REALTOR Andrew Mooers' Maine Real Estate Blog

The Numbers For "Vacationland" Are Out. Here's The Newsletter From the Maine Association Of Realtors.

MAINE HOME SALES DECLINE 17.58 PERCENT IN JANUARY SOUTH PORTLAND (February 25, 2009)-According to the Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc., Realtors sold 87 fewer homes last month than in January 2008, a 17.58 percent decline from January 2007. The statewide median sales price for an existing, single family home was $152,250 in January, a decrease of 17.7 percent from one year ago. The median sales price indicates that half of the homes were sold for more and half sold for less. The National Association of Realtors recorded a 7.1 percent nationwide sales decline last month. The national median price for a single-family existing home declined 13.8 percent to $169,900. In the regional Northeast, sales were down 23.8 percent while the regional median home price slid 14.7 percent to $228,200. Gail Caruso, Broker with Swan Agency in Bar Harbor, says the time is right for many to enter the market. "For qualified buyers, the rates are historically low and there is a diversified selection of homes for sale, with motivated sellers." Rita Yarnold, President of the Maine Association of REALTORS continues, "The combination of low interest rates and the new $8,000 tax credit recently passed by Congress, affords first-time homebuyers the unique opportunity to take advantage of a diversified selection of homes for sale." Here is a quick snapshot of Maine's 16 counties. Overall, house sales in Maine are off 19.05% and the median housing price is down from $185,500 a year ago to $164,900 representing a -11.11% drop. Here are the individual county numbers. Sales last January compared with this one and the drop in median home price in that county is below. You will note Washington County saw no decline from this January compared to last.

Androscoggin 149 132 -11.41% $152,000 $125,500 -17.43%

Aroostook 88 47 -46.59% $87,750 $80,000 -8.83%

Cumberland 476 399 -16.18% $242,250 $220,000 -9.18%

Franklin 46 42 -8.70% $131,450 $108,500 -17.46%

Hancock 105 92 -12.38% $205,000 $177,950 -13.20%

Kennebec 186 150 -19.35% $140,900 $136,000 -3.48%

Knox 70 62 -11.43% $249,000 $151,000 -39.36%

Lincoln 60 51 -15.00% $232,500 $184,500 -20.65%

Oxford 108 87 -19.44% $171,250 $118,000 -31.09%

Penobscot 269 191 -29.00% $134,305 $124,000 -7.67%

Piscataquis 31 30 -3.23% $79,900 $78,250 -2.07%

Sagadahoc 54 43 -20.37% $191,500 $161,700 -15.56%

Somerset 65 48 -26.15% $108,000 $81,250 -24.77%

Waldo 81 43 -46.91% $165,000 $160,000 -3.03%

Washington 10 10 0.00% $178,000 $51,250 -71.21%

York 333 298 -10.51% $231,600 $200,500 -13.43%

Source: Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. Note: MREIS, a subsidiary of the Maine Association of REALTORS, is a statewide Multiple Listing Service with over 4,600 licensees inputting active and sold property listing data. Statistics reflect properties reported as sold in the System within the time periods indicated.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Maine Real Estate Sale Figures For January 2009 

You've decide you want to sell and are ready to see the sign planted in the front yard to tell the world.

  Do a little cleaning, a few loose end simple jobs and wait for a buyer..nothing to it.  Mr. Seller, you need to start with why are you selling, where are you going, and seriously what does a professional full time real estate broker say the market value of the place is?  If you ignore proper pricing in tune with the market, no matter how much advertising or superior marketing, the over priced property will develop shelf life and the assumption something is inheritly wrong with the place festers in the mind of home buyers wondering why it does not sell. When it gets stale on the market, it can become kryptonite. An over priced property only helps sell other fairly priced ones.  Do you want to just list it or actually sell it? What does the broker you select and trust tell you beside the fair market value that you should consider and prepare for? Where are you going to move and what conditions of the sale or possession need to be addressed now, not in the eleventh hour? What improvements are worth while or wasting money you may or may not have? Why did you buy the place and what do you like after living here for fringe benefits that can used in marketing?  Is it okay for your broker to take a scan of that wall hanging of the super aerial of the place you took from your brother Bob's ultra light last summer? It will help show case the home and have a dramatic effect.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Houlton Maine, Aroostook County Real Estate For Sale

Years ago building a car one at a time was too costly if you wanted to sell them for $300 a copy.

