These days, many home owners are choosing to purchase second homes. The second home that many people choose to purchase these days can be used for many different reasons, but primarily, the majority of people buy second homes to use as their vacation home. A second home is usually a reasonable distance from an individual’s primary home and it is a home that they live in a few months or even a few weeks out of the year. But, in order to be classified as a second home, the home that is purchased cannot be rented out or used as a timeshare. The second home that many people purchase is usually a one-unit property and could be similar to a cottage or bungalow. A second home is actually a great alternative for individuals and families that love to travel but are not interested in constantly g... 01/14/2013

Who can’t use a little time off now and then? Vacation time is not just a reward for hard work and otherwise unending repetition of day-to-day obligations, it’s also widely recognized as a necessary relief valve -- a break from the stress of today’s hectic schedules. Vacations, long or short, take us away from our hectic routines. Vacations serve the purpose of breaking up the monotony of the daily grind – bringing fresh perspectives that convey renewed energy and creativity to our businesses and even relationships. A week at the beach; a couple of days fishing over a weekend; simply spending quality time with family and friends in vacation homes set along the Maine coast, one of our pristine lakes, or even a ski resort – all can serve a valuable purpose. Not to mention just having fun... 05/01/2012

September 17-19, 9 a.m.-closing, Oxford County Fair, livestock shows, animal pulling events, midway, crafts, exhibits and a new harness racing track, prices vary, Oxford County Fairgrounds, 68 Pottle Road, Oxford. FMI: 207.739.2013, www.oxfordcountyfair.com September 17, 7:30 p.m. Studio Theater Sneak Peak, Improv Comedy Night, members of Acorn's Shakespeare Ensemble perform, audience may also participate, $5/suggested donation, Acorn Studios, Dana Warp Mill, 90 Bridge Street, Westbrook. FMI: 207.854.0065, www.acorn-productions.org September 18, 5 & 6 p.m. seatings, Harvest Supper, corned beef, cabbage, beets, carrots, potatoes, turnip, bread, pie, coffee and lemonade, $8/adults, $4/children under 12, Lovell United Church of Christ, Route 5, Center Lovell. September 18, 8 p.m. Dave Mall... 09/24/2009

What better vacation activity is there on a hot summer day in Maine than to leave the confines of your camp or cabin, stop by your local ice cream stand, buy your favorite flavor, then take a stroll, cone in hand, along side one of our great area lakes or ponds? On the sweltering summer days of my childhood, my friends and I gravitated toward ice cream treats whenever our moms would let us. Listening for the jingle of the Good Humor truck is one of our quintessential memories of those days gone by. Whether is soft serve or hard, Ben and Jerry's, Shain's of Maine, Giffords, home-made or locally made, I still find myself yearning for such a treat on a summer day. In fact, just a few days ago I had the urge to splurge on a soft serve twist dipped in chocolate at The Gazebo in Bridgton. And... 08/31/2009

Historic House Tours Several historic homes in the Sebago Lakes Region are open on a regular basis, such as Nathaniel Hawthorne's home in Raymond and Narramissic, the Peabody-Fitch homestead in South Bridgton. I find it interesting to examine the ambitions and struggles of the wealthy and working class, as well as look at the architecture and character of the buildings. This weekend several private historic residences will be open for tours. The Lovell and Bethel Historical Societies invite you to attend. Here are more activites going on in the area in the week to come: August 6, 7:30 p.m. Somar Dance Works, a dance troupe from Erie, PA, described as poetry in motion, Brick Church for Performing Arts, Christian Hill Road, Lovell.FMI: 207.925.2792 or http://lovellbrickchurch.org August 6... 08/06/2009

If it's fish you seek, like the lake trout above, the Sebago Lakes Region will get you hooked. Sebago Lake is the original home of the Land-locked Salmon. Lake Trout and Bass are also plentiful. Boat launches: Nasons Beach, Route 114; Raymond Beach, Route 302 Trickey Pond is home to Salmon, Splake, Brook Trout and Bass. Boat launch: Route 114, 3 miles south of Naples Peabody Pond hosts Salmon, Brook Trout, Bass and Lake Trout. Boat launch: Peabody Pond Road off Route 107 Hancock Pond has Brown Trout and Bass. Boat launches: Swamp Road and West Shore Road Moose Pond is famous for Bass, plus Salmon and White Perch. Boat launches: Route 302 on the Causeway, West Bridgton, and Denmark Road, just beyond the public beach Long Lake supports Salmon, Brown Trout, Bass and White Perch. Boat launc... 07/24/2009

