The Lakes of Lincoln, Maine

 

 

When searching for Maine lakefront land for sale you should investigate the possibilities in Lincoln, Maine. The town is known around the world as a producer of the world's finest quality napkin stock. What you may not know is the town is home to more than a dozen lakes and ponds. Lincoln's lakes are very diverse with some located in the downtown and busy areas of towns and others with little development remotely located in its timber landscape. Some of the ponds are great places to paddle a canoe or kayak while others are perfect for power boating, skiing swimming. The fishing ranges from trout and salmon to large and smallmouth bass. The lakes here are often connected in chains or by small to large streams. A trip to Main Street in Lincoln will offer a view of Mattanawcook Lake from the town maintained public gazebo. The lake has a quality boat ramp and is a popular place to boat in the larger basin of the lake. The upper,more shallow section of Mattanawcook is terrific loon habitat with several pair of loons nesting here every year. Lakes that feed into Mattanawcook are Crooked, Folsom and Upper Ponds. These three ponds are much more remote and have little development around the shores. East of town you will find the three lake chain of Caribou, Long and Egg Ponds. These are set at the base of Rollins Mountain and are heralded as top quality bass water. Boating is good with access from one lake to the next. A boat launch is located on Long Pond just off Sweet Road. North of downtown you will find a couple of small but quality ponds like Comballassee and Snag/Stump Pond. Both of these ponds are excellent fishing and paddling places which offer the small boat enthusiast a quiet place to be.

 

 

The trout and salmon ponds of Lincoln are located to the southeast with Cold Stream Pond (CSP) being the premiere lake with over about 3,000 acres of surface. CSP has depths in excess of 100 feet with crystal clear water perfect for all watersports. The large lake is fed by the three trout ponds. The remote and undeveloped Little Round Pond and the two Upper Cold Stream Ponds (known locally as the Big and Little Narrows). These two smaller lakes are well developed with cabins, camps and year round homes. If you are just starting your search for waterfront property for sale in Maine, come see what the Lincoln Lakes have to offer. You will find that land prices are affordable by lakefront property standards and the town has much to offer once you are off the water.

 

Snow storms in early November 2014  have caused timber losses on land in Maine.  Whether you are considering selling acreage in Maine or are interested in land for sale in Maine, you or your forester should walk the land to inspect the property for storm damage.

Timberland in Maine is a relatively safe passive investment.  If your land does have tree damage from winter storms, working with your forester, you may be able to schedule a salvage harvest to recoup some of the losses.

Not all damage is a bad thing, as some of the damaged trees are weaker diseased trees that once down will allow your dominant trees to grow faster.

A recent trip to our land in Surry Maine allowed us to inspect our forest to see the extent of the downed trees.  Our white pines and maple trees were basically in good condition with some limbs broken off but no serious damage.  The biggest damage was to 3-6 inch dbh fur and white birch.  See the photos in this post of our fir trees.  Land in Hancock County and land in Waldo county seemed to have the largest amount of downed trees.  Some trees snapped at the top, others in the middle and some near the butt.

You have been searching on the internet on numerous websites and perused dozens of catalogs, newspaper and trade journals with land for sale in Maine. You have your plans for building your new home, getaway cabin or developing your Maine recreational site. You narrowed the search of parcels, made a trip to your favorite part of the pine tree state and found your perfect spot. Now what?

Assuming you have done your homework, understand the local property values, have arranged appropriate financing or better yet, saved the necessary cash, it is time to write an offer. Most good real estate contracts or purchase and sale agreements have a due diligence clause that you can fill in items of concern.

The following is a list of our top 5 due diligence items. There could be other issues depending on your intended use such as building permits, soil testing, environmental assessments and more.

1. Survey - This is an item that is often overlooked but is one of the most important issues when purchasing Maine land. Questions answered will be where the boundaries are located, what is the true acreage, are there any encroachments and easements to name a few.

2. Title - I thorough title exam is just as important as the survey. Does the owner of the Maine land have merchantable or at least insurable title? Have a good Maine real estate title attorney do the research and provide you with an opinion and title insurance policy.

3. Access - Does the property front on a maintained state, county or town road? If yes access may not be an issue, or is it? Check the status of the road. Is it still maintained by the municipality? If it has been abandoned by the town there could be issues. If a private right of way, how well is it described? Be sure to add this item to the title search to be sure the access can be insured.

4. Entrance Permits - If the property fronts on a State of Maine maintained road or a road that receives state assistance, a driveway entrance permit is required. This permit requires ample line of site distance for entry onto the road. The distance is dependent on the speed limit. Be sure to add this to your list of due diligence when investing in Maine land. Maine's Department of Transportation handles this and there is no charge for the permit.

