Still in the fifties here in Maine, but it's better than twenties and snow on the ground! In Windham, it's a real estate market that is slowly picking up speed, with a 13% increase in median prices for the first quarter of 2014, and a small decline of 6% in transaction volume. The year is off to a good start, and the second quarter looks like it will be even better for Windham! Like most of Southern Maine, location really matters in Windham. And being within driving proximity to Southern Maine's favorite city, Portland, really gives Windham an advantage and edge to take into account if you're looking for a home that's near Portland, but lets you have the space and tranquility that you've been craving! Want to know more information about Windham, or the rest of Southern Maine? Visit Her... 04/28/2014

Sometimes we take things for granted.  I have been a mortgage loan officer at Northeast Bank since May of 2007 and over that period of time I have come to expect a certain level of service and support from myself and my teammates.  There are many occasions when I request marketing tools from my bank.  I have flyers created for open houses, power point presentations for group sales meetings and other types of "take aways" with my contact information printed.  Without fail, my marketing department is always ready to supply me with the tools I need to be successful.  In most cases I give ample lead time for production of these materials.  However, this week I was presented with an opportunity to be involved with a great open house in the Standish/Windham area of the lakes region in souther... 01/27/2011

MARKET REPORT Windham, Maine 04062 Week of December 20th, 2010 (Residential Units Only, Including Condos)   160 Current Listings (-2 from last week) - Avg. Price 250,576,  Avg. Days On Mkt. - 156 31 Pending Listings (-3 from last week) - Avg. Price – 202,635 3 Sold Listings (+2 from last week) - Avg. Price – 167,600 The Sold Price to List Price Ratio is 98% - Of these 3 sold, the sellers got 98% of their asking price. Please Call Or Email For Custom Reports On Your Maine Town Or City. 12/26/2010

June 3, 8 p.m. The Either/Orchestra, a New Music for FREE series supported by the sale of Carol Noonan's latest recording "Waltzing for Dreamers" in partnership with the kind sponsorship of Maine Beverage Company, free, but you still must place your order to reserve a seat, dinner available by reservation before the show, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com. June 5, 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. 13th Annual Kezar Falls Lilac Festival, pancake breakfast, bike and doll carriage parade, artisans, crafters, yard sale, plant sale, book sale, walking tour of historic village homes, magic show, pick-up softball game, fishing demo, chicken BBQ, downtown Kezar Falls by the Ossipee River. FMI: 207.625.3082, www.cornish-maine.org. June 5, ... 07/01/2010

April 16-18, 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Disney's "Alice in Wonderland Jr.," directed by Mary Bastoni and choreographed by Samantha Komulainen-York, $10/adults, $8/students & seniors, Schoolhouse Arts Center, Route 114, Sebago Lake Village. FMI: 207.642.3743, www.schoolhousearts.org. April 16-18, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, "Enchanted April," Romantic Comedy directed by Linda Sturdivant, presented by the Oxford Hills Music and Performing Arts Association, prices vary, Norway Grange, 15 Whitman Street, Norway. FMI: www.ohmpaa.org. April 17, 10:15 a.m. French Classical Concert featuring Ya-Fei Chuang, pianist and Jan Muller-Szeraws, cellist, performing music of composers Claude Debussy and Francis Poulenc, and a sonata by Frederic Chopin, free, ... 04/16/2010

Just a few miles from Portland, Maine, Highland Lake in Windham and Falmouth, is highly valued by lakefront property owners for its pristine waters and sense of wilderness, yet close proximity to entertainment, dining and other activities. Highland Lake provides a perfect sanctuary for cottage dwellers and wildlife, including loons, eagles, ducks, blue heron, turtles and lots of fish. The public boat launch on Lowell Farm Road in Falmouth is for hand-carried canoes and kayaks only. Motor boat traffic is low. Fed by springs and streams, including MacIntosh Brook at the northern end, Highland Lake encompasses 623 acres. The maximum depth is 67 feet, with an average depth of 22 feet. Keith Williams, Ph.D. and Chair of the Water Quality Committee for the Highland Lake Association, says, "Hi... 02/04/2010