With the summer lakefront real estate sales season just beginning to heat up, I thought I'd take a look at activity in the area for the month of May. First up is a window on activity in the Sebago Lake Region which encompasses 26 towns and 60 lakes and ponds, from Gorham, Standish and Limington in the south to Bethel, Greenwood and Woodstock in the north. There were ten lakefront properties sold in the month of May ranging in price from $184,000 to $612,500. Days on market (DOM) ranged from 6 to 475. Five of the ten had reduced their price prior to it going under contract. Here are the ten "solds": 120 Acadia, Casco - list: $279,900  sold: $247,500  DOM: 95 38 Mondor White, Casco - list: $349,900  sold: $320,000  DOM: 17 94 Waldron Point, Casco - list: $565,000  sold: $565,000  DOM: 6 1... 06/14/2009

When it comes to fishing in the Sebago Lake Region, the landlocked salmon has to be the #1 cold water gamefish in the area. I say cold water, because there's a pretty strident group out there that would stick up for small and largemouth bass and they're a warm water fish. If you've ever sat in a boat and seen a salmon break the surface, jumping clear out of the water, a silver flash in the air, electrifying the fishpole doubled over in your hands, you know why it's #1. Sebago Lake holds the record for a landlocked salmon caught on a pole and line: 22 lbs. 8 oz. taken on August 1st of 1907. You'll be hard pressed to find anything that size these days. In fact, a salmon over ten pounds is uncommon, but many are taken every year in the five pound category. Maine's Department of Inland Fish... 05/28/2009

While it seems sometimes that staying in touch with the Maine lakefront real estate market is all we do around here, I try to carve out time every Friday to look at a weekly feature section in the New York Times called "Escapes". I always seem to find something of interest having to do with real estate, travel, or lifestyles. This recent Friday was no exception. On the first page you can read about scuba diving in a salt water lake in Utah, hunting for antiques in the Atlanta area, and attending a real estate auction in Florida where they sold 33 condos in a 307 unit building in West Palm Beach. But it was inside this section that I found articles of more interest and wanted to pass them along to you. One article discusses the current mortgage loan market as it relates to the second hom... 12/04/2008

Last week I provided a link to information that explained the rules and regulations regarding removal of vegetation on shorefront property. Because we had such a good response to that post, I thought I would offer up some more free information. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has produced a 36 page booklet entitled "Maine Shoreland Zoning - A Handbook For Shoreland Owners". This booklet explains, in clear language and with the use of drawings and diagrams, the state's Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Act. While it is meant for informational purposes only and not to be used as a substitute for the law itself, this publication goes a long way in explaining and showing different aspects of the Act. Find here explanations of what a non-conforming structure is, expansion rules for... 09/09/2008

There's an old adage on Wall Street that goes "Sell in May and go away". What the swells on Wall Street mean is that there's historically not much going on in the market over the summer; in fact, the market often drifts downward during June, July and August, so it's best to just cash out for the summer, then get back into the market after Labor Day. Well, I have a little amendent to that old adage. I say, "Sell in May and go away - to a nice Maine lakefront property"! Perhaps investors should think about the benefits of exchanging the often volatile liquid assets found in a stock portfolio for the hard assets of a piece of lakefront real estate in Maine. When you look at your computer screen and see your stock holdings displayed in front of you do you also hear a loon calling? Do you he... 05/20/2008

Attention, lakefront buyers. If you are asked this seemingly innocent question by a real estate agent here in Maine consider carefully how you answer. The person who asks, "Are you working with anyone?", in an off-handed kind of way is not just making casual conversation.The real question being asked is, "Have you signed an exclusive buyer representation agreement with an agent/broker here in Maine?"You may be surprised to learn that real estate agents are not paid a salary, have no health benefits, no company retirement, no sick day pay, no personal business days. They are only compensated by the earning of commissions representing buyers and sellers of real estate.What do agents want? Real estate agents have a great deal of information to share with folks who are looking to buy or sel... 03/10/2008