Maine real estate, community by community

Maine is really several markets. Greater Portland and southern York County are year-round commuter markets; the Midcoast, the western lakes and mountains, and much of the Downeast coast carry a large seasonal and second-home component, where inventory, pricing and even showing access move with the calendar.

Coastal and waterfront purchases carry extra diligence. Shoreland zoning applies within a set distance of the water and can limit expansion, tree removal and new structures. Ask early about the septic system and its design flow, the well and its water test, whether the property is on a private road and what the road maintenance agreement says, right-of-way and shore access rights, and flood zone and insurance exposure.

Inland and rural properties raise their own questions: heating source and annual fuel cost, insulation, winter road maintenance and plowing, and whether a camp road is passable year-round. Some homes are built for summer use and are not winterized.

Property tax rates are set municipality by municipality, and Maine's homestead exemption applies only to a primary residence — a second home is assessed without it. Maine also withholds a portion of the sale price at closing from many non-resident sellers. Ask us for the current mill rate and assessment practice in the specific town you're considering rather than relying on a statewide average.