Highly valued by seasonal and year-round lakefront residents for family time and fishing is Little Sebago Lake in Windham and Gray. The lake's clear waters and sense of wilderness plus close proximity to Portland make it the perfect relaxing get-away. Little Sebago Lake is 2 hours from Boston and about 25 minutes from Portland and Lewiston. It can be accessed by Route 85 in Raymond, Route 115 in Windham and Routes 26 and 202 in Gray. The 31 miles of shoreline along this lake support a wealth of wildlife including loons, nesting eagles and aquatic life. Coyote, red fox and bobcat tracks have been spotted when the lake is frozen. The serpentine shoreline is fun to explore via canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or powerboat. Little Sebago, located just east of its much larger brother, Sebago Lake, ... 01/21/2010

If you are entertaining the idea of purchasing a Maine lakefront property anytime soon, or have an interest in lakefront real estate in Maine and are wondering when a good time might be to get into the market, today just might be that time. With all the activity surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday you may have missed this little headline: Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit all-time low - 15-year fixed-rate and 5-year ARM break records: Freddie Mac Is there any doubt that this is a good time to be borrowing money? Mortgage interest rates are not only staying low, they're inching lower! And it's not just one product - it's 30 year, 15 year and adjustable rate mortgages. Here's the lead from the article posted by the Marketwatch new service on Wednesday, November 25th: Rates on 30-y... 12/09/2009

September 10, 1-5 p.m. Tasha Tudor High Tea, with presentations by Tudor scholars and tours of the museum, reservations recommended, $50/person, Rufus Porter Museum and Cultural Heritage Center, 67 North High Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.2828, www.rufusportermuseum.org September 10, 4 p.m. "The Legend of Lefty," a two-act comedy directed by Lynn Arizzi, Bethel Community Players, sponsored by the new Bethel Performing Arts Project and presented in cooperation with the Bethel Inn, $10/person, Bethel Inn Conference Center, Broad Street, Bethel. FMI: 207.824.2175, www.bethelinn.com September 10, 6:30 p.m. Jerry Mayfield from Sahaja Meditation, guided meditation, come away feeling stress free and relaxed, no charge, McLaughlin Gardens, 97 Main Street, South Paris. FMI: 207.743.8820, www.mc... 09/10/2009

September 4, 5-8 p.m. "Old Memories Fade: Photography by Karin Maher," First Friday Opening Reception, meet and greet the artist, enjoy light refreshments, Frost Farm Gallery, 272 Pikes Hill, Norway. FMI: 207.743.8041, www.frostfarmgallery.com September 4, 7-9 p.m. Top 10 Landowner Mistakes, One Forest, Many Faces Series, sponsored by the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine, Brown Memorial Library, 2 Norton Place, Baldwin. FMI: 207.637.3273, www.swoam.org September 5, 8 a.m. registration, Annual Memorial Golf Tournament, hosted by the Bridgton Lion's Club, scramble format, teams of 4, $50/person, cart included, Bridgton Highlands Country Club, 379 Highland Road, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.2822 or 207.647.5980, www.bridgtonhighlands.com September 5, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Second Annual Fall Fl... 09/03/2009

July 8-11, Old Home Days, Harrison, Maine, FMI: www.harrisonmaine.org July 9-11, Norway Summer Art Festival and Sidewalk Art Fest, Main Street, FMI: 207.739.6161 or www.norwayartsfestival.org July 9-26, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Oklahoma! Schoolhouse Theater and Arts Center, Route 114, Sebago Lake Village, FMI: 207.642.3743 or www.schoolhousearts.org July 10, 7 p.m. Music on the Hill Concert Series: "A Night on Broadway," Windham Hill UCC Church, FMI: 207.892.7420 July 10, 8 p.m. Jonathan Edwards, a benefit for Mountain Top Music Center, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Road, Brownfield, FMI: 866.227.6523 or www.stonemountainarts.com July 10-11, 8 p.m. Wonder on the World, Professional Ensemble, The Theater Project, Brunswick, tickets $18, ... 07/10/2009

