Bangor area forest land (for sale, real estate, FSBO)

[frank0618]

Hi all,

I spent a week in Maine this summer visiting Acadia and the Bangor area.

I liked the area so much I decided I will live there someday!

I'd like to start looking into forest land within 2 hours of Bangor that would qualify for Maine's Tree Growth Tax Law.

Any pointers on:

1. Current prices of such land
2. Price trends
3. Specific areas to look in
4. Websites that can be trusted
5. Things to look out for

would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Frank

[Maine Writer]

Do you have a direction from Bangor you want to look or is anything within two hours of Bangor open to consideration?

[frank0618]

south or east would be preferred but I am open to most anything

Thanks,
Frank

[AustinB]

Your list includes most of eastern and central Maine. Maybe you could narrow it down some.

[frank0618]

Hi Austin,

I corrected my last post. Should have read south or east (nor west).

Less than an hour from Acadia National Park and Bangor, and less than 3 hours from the Appalachian trail would be ideal, if that helps.

Thanks
Frank

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by frank0618

Hi all,
I spent a week in Maine this summer visiting Acadia and the Bangor area.
I liked the area so much I decided I will live there someday!

That is Great!

Welcome!

...
I'd like to start looking into forest land within 2 hours of Bangor that would qualify for Maine's Tree Growth Tax Law.

A 2-hour radius drawn from Bangor, is a really big area.

We are about 20-minutes from Bangor, 150 acres of treegrowth land in an Unorganized Township [UT].

It is very nice here in Maine. We really like it

... Any pointers on:
1. Current prices of such land
2. Price trends
3. Specific areas to look in
4. Websites that can be trusted
5. Things to look out for ...

Keep in mind that for land to be in Treegrowth it must be 10-acres or more.



#1 and #2:
We bought two parcels in 2005, one is river-frontage and the other is not. The river-frontage land cost us $900/acre. The other one cost us $300/acre.

Both properties have adjacent land that is currently for sale.

The river-frontage adjacent land is being handled by a realtor and the last time I checked they are asking $2,500/acre.

The other property's adjacent land is FSBO and he is asking $300/acre.



#3:
Cheaper land tends to be in Unorganized Townships [UTs]. The Maine UTs form 52% of Maine, so really most of Maine is lower cost property. Off hand I would recommend looking in any / all of the UTs.



#4:
There are a few good websites. However keep in mind that what you see on the websites are properties listed by realtors. Not all realtors list on the MLS. But from among those realtors who do list on the MLS, some will also operate websites.

Sellers using a realtor get far greater exposure, possibly faster selling, and commonly a higher price. So there is some benefit to using a realtor.

If you spend time driving around the UTs, you will see signs nailed to trees with phone numbers. You can call any of those phone numbers and ask to see their list of properties. Which is what I did. The guy is a forester who buys tracts of land from logging companies. He makes his profit mostly from clear cutting the trees and then each property goes onto his list. When I saw him last his property list was four pages long.

Another thing I did was whenever I stopped in these small diners for a meal, I asked the locals about property for sale. They were always helpful, and often knew locals who were selling property.

One thing I have seen in the non-tourist areas, is that common folks are always helpful.



Good luck and have fun

[frank0618]

Thanks for the great post Forest Beekeeper! Much appreciated.

Frank

[barkway]

[quote=forest beekeeper;15893356]That is Great!

Welcome!





A 2-hour radius drawn from Bangor, is a really big area.

We are about 20-minutes from Bangor, 150 acres of treegrowth land in an Unorganized Township [UT].

It is very nice here in Maine. We really like it




OHHHH, you're in Maine. Darn it. I sent you amessage on another blog we both belong to asking about the adjacent land for sale but I can't take Maine winters. Used to live in NH, moved to Florida (for family reasons, not weather), and now I can't take the cold anymore. Too painful on the joints and lungs.

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

There are a few good websites. However keep in mind that what you see on the websites are properties listed by realtors. Not all realtors list on the MLS. But from among those realtors who do list on the MLS, some will also operate websites.

Sellers using a realtor get far greater exposure, possibly faster selling, and commonly a higher price. So there is some benefit to using a realtor.

Not all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS. Agents become REALTORS and pay annual dues in part so that they have access to the MLS, for listing new properties for sale, researching current properties for sale and those under contract, reviewing properties previously listed that sold, as well as those previously listed that did not sell.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by WhoFanMe

Not all licensed real estate agents are REALTORS. Agents become REALTORS and pay annual dues in part so that they have access to the MLS, for listing new properties for sale, researching current properties for sale and those under contract, reviewing properties previously listed that sold, as well as those previously listed that did not sell.

So your saying that among the all licensed real estate agents the ones we want to avoid are those who call themselves realtors?