5. Taxes - Check with the Maine town that the land for sale is located in (or the State Bureau of Taxation if located in Maine Unorganized Territory) to see if the taxes are paid and if the property is enrolled in the tree growth tax program. If you hired a title attorney they will usually take care of this. Knowing the status of the taxes will help you better understand all potential future expenses such as change of use penalties and forest management plans.

If you have not yet found that special property in Maine, check out the many fine properties on this web site.

Have you purchased Maine land for recreation use? Are you looking for things to do in the winter? Why not give snowshoeing a try. This fast growing sport has outpaced skiing and snowmobiling. The relatively low cost of entry and health benefits may be the two biggest reasons for its growth.

Snowshoe hiking in the winter is great exercise burning up to 600 calories per hour not to mention that it provides a completely different look at your land. Views unobstructed by foliage are impressive in the winter. For those willing to brave the colder weather they will be rewarded with more solitude.

The trails you make on your land for summer hiking and fall hunting will make great trails for snowshoe hiking in the winter. What snowshoes should you have for your land will depend on the terrain and snow conditions. Deep powder snow will require a longer wider snowshoe to provide more flotation. Steeper and firmer snow conditions will favor a shorter shoe with more aggressive toe crampons for traction.

 

 

Affordable winter recreation is the appeal of snowshoeing. Cost of new snowshoes will vary from $100 to $300 or a little more depending on the brand and features. The most important decision in purchasing a shoe is the length. The length of snowshoe needed will depend on the intended use and the weight of the user. If you are new to the sport check out the LL Bean outlet store in Freeport Maine. The ski and bike shop has a big selection of snowshoes of all shapes and sizes and a staff who can help you pick the correct shoe for you.

Before heading off in the woods for a winter hike get prepared. Layers of clothing that can be shed or added as necessary will make your outing much more enjoyable. Snowshoeing can build body heat in a hurry, so be prepared with a pack to stow the layers you take off as you heat up and added for changing weather. This is a sport that rarely causes injury but consider bringing a friend or two in case of an accident. Mishaps in the winter tend to be more of an issue then summer accidents.

 

 

Have you explored all of your Maine land and are looking for other places to go. Check out any of Maine's public land units, state parks and other trail areas. The possibilities are near endless

The most common question we get from people interested in buying Maine land is; "Will the owner finance the purchase"? In some cases the answer is yes, but often the best land we have to offer for sale does not have owner terms of either a mortgage or contract for deed.

Pros

From a buying point of view what are the advantages of financing your land purchase with the owner? .

Less Down Payment

One of the advantages of owner financing is sometimes the down payment requirement is less than required by a conventional bank or lender. If the owner does not have a mortgage on the property they will sometimes finance with less than 20% down payment. This is considerably less than a bank would require.

Easier Qualification

If you have had a few credit blemishes in the past an owner is more likely to extend credit than conventional lenders. Many owners will ask for a credit report and a low score could cause the owner to decide not to finance the property or ask for more money down and/or a higher interest rate. The owner is also less likely to want to see all of your financial history which for many is enough of a reason to stick with the owner. Some banks and other lenders require a lot of documentation to consider a loan.

Cheaper Closing Expenses

Owner financing usually comes with lower closing cost requirements. Owners will rarely ask for appraisals, points, flood certifications, title work among other things. For buyers looking for short term financing the cost savings of low closing cost may be the reason they want the owner to hold paper.

Time

Without any question the purchase of land with the owner financing the transaction is much quicker than the same loan with a bank. Most owner financed land deals will close within 2 weeks of the offer being accepted. The owner may have a licensed loan originator package the deal but no underwriters or other reviewers will need to approve the deal.

Cons

For the buyer who insists at only owner financed purchases the downside could be considerable. You may think that owner financing is the best way to purchase but here are a few things you should consider before ruling out other means of borrowing.

Interest

Most owners ask for and get interest rates from 1 - 4 % higher than some of our conventional banks charge. Over the life of the loan this increase in rate could add up to thousands of dollars in additional land cost.

Less Choices

Many owners have mortgages on the land that they are selling. With a few exceptions most of the owners lenders will require them to pay off the note with the bank if they sell the property. This could cause the seller to ask for a larger down payment or refuse to consider owner financing altogether. If this is the perfect property for you, other forms of financing should be considered in order for you as a buyer to have all land available for you to purchase.

Higher Price

If you are asking the owner to finance the transaction they are less likely to take less than they are asking for the property. Having financing secured ahead of time with an alternative lender will put you in a position to offer the seller an all cash deal. Many, if not most owners will negotiate a better price for an all cash deal.

