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We're still continuing our search for that "perfect" piece of property. I'd be interested to hear what people's opinions/experiences are regarding the following issues...
property prices - am I wasting my time on the mls/maine idx sites? It seems as though the majority of the listed properties are somewhat overpriced. We plan to "get local" to search as often as we can. In the meantime I like to "feed the dream" by searching online.
right of way to property - typical?, okay as long as it's deeded?, wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole?
"seasonal" properties - these seem to offer more "bang for the buck" as well as more of the seclusion I seek. Am I crazy to consider these as a primary residence? Go ahead and say it, you won't be the first!
subdivisions - YUCK! (No offense intended to those who are living in one. Everyone is different.) I'm looking for some privacy and don't want to live in a subdivision, be part of an association etc. I see so many plot maps that show a series of narrow, deep into the woods, plots, lined up one after another, all for sale. What's the best way to find property that is not part of one of these subdivisions and will not at some point in the future be enveloped by 1 acre parcels?
tree variety dispersal - is there any way for this to be determined? At one point my dream was to buy enough land to be able to cut the lumber off the property to build my house. I'm not sure how much land we would need or if it's financially feasable. I would prefer a mix of hardwood and softwood. Is there anyone who has done this and can guesstimate the number of acres required (1,000 s.f. or less house) to harvest the lumber and still have a sustainable firewood lot?
Do I ask too many questions?
Thanks for the advice.
Its all a little subjective.....IMO....prices are not overpriced, but I guess if they can't sell for what they are asking for...then they are over priced???? "right"? maybe?? I just got off of the IDX looking around richmond area and saw homes that looked interesting but i could tell because of tha lack of mulitple photo's...they are probably in disrepair..
I would never consider living in a seasonal place
I think the IDX does give a good idea of whats going on in a particular area I tend to find out that the homes are much worse then they appear on the IDX and therefore you are correct...the house was overpriced ....but it is also true that anything that is a "great deal" will sell long before you find it on the MLS...for those you would want to get in touch with multiple realtors who call you with brand new listings....you could also check out uncle henry's and local FSBO listings.
Some people are still trying to catch the brass ring. They are beginning to realize that prices are not increasing.
right of way to property - typical?, okay as long as it's deeded?, wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole?
Rights of way are OK as long as they are specific. The best is a "right of way for all purposes including the right to bring in utilities."
"seasonal" properties - these seem to offer more "bang for the buck" as well as more of the seclusion I seek. Am I crazy to consider these as a primary residence? Go ahead and say it, you won't be the first!
Many people in Maine live "off the grid". It takes a special person to do that, but we do attract a lot of special people.
subdivisions - YUCK! (No offense intended to those who are living in one. Everyone is different.)
If a 6,000 acre parcel has a lot sold from it in 2004 and you want to buy a piece now the landowner has to submit a subdivision plan for the second. lot. That's the law. Don't imagine cookie cutter one acre lots when thinking about subdivisions in Maine.
"tree variety dispersal - is there any way for this to be determined?"
These do exist. One 38 acre lot had old growth trees, a couple of acres of old fields, apple trees, nice driveway, a stream with waterfalls and was on a public paved road. That didn't go for $300 an acre. You can find land in Maine for $300 an acre. It usually looks like a bomb hit it, is partially flooded and access is over a goat path to be developed. The best way to evaluate standing timber is to hire a forester to do a site report. Other experienced people can give reasonable estimates. There are plenty of people in Maine who can bring a portable saw mill to your site and saw enough lumber for a house.
We, too, continue to look. The best pieces we have found are NOT listed on the MLS but are on smaller realty sites. I have developed almost first name relationship with many of the listing agencies as I Email often to see about new listings.
We, too, had the question about seasonal, and this is what we found... We have lived off the road system and had to snowmachine(mobile) to the car to get to work. It was NO fun. We were hauling water, food, etc. and it was alot of work. But, that being said, we also own a large truck and are willing to buy a plow and plow our way in if it is a short distance. We looked at one 'seasonal' property that was 3/10 mile to the maintained road and we decided that was feasible. If you are willing/able to consider alternative energy arrangements, seasonal probably wouldn't be out of the question, depending on how far away it is and how much you like to plow
I am not sure about the wood question in terms of harvesting off the land to build your home. This, too, is something we have talked about. I do know that generally speaking, you can get about 1 cord per acre per year to be sustainable (we figured a MINIMUM of ten acres to be able to heat our home). But this is dependent on the type of trees, how they burn, and how big they are.
What areas are you looking? It's nice to know there are other people out there like us- however crazy we may be! Keep us posted on your search!
...
Many people in Maine live "off the grid". It takes a special person to do that, but we do attract a lot of special people.
True. Maine does have a lot of special folk.
Quote:
... You can find land in Maine for $300 an acre. It usually looks like a bomb hit it, is partially flooded and access is over a goat path to be developed. The best way to evaluate standing timber is to hire a forester to do a site report. Other experienced people can give reasonable estimates. There are plenty of people in Maine who can bring a portable saw mill to your site and saw enough lumber for a house.
Shhhh, those properties are the real treasures of Maine
I see a lot of one-man saw mill operations going. Cheap lumber too!
PS. In my travels overseas I have seen residential areas that have been bombed-out. Maine is nicer then that.
