Sq Footage 2,487 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 full, 0 partial Floors 3 Parking 4 Uncovered spaces Lot Size .12 acres HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION A rare find in this Deering Center locale! 2487 SF, 4 brm Victorian home has been lovingly maintained and updated inside and out. Open Living and Dining Rooms with Alcove, Bay Windows, French Doors and Gas Fireplace. Retreat to the Urban Garden in the fenced in backyard with ornamental shrubs, hardscape and patio. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES - Central heat - Firepla... 06/27/2012

Preparing to own a home requires you to take a close look at your personal finances. Here is a list to help you get ready. For more info, visit realtytimes.com. Get your credit in line - Do you have a lot of credit cards or outstanding loans? Do you pay your bills on time? These are things a lender will look at, so it's important to check out what your credit score is, especially if changes need to be made. Track your spending - If you're going out to dinner 4 nights a week and buying expensive outfits all the time, you need to track it in order to see where you can cut back before purchasing a home. Create a budget and stick to it - It may be difficult at first, but this will help you in saving enormously and help you avoid sticky situations. Save, save, save - Create a savings account... 06/07/2012

Check out this amazing photo of Back Cove in Portland, Maine during the Super Moon last Saturday. Portland is a beautiful place to live! Check out more photos from local photographer Corey Templeton at portlanddailyphoto.com. 05/11/2012

Jane and Garry Smith | Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage | (207) 838-2011 20 Bartley Ave, Portland, ME Location! Location! Bartley Gardens Cape Cod in North Deering near shops & parks and I-95! Tranquil backyard setting! 3BR/1+1BA Single Family House offered at $229,500 Year Built 1955 Sq Footage 1,646 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 1 full, 1 partial Floors 2 Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 15,015 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Great Value in Bartley Gardens! Charming dormered Cape Cod with front to back fireplaced Living Room, formal DR w/ built-in china cabinet and new natural gas heat/hot water system for energy efficiency! This home radiates loads of charm with archways and warm wood floors. Tranquil backyard setting with mature shrubs and trees for relaxing in privacy! see additi... 04/04/2012

Portland, ME keeps making the all the best top 10 lists – this week, the city (as well as South Portland) were named #3 and #5 best New England cities by GoLocalWorcester.com. To determine the best cities, data was compiled in the following categories: economics/prosperity, safety, culture, health, and overall quality of life. Way to go Portland! 04/04/2012

Sometimes it is helpful (or interesting) to know the raw data associated with a particular area. These figures are weekly activity for residential property in:   Portland South Portland Westbrook Scarborough Falmouth We will report the number of New Listings, Pending Sales and Closed Transactions (with price ranges) for the 7-day period from Wednesday through the following Tuesday. As with any data, we can make it specific to any area or even neighborhood upon request.   1 March to 7 March 2012   ·New Listings 33 from $124,900 to $675,000   ·Pending Sales 21 from $118,900 to $460,000   ·Closed Sales 17 From $119,900 to $330,000   Richard and Jean Murphy, Brokers Harborview Properties Portland, ME 207 712 4796 property@megalink.net   03/09/2012

On the first Friday of each month many galleries in and around the downtown, East End, West End and Old Port areas of Portland open their shops from 5:00 to 8:00PM for the public to wander through and gaze at the often new displays of art work.  Known as the First Friday Art Walk , this event exposes many local (and some not so local) artists in a relaxed venue. The Portland Museum of Art opens its doors for free (always free on any Friday) and always has wonderful changing exhibits along with permanent exhibits of works from all over the world. This is just one of many cultural/social events available in Portland throughout the year. If you are considering a visit to Portland, you may consider working your stay around the first week of the month to include this fun event in your itiner... 03/01/2012

  Sometimes it is helpful (or interesting) to know the raw data associated with a particular area. These figures are weekly activity for residential property in:   Portland South Portland Westbrook Scarborough Falmouth We will report the number of New Listings, Pending Sales and Closed Transactions (with price ranges) for the 7-day period from Wednesday through the following Tuesday. As with any data, we can make it specific to any area or even neighborhood upon request.   22 February to 28 February 2012   ·New Listings 25 from $469,900 to $84,900   ·Pending Sales 35 from $449,000 to $122,500   ·Closed Sales 14 From $595,000 to $125,000   Richard and Jean Murphy, Brokers Harborview Properties Portland, ME 207 712 4796 property@megalink.net   02/28/2012