When looking to buy land in Maine keep all of your options open for purchasing the right property. If you have sufficient down payment, good credit and patience; owner financing is not the best choice. Many more properties at better prices will be available to you with an all cash offer. Call us today for a list of land friendly banks and other lending options.

 

 

Lincoln, Maine - It has been a winter to remember, but spring is coming and many anxious buyers have been searching for lakefront and other waterfront land and lots this winter. While looking around the state for lake and pond properties with fair prices and easy owner financing terms, we found the following properties the best buys in Maine.

 

 

The Narrows on Folsom Pond has seven available waterfront parcels ranging in size from 1.8 acres to over 5 acres. Prices starting at $29,900 The survey map linked here shows the configuration of the lots, those that are still available and the prices. MAP OF THE NARROWS

Folsom Pond is a semi-remote pond hidden in the woods in Lincoln. The pond is connected to Crooked Pond by a navigable "Narrows" the division of land gets its name from. These two ponds are not lined with sandy beaches, this is not the perfect place to swim. There are other lakes and ponds in Lincoln that are ideal for swimming with a couple of sand beaches nearby. Folsom and Crooked are the perfect ponds for kayaking, canoeing or small power boating in a peaceful environment usually free of large boats and jet skis. The rocky and water lily covered shorelines are the perfect habitat for waterfowl, smallmouth and largemouth bass. Wild blueberries line the shorelines. There are some cabins on the pond but most are not visible when on the pond.

 

 

The owner of these properties is offering owner financing terms that make buying the land very easy. If you thought you could never afford a waterfront property, you should look into these properties. See these properties and more at LandBrothers.com

 

 

 

 

The parcel of the week is 1.7 acres on Cold Stream Pond in Lowell, Maine. The lot is one of the last properties available on the lake with a generous 100 foot setback. Over 230 feet of deep water frontage on Central Maine's premiere cold water lake.

 

 

 

The lot has a driveway installed and a septic design done for a 4 bedroom home. More prep has been done clearing the building site, pruning the lake frontage and being fully surveyed with boundaries and elevations.

 

 

 

 

 

The open building site has a gentle slope to the water and a south westerly view of the lake and its great sunsets. The owners left a buffer of heavy forest between the building area and the road for maximum privacy.

Enjoy the sunsets, boating, fishing and views on Cold Stream Pond. The lake is located only 40 minutes from Bangor, Maine. Call the Land Brothers today at 207-403-3400 for more information or to schedule a showing on this great property.

In 2006 and 2007 Maine experienced the hottest waterfront market in history.  Ocean, lake, pond and river properties for sale were benefiting from the boom of real estate values in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and the rest of New England.  Out of state buyers were flocking to Maine with cash from home equity loans on their primary residences.

In 2011 the waterfront market bottomed out based on the number of sold transactions.  Since 2011 we have seen a slow but steady increase in the number of single family waterfront transactions per year.  For example, in 2014 Penobscot County had seen an 80% increase in the number of sold transactions compared to 2011.

What are some of the causes for the increase in the number of Maine waterfront properties sold?

1. Record high levels of available inventory. Buyers have had a great selection of properties to choose from.
2. Prices are at the most affordable levels since the great recession started. Some locations are seeing properties selling for 25% less than the peak values of 2006-2007.
3. Record low interest rates. Current 30 year fixed rates are under 4%.
4. Record Stock Market Levels. Buyers are taking stock market gains and investing in Maine waterfront property.
5. Pent up demand. Buyers are starting to see the changing tide in the Maine waterfront market and are getting off the fence to take advantage of these conditions.

Why buy now?

Buyer activity for the winter months of 2015 has been the strongest we've seen at United Country McPhail Realty since 2007.

New listings coming on the market for the first two months of 2015 are down 11% compared to 2014 and down 7% compared to 2013.

If you are a buyer that has been sitting on the fence watching Maine waterfront for sale, timing is everything.  The balance of supply and demand is moving away from oversupply to a more balanced market.  These conditions will help to provide an upward pressure on values, especially on those waterfront properties that are priced aggressively and have the popular features buyers are looking for.

If you are an owner looking to sell your waterfront property, it is more critical than ever to hire the right Realtor.  What makes for the best waterfront realtor?  The following are some of the criteria to consider:

1. A real estate company with a strong online marketing program that focuses on lifestyle property types. A generic, cookie cutter, one size fits all marketing program will not work well.
2. A company with a strong print advertising campaign designed to reach buyers of lifestyle properties. Another part of a strong foundation. Affluent buyers still like to read print.
3. A brokerage that understands SEO and can help your property stand out from the crowd. It takes more than just a standard web site to be found first among the many.
4. A real estate company with a large database of buyers that can be marketed to from day one.
5. A real estate company that is part of an international network of lifestyle brokers.
6. A real estate company with years of experience that understands the best marketing, pricing and negotiating strategies to best serve their client's needs.
7. A real estate company that is continually staying on the cutting edge of new marketing ideas and technology.