Streamlining the assembly line, having your own steel foundry and making even the parts for the tin lizzie became part of the production recipe for the horseless carriage. But in small town real estate, when a business expands too quickly or just adds on period, the momemtum and special charm or mystique of that business can change.  Example, in Bangor Maine there is a place called The Coffee Pot.  The hardworking German owner is up early making classic sub sandwiches. He makes a certain number each day, stocks his coolers and keeps his overhead/labor to a minimum.  He has the process down like a science. Each day, the sidewalk outside is packed with addicted sandwich buyers who have enjoyed the snack for decades.  The trek to his business becomes part of the consumer's way of life and even family tradition passed down to another generation because he has been open so long. Unlike sandwich artists at Subway's yellow signs that are seen everywhere, The Coffee Pot is a one man army assembling one sandwich at a time and winning over customers one at a time. Dana's Grill was another hole in the wall operation famous for lobster rolls to die for. It's out of the way Bangor Maine location was an old trailer that zoning would frown on with today's regulations. But it had an almost cult following.  Maybe because someone's dad or mom introduced their kid's into the habit of visiting this eatery that you might not think would be successful. Dan's also had a mobile unit to take the lobster rolls on the streets of Bangor to hit the lunch crowd of the downtown..it was called "Son of Dana's".  If your little business's product is good enough, and if you endure long enough, you could become a tourist attraction with fans wanting to try the unique creation you have mastered that has loyal following and the right media exposure to call attention to it.

     In the case of the Coffee Pot with its original red neon window sign,  I remember as a kid my parents stopping into the green colored place to pick up subs for themselves and others.  Simple sandwich of great ingredients, wrapped nicely but simple.  The owner did not franchise, he did not add on, he created a tradition and a demand because only so many were "built" each day.  If he had added on, or become more modernized, the spark and excitement as a David could have been lost in the transformation to a Goliath operation. Bigger is not always better. Also, I have seen churches that grew and grew and because a ten oclock service was typically full to capacity, decide they must direct a building fund to expand, or even relocate and build a grandiose new building with all the added overhead that goes with it. Having a second service at 8 oclock might be all that is needed but the notion we have to get bigger is not always true. Being bigger can lose something special that small business possesses...that smaller, cozy not the norm intimacy.  Small businesses, especially the ones paid for with low overhead can survive any economic storm too.  Small independent business owners are a big part of the economic under pinnings of America's economy and you feel good doing business with the owner in the store.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Aroostook County, Houlton Maine Real Estate Information

Real estate brokers sell homes, vacant land, lake camps, mom and pop businesses and everything in between.  But images and videos of just property doesn't really show you the people in the area the real estate originates. Thats where community videos come in.

The expression in a small town is the village helps raise your kids. The youth in the band, on the team, in the audience are from families you feel close to. That is community. That boy playing the trumpet in the video was on a little league team I helped coach, or that grandparent helped start the orginal hockey program in Houlton, etc. Small towns have a home made goodness, a sense of volunteer community pride. The videos help show  to viewers that have never had a glimpse of your area. They like your real estate write ups, images, narrated video tours, blog posts and especially the low low Maine prices compared to where they live now. Both local Maine schools worked hard to make the playoffs and the teams like to see themselves in action. A family member of a team or band student that live out of state can also tap into the video and enjoy the action too. That is the job of Mr Video Man that just happens to sell real estate is to show lots of the locals, the highlights of the game and the activity of the arena that is charged with excitement. Watch the video below!

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Houlton Maine Real Estate & Aroostook County Information

Lots of white fluffy snow for skiing, snowsledding and yes, shoveling off roofs and plowing yards. 

    Yesterday was stormy and school got canceled. 26 inches of snow Orient..in the Grand Lake region. Some power outages in Southern Maine. Today is crystal clear, crisp air and everyone dug out and moving forward with a Maine winter.  Another little package from Jack Frost's snow installment maybe before the week is out. But would you rather go from air conditioned space to refrigerated space in a hot hot place or put on a pair of boots, mittens, hat and a warm coat to head outside for winter recreation on a sunshine filled day in Maine?/ Maine winter fun...it's the next exit down the road of life. Come for a day, stay a lifetime. For Maine winter tourist options visit this nifty website.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - A Way Simpler Way Of Life, Selling Affordable Maine Real Estate

Here is the latest newletter from Rotary International our Houlton Maine club just circulated for all to see. Are you a member of Rotary which is world wide, serving others above self? The Houlton Maine Rotary club meets mondays at noon at the Episcopal Church on Main Street. If you are ever in the area, call me and let me take you to a Rotary meeting. The food is super, the fellowship immense and we always learn something plus have fun along the way.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Maine Real Estate For Sale And Area Information

After being in business 30 years and surviving the fun times of the early 1980's economic challenge and a few more since then, one trick for Monday mornings that works has made life a lot easier.

