MaineListings.com has released their annual report of real estate sales by county. Cumberland county had a 2.68% increase in the number of homes sold and a 6% average price increase. York county has an 11.78% increase in the number of homes sold and a 5.75% average price increase. 2016 was the 5th consecutive year of increase in the number of units sold.
Follow these tips from Realtor.org to increase your chances of getting your dream house in a competitive housing market.
You’ll be able to make a firm commitment to buy and your offer will be more desirable to the seller.
Your agent will be on the lookout for the newest listings that meet your criteria. Be ready to see a house as soon as it goes on the market — if it’s a great home, it will go fast.
Browse sources such as realtor.com and local real estate listing sites. Set up alerts for the neighborhoods and characteristics you’re looking for. Drive through your target neighborhoods, and if you see a home you like for-sale, send the address and listing agent’s name to your agent, who can schedule a showing for you.
Spend plenty of time in advance deciding what you can afford and must have in a home so you won’t hesitate when you have the chance to make an offer.
Your first inclination may be to start out offering something less than the absolute highest price you can afford, but if you go too low in a tight market, you will likely lose out.
Restrictions such as needing to sell your home before you move can make your offer unappealing. Remember that, if the market is tight, you’ll probably be able to sell your house rapidly.
Just because there’s competition for a home doesn’t mean you should buy it. And even though you want to make your offer attractive, don’t neglect inspections that help ensure the house is a sound investment.
Scarborough average homes sold in 2016 grouped by bedroom count (Limited to homes under $700,000)
It’s easy to say you’re going to re-organize your house, but actually doing it is another story. One way to really ensure that you follow through with the somewhat large, and maybe challenging task is to get everything out of the space you are trying to reclaim. This allows you to see everything that was taking up space and forces you to decide whether you want to keep those things.
Bring 4 boxes into each room with you. One box for things you want to keep, one to donate, one for trash, and one for relocation. That way, it’s easy to see where all of your belongings are going to end up. This is a very visual way to see where you are allocating all of the things you thought you once needed. You are in control of where they end up. You decide their fate. Choose carefully.
We all have those things that you just can’t get rid of. Whether it’s your son’s 3rd grade art project, or your favorite ratty t-shirt, we’ve all been there. However, it’s easy to see once you’ve unloaded said space that you need to make some trips to Goodwill. Getting rid of things you know you don’t need allows for a new found storage space. Maybe instead of the plant whose life has clearly come to an end, choose a small bookshelf, or a comfy chair. RIP houseplant.
When you bought your house, you didn’t JUST buy the floor space, yet a lot of people forget that they can go vertical with storage spaces as well as horizontal. This allows for a more open and welcoming area. Horizontal book shelves are great, but sometimes that’s all the eye sees when looking into a room. With a vertical box shelf, or vintage ladder, or even baskets mounted to the wall, it appeases the eye. Not only does it allow for more items to be stored, it looks like there isn’t as much clutter.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/181621797452554162/
This is a organizer’s dream store. There are so many options! Shelves, under-the-bed drawers, pull out beds, and basically anything you can think of. This is a great resource because it allows for creativity as well as success in being organized. Visiting the store in person is great, but even visiting their website (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/) will fill anyone with great ideas. Or should I say, IKEAs.
Tension rods show the sneaky side of organization. One great use is to put one under your sink to hang cleaning products from. Or, it can be used to hang coffee mugs with the assistance of S hooks. Another great use is to cover a space that may need a door, such as a cabinet, or the under-the-sink space. Not to mention the obvious use of hanging curtains. Wherever people choose to use tension rods, they are usually unseen, hence making them sneaky. This is a great way to declutter!
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/tips/g1277/tension-rod-uses/
Make it into a competition – who can get rid of the most items the fastest, or who can create the most unused space. The competitive edge provides motivation for all family members to be a part of it, not just leaving it all to fall on you. Or, offer pizza.
Comparison chart of Scarborough and surrounding areas. An important consideration is the different towns services like fire & police, schools, trash collection, public works.
Updated comparison chart of Scarborough and surrounding areas tax areas. An important consideration is the different towns’ services like fire & police, schools, trash collection, public works.
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Top 5 Counties, “# Units Sold” means the number of existing, single-family homes sold in 2012.
| County | # Units Sold | Median Sold Price |
| Cumberland | 2965 | $226,000 |
| York | 1929 | $215,000 |
| Penobscot | 1105 | $129,000 |
| Kennebec | 991 | $130,000 |
| Androscoggin | 768 | $133,250 |
*Source: Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. Note: MREIS, a subsidiary of the Maine Association of REALTORS, is a statewide Multiple Listing Service with over 4,100 licensees inputting active and sold property listing data. Statistics reflect properties reported as sold in the System within the time periods indicated.