For a free, no obligation consultation, give the United Country McPhail Realty team a call at 207-794-4338 to see the power of a custom lifestyle marketing program for your Maine waterfront property.

This Machias Maine home was inspired by Maine's classic lighthouses and is perched at the peak of Marstin Hill in the southern end of the town.The lighthouse design takes advantage of the 360 degree views offered from the elevated site. The unique property overlooks Englishmen and Machias Bay, has views of the open Atlantic Ocean and the hills and mountains to the north.

The 26 acre site includes wild blueberry fields, a winding access road though the woods, a gravel pit for future construction needs and some mixed growth eastern forest.

 

 

 

 

Inside the 1,700 +/- square foot home you will find 3 floors of well appointed living space and a 4th level observation deck with a view that could impress a sea captain. The 7 room home has 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths and comes complete with solar panels, a wind turbine and generator and it is connected to the grid.

Machias Maine is located in Washington County and is home to the University of Maine at Machias. The town has the iconic Helens Restaurant, Machias Savings Bank, a friendly downtown, a sheltered harbor and a small airport.

This one of a kind Maine home is listed at $299,000. Call or email today for more information or to schedule a showing.

People purchase property in Maine for many reasons but at some level the recreational opportunities are always a factor.  It doesn't matter what time of year, if you enjoy the outdoors there are always activities available regardless of your age. Winter in Maine offers snowshoeing, ice fishing, cross country skiing, downhill skiing and snowmobiling.  The clear blue skies and fresh white snow draping the landscape is a sight to see. Spring in Maine, a welcome season after a long winter brings some of the best brook trout fishing in the Northeast.  Ice out on our lakes brings anglers a cure from the cabin fever and trolling for salmon can be very productive. With the spring thaw comes our mud season and once things dry out the ATV trails open up (usually mid May) over 6,000 miles of club trails across Maine.  As an outdoor enthusiast, I am very thankful for the private landowners that allow multiuse trail systems to be used across their lands. Between snowmobiles and ATV's, businesses across Maine realize a big economic boom from these types of recreational activities.  An economic study completed by the University of Maine in 2005 showed a net spending of $156 million for the 2003-2004 season. If you enjoy ATV riding, we have some of the most affordable properties in Maine for sale with easy access to the trails and you can see them at LandBrothers.com.  Some things you should know and prepare for to make your atv trip in Maine safe and enjoyable are as follows:

1. Make sure your ATV is registered and properly marked front and back with the registration number.
2. Children must be at least 10 years old, have passed a state ATV safety program, wear an approved helmet if under 18 years old and riders between 10-16 years of age must be under the direct visual and audio supervision of an adult (21 or older). Approved helmets must have a "DOT", "SNELL" or "ANSI" sticker.
3. When riding, stay on market trails and for unmarked trails you need landowner permission.
4. Plan your trip of where you will be riding in advance. Make sure you have trail maps and more importantly call the local club trail master to check on trail conditions and technical difficulty of each trail. Trail maps do not indicate the difficulty or skill level needed to traverse any given trail number so it is critical to your safety to contact the trail master and ask what trails will get you to where you want to go safely.
5. Use the buddy system and never ride alone. Make sure you leave a map of your route and travel plans with someone outside your party in case of an emergency.
6. Check the weather for the area you will be riding and bring the right clothing. Always bring a first aid kit, survival kit, and tool kit. The biggest killer of people recreating outdoors is hypothermia from spring to late fall. The nights in Maine do get cold so be prepared, especially if you are taking a long ATV trip on remote trails that are miles from services.
7. The day of your trip make sure you have filled the gas tank and perform a pre-ride inspection of your ATV. The web site www.offroad-ed.com has some great videos on safety, pre-ride inspection and safe riding techniques.
8. On multi-use trails be sure to respect the right of other non ATV riders to use the trail system. If you meet someone on horseback, please pull off to the side and shut your machine off. Wait until they have passed a clear distance or if they waive you on.
9. Remember, using these trails is a privilege and not a right. You are enjoying these trails by the good graces of the land owner. If you see some trash on the land and can pick it up, please do. If it is a large amount of trash, call the Maine Warden Service, Landowner Relations Program and report the area.

Be safe and enjoy the great state of Maine!