The Portland Maine Flower Show 2012 will be held at the Portland Company Complex, 58 Fore Street in Portland from Wednesday, March 7 through Sunday, March 11 this year with the 2012 theme - "Celebration". The Opening Night Gala officially begins at 6pm on Wednesday evening March 7th with the Flower Show beginning March 8th at 10am. You can Buy Flower Show Tickets Online and enjoy not only the flower show but a lecture series that will run each day, and culminate with the 10th Annual Cumberland County Master Gardener Plant Auction on Sunday, March 11, to benefit the University of Maine Cooperative Extension home horticultural program in Cumberland County. 02/24/2012

  $474,900 City: Portland, ME Zip Code: 04101 Approx. Sq. Feet: 3,500 Lot Size: 0.172 Area: In-Town Year Built: 1900 Stories: 2 Bedrooms: 5 Baths: 4 Living: 1 Dining: 1 Kitchen: 1 Garage: 2 Car School District: Portland Special Features:Dishwasher, Garbage Disposal, Range Gas, Refrigerator, Full Basement MLS Number:1036790   Metric Convertor   Gracious Victorian on Desirable Back Cove. Enjoy all this area offers from the 3 mile running trail & quiet setting to easy in-town access. Abundant original details, period front porch, fireplaces, stained glass, rare 2 car garage & many updates.     I helped prepare this beautiful home for sale. The open house is this Sunday, February 19th from 11:30 am to 1pm. Listed with Tom Landry at Benchmark Realty,see more at www.62CoyleSt.com   If you or... 02/17/2012

With just one week left until Valentine’s Day, if you would like to do something sweet with your sweetheart, now is the time to plan ahead! There are endless great ideas for ways to celebrate the day, from elaborate dinners to a quite night at home with a good movie. Sometimes simple is best: if you are looking for something sweet try a cupcake. East End Cupcakes in Portland Maine’s East End neighborhood has a great selection of flavors from carrot cake to bacon, so even if opposites have attracted the great thing about cupcakes is that you can pick your own with no need to settle for less. Much like cupcakes, the East End neighborhood is chocked full of real estate opportunities of a variety of “flavors.” From multi-unit Portland properties to single family homes and luxury condos, the... 02/07/2012

As the year begins it is a great time to look at ways to improve your life. How about a new home in Maine’s greater Portland area? Many excellent single family homes are available, but another convenient option is to choose among one of Portland’s condos. There are numerous small condo associations, and a few larger luxury condo associations in the area, such as Portland House Luxury Condominiums in the East End neighborhood. Portland House units vary in size and price, but all are located just minutes from downtown, adjacent to Fort Allen Park. Another condo association is Chandlers Wharf. Condos at Chandlers Wharf are located in downtown Portland directly on the waterfront in the city’s Old Port district. The scenic Old Port area of Portland is a center of business, destination for to... 01/02/2012

One of two high-rise condo buildings in Portland ME, Portland East in the city’s East End neighborhood offers true luxury living. Portland East condominiums overlook picturesque views of Casco Bay and the Eastern Promenade Park. This convenient East End location is just a short distance from downtown Portland. There are a total of 75 units in Portland East, ranging from 200K to 500K. Portland East Condos offer amenities including both a swimming pool and fitness center – it is unique as Portland’s only condo association to offer both. To learn about the specific regulations  and condo association information at Portland East, or other condo associations in the greater Portland area visit the Herrigel Group online today, or contact John Herrigel at 207.650.5383 or herrigelgroup@gmail.com 12/19/2011

Universal Properties is pleased to announce the addition of Cassandra Bemis to the team as a Buyer Specialist. She grew up and attended college in her home state of Pennsylvania. Cassandra has lived in four states in the past six years, and is well-versed in the process and stresses that accompany relocation. Cassandra’s goal is to assist her clients in finding the right home while making their transition as easy as possible. Clients’ needs and interests are top priority, and listening to their needs and wants is of utmost importance to her. When Cassandra is not working, she enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with family. "We're very excited to have Cassandra on board as a Buyers Specialist", explained CEO Jeff Mateja, "She possesses a strong drive and enthusiasm to help others ... 12/14/2011