     You would imagine they would call or email first to make sure of winter weather, that we are available, etc but they don't as a rule. So Monday mornings that are hectic enough to start up the real estate machine, get further taxed with drop ins and emergency right "strays" that wander in.. that roll in like clock work. I don't make appointments as a rule for a Monday morning instead planning for that afternoon and any other time thru the rest of the week because of this situation. Since implementing this habit, the week gets started so much easier.  It is not unusual to have someone sitting in our office yard when we open that are customers who have seen us on line, that we have communicated with and suddenly decided late Sunday to hop in the car and drive all night to get here.  No advance warning but that's okay because the cleared schedule provides for those that drop into the real estate "emergency room" and who are 8 hours from home, have a few hours to tour and are heading right back the same Monday. This habit of scheduling creates some slack to handle the Monday morning drop ins. Like a real estate clinic. This particular Monday snow is falling, SAD 29 and other area Houlton Maine schools are closed due to the weather so getting loose ends done and preparing for the day is easy when the storm is the main attraction....not showing or listing real estate but talking about how to do it with this blog you are reading. This is what a snowstorm looks like in Houlton Maine below.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Listing And Selling Maine Real Estate

     Henry Ford could not make a car to sell for $300 a copy by hammering them out one at a time. Creating side companies to feed the mother operation with parts and components for the tin lizzie sprung up to feed the efficient assembly line of horseless carriages.  But in some businesses, smaller is better. The Coffee Pot in Bangor Maine is a case in point. Run for decades by a very industrious German man adorned in his white apron and greeting customers in a one on one fashion, this is one business that maybe growth would spoil the special flavor of the small eatery.  Submarine sandiwches, when they first came out in the this country have been wrapped in special paper, make with the best ingredients and homemade bread for years with only so many a day put in the cooler to draw from.  When they are gone, the place closes.  The lines on the sidewalk are the best advertising for his business that tell you this fellow has a following. The light green building with the red neon sign and red neon border in the window has not changed a thing, has not expanded or franchised or added on. He just makes a big splash as a one man army attacking local hunger with a sandwich generations have come to love.  What's so special about the sandwich itself at the Coffee Pot?

     Dana's Grill , the original one was another local eatery in Bangor that used to operate out of an old trailer located off the beaten path but with a strong reputation for a lobster roll to die for made with fresh Maine lobster...or rather "lobstahhhhhh".  There was even a mobile unit called Son of Dana's that roamed the downtown to bring the deep water delicacy to the masses too busy to make the hike to the mother operation.  Have you seen churches that were packed and then decided to build new large buildings with the idea the growth would continue and then see them flounder? Perhaps from the mountains of debt they step out in faith to build with but that find something is lost when the small friendly atmosphere is lost and just adding another service time could have kept them in the same facility that was paid for and had lower operating overhead? Small sometimes is better...and weathering economic ups and downs are much easier for the well run, tight knit small business.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers -  Selling Small Town Maine Real Estate And Provide Community Information

You have a short line of text...much like you lay down and send off on a cell phone.

Say what you want in a short blurp of copy.  Twitter...that's the concept but with you tinyurl's beckoning to come this way and I'll tell you or show you more.  Less is more.  Not writing novels, not going off on rabbit trails. Just nail it, boil it down to one thought...kinda like writing a greeting card..maybe that is what the originators of Twitter did before this innovation. It's like a bird that flitters. Ping pong serves of your thought, schedule,  struggles, triumphs...your life at the moment. Do you

? When I worked in radio doing copy for ads or the news, concise sharp information had to be compressed, squeezed into small compartments of air time.  Like dial up when you only get 26K for a hook up.  Maybe limits are a good thing to cure oral diarrhea and cut thru the spin, the pork, the waste of political agendas and propanganda.  It would save readers times albeit restrictive but gain a following that comes back with a catchy headline and knowing this will not take long.  Like brunch...not a seven course banquet with seven forks. Communicating a snippet of knowlege or personal /business observation during the storm of life. Do you twitter? Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers - Maine Simple Living For Sale In Houlton Maine 04730

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