"We've been looking for our cabin on a Maine lake for years and can't seem to find something we like". If I've heard this once, I've heard it a hundred times. In most cases, their search lacked balance. What one needs is a system, or methodology, for finding just the right place. Here's some advice from Mr Lakefront. Your lakefront buying decision should have a balanced approach. Think of your decision as one resting safely on a 3-legged stool. Each leg of that stool is important, but some legs are more important than others. The 3 legs of your decision in order of importance are LAKE, LOT, and HOUSE. LAKE - is the most important leg of the stool. Why? Because size, depth and water quality matter - a lot. If you are a serious power boater, you will be miserable on too small a body of wa... 04/17/2009

Most lakefront homes in Maine are sold to folks "from away". These types of buyers have their primary home back in the suburbs of major cities like Boston, Hartford, and New York. When purchasing one's primary home in the suburbs it's rare that the home one is purchasing will come furnished. It's different when it comes to buying a second home here in the lakes regions of Maine. Most seasonal lakefront homes, when conveyed, come furnished or partially furnished. How come? When folks with second homes on the lake decide to sell the question arises: "What do we do with all this stuff ? We can't bring it all home with us. We have no room for this stuff back home. I am often asked "Do you think the buyer would like to have the furnishings?" My answer, "You bet!" Most lakefront buyers are h... 01/08/2009

Now that the leaves are off the trees and we've seen a few snowflakes dance in the air, lakefront property owners are probably thinking more about the upcoming holidays than they are their place on the lake. But the offseason is a great time for reflection and planning, and getting educated about the natural world around us is a responsibility we all share. If you have even a passing interest in Maine lakes and ponds, by now you have probably heard about invasive aqauatic plants that are not native to Maine. Maine has over 6000 lakes and ponds and keeping an eye on them is a big job. There is an organized volunteer lakes monitoring program that does a great job keeping tabs on these bodies of water and one of the primary things they are on the lookout for is invasive aquatic plant speci... 11/18/2008

When it comes to lakefront property is bigger really better? Recently, I sat down with a nice couple who own a 3,000 square foot lakefront home. It had four bedrooms and guest quarters over the garage. When I asked why they were selling , he said the place had "grown too big" for them. She said they bought a large place anticipating the future needs of their family. They figured their kids would have families of their own and that they would need a place large enough to accommodate them all. "We did have great times here, but 95% of the time we were here by ourselves. We love it here, but we never needed a house this big."These nice people clearly over bought. They miscalculated their future needs and wound up with a place that, because of it's size alone, became a burden. As buyers, th... 08/12/2008

While we wait for "ice out" to come to area lakes and ponds later this month, the snow is already melting around here at a rapid pace. Camp roads and shorelines are emerging and, much like our beloved Red Sox, lakefront property buyers should be moving out of "spring training" mode and into the "regular season".Phones in the office are ringing and new lakefront property listings are coming onto the market. Early bird buyers are venturing out of hibernation to see what the new listings are - as well as what older, unsold listings have come down in price.If you're in the market this season for a Maine lakefront property, there are distinct advantages to starting early.The first is selection. There's a lot of lakefront inventory and it's growing by the day. That means a lot to look at and ... 04/08/2008

There's a battle being waged along many shorelines of two dozen or more lakes and ponds in southern Maine. The foe is a persistent, virulent aquatic plant known by most as milfoil.Milfoil is a plant that grows under water, in shallower areas where it can get sufficient sunlight to grow and prosper. It clogs shoreline areas with its leafy growth, making those areas unusable for swimming and boating. It also robs the lake's ecosystem of necessary oxygen which affects all the other living things in the water. Milfoil is bad news.The 9th annual Milfoil Summit was just concluded in Lewiston and news from that summit offers hope for all of us seeking relief from this nasty enemy.Volunteers pulling plants by hand and using blanket barriers have stemmed the tide of milfoil growth in many areas,... 03/19/2008

It's important for a buyer of Maine lakefront property to understand what gives a lakefront lot its value. Everyone's heard of location, location, location, but what is it about location that gives a lakefront property its value?Maine lakefront properties are made up of two parts: the building and the lot. While it's true that building costs have been ever-increasing , it pales in comparison to the increase in the value of the lot over the same period. Here are the top 5 attributes that give a lakefront property's location its value:#1 Sandy Beach: More members of your family can enjoy the water with a sandy beach. With a sandy beach, mothers can see their toddlers playing safely at the water's edge and seniors can enter and exit the water easily. Lacking a sandy beach, sandy bottom fro... 02/21/2008