Trying to decide between Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth, Maine

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by gooddaysunshine

I am reviewing this thread as I had the same question. Seriously, no trash pick up at all in Cape Eliza be to? Proximity to schools is important to me. Can the Realtor comment on why there is such reduced inventory this year over last? Also, I noticed a lot of the homes are either pending, or the remaining ones have been for sale for about 6 months or so, which seems unusual to me. I'd like to hear more about that, please. I like a downtown, but don't like a commute, and Yarmouth looks as if it is about 20 minutes outside Portland. That might be a bit much for me. Have any of you seen the website, mainememes.com? It is very funny! Any idea why it calls Falmouth Cape's b*tchy, lesa attractive sister? Finally, I am planning a trip to the area next week, and I'd like to know what you would recommend I see.

We are starting the fourth year of a recovery, the market bottomed out in 2011. Since then I've observed the same phenomenon, houses are selling in a week or not at all. If the house is priced and presented properly, it's going to generate interest quickly which leads to multiple offers and quick sales. In Greater Portland we've had some price appreciation, but it's lagging the rest of the country so far and buyers are holding out. What will happen in 2015? It's anybody's guess.

[newonk]

Seriously, no trash pick up at all in Cape Eliza be to? I have gotten used to this quickly - it is just a weekly/biweekly chore to hit the transfer station, but it is AMAZINGLY well run and organized, and you can drop off lots of stuff that you could never leave at the curb. It is like the town center, in a way, since everyone has to go. If you really don't want to, you can hire someone to do pickup.


Proximity to schools is important to me. Can the Realtor comment on why there is such reduced inventory this year over last? Also, I noticed a lot of the homes are either pending, or the remaining ones have been for sale for about 6 months or so, which seems unusual to me. I'd like to hear more about that, please.

I wonder about this too - my parents actually just bought in South Portland on the Cape line, coming from New York. They had very little to choose from in their price range, which was about average sale price for the local area. I wonder if people aren't hunkering down waiting for prices to continue to rebound. I went to see about a dozen homes with them and the "good ones" - location, well kept, priced competitively, went almost immediately, and then there were many more that just sat forever, mostly bc sellers had an unrealistic sense of what they should be worth and they weren't updated. Anything close to the water in Cape will go very quick if competitively priced.

I like a downtown, but don't like a commute, and Yarmouth looks as if it is about 20 minutes outside Portland. That might be a bit much for me. Keep in mind that there is zero traffic. I keep telling my parents that - 20 minutes in NJ is very different from 20 minutes here with hardly any lights. It isn't stressful at all and parts of Yarmouth would be a very easy commute. I thikn the fact that Cape is so close to Portland, and parts of South Portland like Willard Beach with shopping, means it hasn't been as eager to create a town center. Places like CSalt and IGA and Local Buzz and Good Table/Rudys are full of locals every day, and in the warmer weather the beaches and parks are like our "downtown."

Have any of you seen the website, mainememes.com? It is very funny! Any idea why it calls Falmouth Cape's b*tchy, lesa attractive sister? Finally, I am planning a trip to the area next week, and I'd like to know what you would recommend I see.

Purely speaking in stereotypes, I have noticed that Falmouth has more of the country club types than does Cape, which is a little bit more laid back. These are very subtle shades, of course, but it reminds me more of Newton or Wellesley outside Boston than does Cape.

Adding on: places to see when you are here. It will be tough with all the snow to picture it, but check out Fort Williams and perhaps Kettle Cove and Crescent Beach State Park. Have lunch at CSalt in Cape or Scratch Bakery in Willard Beach. In Portland, highly recommend the Portland Museum of Art (also great for lunch downstairs)

[newonk]

I do'nt think it feels "crowded" in the summer so much as lively. You'll have very long waits at the Lobster Shack, but the vibe is so fun and the view is beautiful, thats part of the point! The tour buses full of people at Fort Williams are a bit of a drag butg honestly its so neat to see people coming from all over world - from the cruise ships, sometimes huge groups from Europe or Japan or China, especially. We have it to ourselves much of the year and I think its kind of fun. I'm not sure about "summer friends". We find that we don't see our friends in the summer because everyone is out and about constantly - camping, up at "the lake" or beach house, on their boat, kids at camp, etc. We have to get out and really enjoy it because the season is so incredible and so short!

[blueskiesforever]

What is C-Salt & Local Buzz? I did not see them when I was in Cape. The only businesses I saw were a chiropractor, a vet, a consignment store, and a Cumberland Farms. I really liked Freeport and enjoyed my visit to Bowdoin College immensely, and I found the South Portland bridge area very unattractive, so I think we may do better with Falmouth area, but I want a "Gilmore Girls" type of town.

[atrixwolfe]

If you turned south on 77 at that intersection by the Cumberland farms an consignment shop. You'd have passed the town hall and town center , the local buzz ,cvs the IGA (grocery store) the high school, c-salt the community center and then further on down about 1.5 miles rudys a new bar and eatery. The turn off to two lights and the good table. Continuing on aroundthe bend. The ice cream shop inn by the sea and crescent beach. If you didn't venture. In that direction you missed half the town.

[blueskiesforever]

Thank you so much! I just saw the schools, but did not go in that direction, as it looked residential.

[absiesmom]

I enjoyed living in Cape Elizabeth very much, raising my daughter who had an excellent education at the local schools from kindergarten through high school. It's a beautiful area with many access places to enjoy the ocean. As far as tourists are concerned, I've always enjoyed them. I worked as a tour guide when the cruise ships came to port, delighted at visitors' expressions of wonder at things I was beginning to take for granted. Tho winters are harsh, summers can't be beat and the respect for the environment is a given.

Hope your visit goes well and you find a place to enjoy and that meets your needs.