I prefer to call our slice of heaven: a "Stump farm".
We used the Prudential Northeast properties as one of our tools, very nicely searchable for price range, acreage, etc. We also used Uncle Henries to find properties that were being sold by people who didn't want to sell thru a real estate company.
Feed your dream online. Make a note of an agent or two with their phone number. Call and let them know what you are looking for. That gives them something specific to look for for you.
Then, when you are in the area, drive around and look for real estate signs. Call the number and ask about it, tell them what your ideal is.
The agent that sold me the property was found at an online agency, but the property I bought would never have caught my eye if I had seen it online. I picked a piece of property, called the agent and after i told him what was my ideal, he showed me some exact matches and a couple not exact matches. My property was not an exact match to what I was looking for.
If you buy 20-acre tract of wooded property, you can have a cabin in the woods and be shielded from neighbors close to your cabin. No matter how close they are to your property, they can never take down your trees and look as though they are breathing down your neck.
I have family in southern Maine on a big lake. There are houses all around the lake, but tastefully done so that the homes are not completely visible from the lake nor the road - nor breathing down each others necks. Most of the properties are 5 -8 acres. The trees are key to making each resident feel "in the middle of nowhere." Some are closer to the road, some in the middle, some closer to the lake. And of course, the lake itself has an uneven shoreline so even the placement of boat docks is far less than one right after the other. And that is a subdivision with a HOA. While they have all the amenities for a year-round residence, theirs is seasonal.
Seasonal means different things to different people. Get clarification and specifics.
The 'treasure' properties that I have came across were not listed by any realtor. They have not been online.
As you visit towns, visit the folks inside the eight table diners. They will tell you about properties for sale. For sale by locals who often will not do business with a realtor.
As you drive around you will see signs on trees with phone numbers. Call those numbers and ask.
I know a forester who buys land from logging companies. He clear cuts the trees, and then manages the treegrowth while the trees slowly make a come-back. He keeps his properties on a computer print-out list. The last time that I spoke with him his list was four pages long. On his list he has a price written there for each property. He gladly hands out his list. And he will entertain any offers. But he will not do business with a realtor.
I dunno. We have looked and looked, for over a year now. Here are some things we have found to be true:
Maine (esp northern and rural) seems to be a bit 'behind the curve'. That is, prices were stable while real estate was "booming" everywhere else. Now that prices are crashing everywhere else, folks who own land in Maine can't quite grasp that the boom is over! I figure it'll take at least another year or two, before they finally understand.
I wouldn't write off realtors altogether. They have a better understanding of property prices than the sellers do. They are not behind the curve. However, they have sometimes engaged in the game of listing for a higher price, just to get the listing, by pandering to the seller's idea that the property is worth more than it is. Let them know this, and don't be afraid to make a lower offer. The days are over when another buyer was in the wings, waiting to out-bid you!
Recognize that in the great "boom" (you know - the one that just went bust!) a lot of folks bought vacation land, retirement land, whatever land - that they couldn't really afford. They financed this stuff. Now, they can't sell it for anywhere near what they owe on it. This is not going to end well. There's a wave of foreclosures all across the US, and Maine will be no exception. The prudent buyer will be in no hurry. Another 2-3 years, the picture will look very different. Especially so, if heating oil prices rise again, which they very well may.
I read many posts on this board, of folks who want to move to Maine, and they seem in such a desperate rush. My heart goes out to you all, as DW and I are in a similar mindset, but not in such a rush. We are trying to temper our enthusiasm with reality. To us, reality = be patient, keep looking, but do not become discouraged. We (and you) may be able to find much nicer and bigger properties in 2-3 years, than the folks who are rushing today to finance something they can't really afford, just so they don't have to wait.
Maine isn't going anywhere. It will still be there, even after the prices have come down to sensible levels!
I dunno. We have looked and looked, for over a year now. Here are some things we have found to be true:
Maine (esp northern and rural) seems to be a bit 'behind the curve'. That is, prices were stable while real estate was "booming" everywhere else. Now that prices are crashing everywhere else, folks who own land in Maine can't quite grasp that the boom is over! I figure it'll take at least another year or two, before they finally understand.
I wouldn't write off realtors altogether. They have a better understanding of property prices than the sellers do. They are not behind the curve. However, they have sometimes engaged in the game of listing for a higher price, just to get the listing, by pandering to the seller's idea that the property is worth more than it is. Let them know this, and don't be afraid to make a lower offer. The days are over when another buyer was in the wings, waiting to out-bid you!
I guess.
From what I have seen, often when a realtor lists a property it tends to list for four times higher [if not more] than what the same property lists for without the realtor.
That being said, I have seen folks that surf the MLS listings, and are shocked by the prices they see. So they hang a sign with a 'comparable' price.
Well they have set their asking price at far above what neighboring properties are trading for. Those properties will not sell.
To get the higher price, a seller needs the services of a realtor.
Land in Maine is still selling for prices as low as $300 / acre. But you don't see land for that cheap on the MLS very often.
Few homes on the MLS 'list' for $40k. But homes sell for $40k all the time.
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....but it is also true that anything that is a "great deal" will sell long before you find it on the MLS...for those you would want to get in touch with multiple realtors who call you with brand new listings....you could also check out uncle henry's and local FSBO listings.
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