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Naples, ME Real Estate News

By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Naples will be a beehive of outdoor activity this weekend as it welcomes one and all to its 9th annual Winter Carnival. There will be plenty of outdoor activities for the whole family and plenty of indoor stuff, too. Here's the lastest schedule of events: Two full days of winter fun on Long Lake, Naples MaineNaples Town Dock * Route 302Radar Run * Sat & Sun - 9:30 AM - 3:00 PMPoker Rally * Saturday - $100 first prize *(Registration: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM)Food Booths * Naples Fire Dept & Lions Club Announcing:Hannaford Bros. & United Way'sFirst Annual Fishing Derby !!!&"SAVE SEBAGO COVE" - Help us Erase Milfoil Stop at our Club House for food & beverages Antique Snowmobile Show - Helicopter Rides - 50/50 Raffle - SnowmobileJumps - Santa Claus - Snow Coach Rides - Warm Up Shuttle - Naples Tow...
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By Sue Paige
(ERA Today Realty, Windham, ME 04062)
 Here it is!! The place to check out!!!! 770 Roosevelt Trail, Naples, Me. 207-693-5332.  tikibar@roadrunner.com   Steve Kirk has owned the Tiki Bar & Grill in Naples, Me. for the past three years and has brought it to a local mecca of entertainment.  Steve is involved in the Naples local events and this coming Naples winterfest along with Hannaford's fishing derby which is supporting United Way. This will be taking place the weekend of Feb.14th. There will be all kinds of events going on around the lakes to see and be a part of. The Tiki Bar & Grill will be hosting a party on Saturday, Feb.14th. There will be special foods,beverages,prizes, and other fun things to be had.  The save sebago cove raffle drawing will be held during the party. For more information regarding the Winterfest an...
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By Sue Paige
(ERA Today Realty, Windham, ME 04062)
I thought I would look up Naples, Fl and see if we had some sisterhood between the two places. Well, both sell waterfront, both have shops, both have golf courses and both have fine dining. The differences? Well, one is very cold in the winter while the other is the escape from the northern area of the East Coast. Naples, Fl. has the gulf of Mexico to enjoy the world of water sports. We in Naples, Me. have several lakes and ponds to enjoy the world of water sports. Naples, Me. is my mecca. We have a pet friendly camp ground, a great cruise on the River Queen, fine dining looking out over the water. We have views of mountains along with the views of the water. The population in 2005 was around 3589. We are a vacation town, so many homes are vacant during the winter. The jobs are mainly i...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
If your a potential buyer of lakefront property or an owner who may be comtemplating a possible sale, it's tough to know quite what to do in this market. If you bought in the last five years or so and are needing to sell, for whatever reason, you may well be looking at a loss - and that scenario may hold for another year or two, nobody really knows. If you're a potential buyer, then you are wondering where the bottom is so you can get in at the optimum time. Again, nobody knows when that will be - or maybe even if that time has already passed. Economic markets are all being seen in the rear view mirror - with varying lag times. As an example, we just found out that we have been in a recession for about a year. Some will tell you that by the time we can finally quantify and recognize a s...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
It seems that plans for finding a solution to repairing or replacing the aging swing bridge that spans the waters of Long Lake and Brandy Pond in Naples are alive and well. A report in last week's Bridgton News tells of a repair plan that would solve saftey issues, put off any significant construction issues for another ten years, and cost a manageable $550,000. Both local officials and members of the grassroots organization "Save the Bridge" find a lot to like with this new proposal and local state representative Rich Cebra will be talking with folks on the Transportation Committee in Augusta to try and get them on board. This new proposal would basically repair the existing bridge for a fraction of the cost of replacing the existing bridge with either a fixed span bridge or a drawbrid...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
One of the primary responsibilities of a lakefront property owner is to be familiar with and properly maintain their septic system. Also, those planning to buy an existing home or build a new home need to familiarize themselves with the basics of a basic septic sewage disposal system. Today I would like to post a few words about maintaining an existing system.  With the help from our friends at Green Environmental Engineering in Wayne, Maine here's today's Q. and A. on septic systems: How do I maintain my septic system? Operation and maintenance of a septic system consists of avoiding or minimizing the disposal of materials that can shorten the life of the system, and pumping the septic tank before solids build up too high in the tank. The following can shorten the system life or impair...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
At the height of the seller's market in the summer of 2004, I met with a seller, a resident of Florida, who owned a great family compound on one of the largest lakes here in Maine with three separate camps on over five acres. I recommended an asking price of $1.1 mllion. I told him that demand was exceedingly high and supply was very low. During our discussion he realized that he could save a bunch on capital gains taxes if he would become a Maine resident for two short years. I cautioned him that the market can change abruptly and reminded him that "man plans and God laughs". He said that owning lakefront property in Maine was a sure thing. I wished him well. Two years later, almost to the day, I met with him again. He had become a Maine resident for the past two years. He had committe...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
As a boy in the 1950s on Little Sebago Lake in North Windham I fell in love for the very first time. The object of my attention was not Carolee Leadbetter, the pretty girl next door, but the boat next door, a 1956 Lyman speed boat! Our summer neighbors, the Ripleys, were exceptionally nice people, especially to folks they hardly knew - the folks on vacation from a three decker in South Boston. Say what you will about Mainers, they're not snobs. Mr Ripley owned an Oldsmobile dealership in the Portland area, a camp on Little Sebago and that 1956 Lyman speed boat. When I saw that boat for the first time my heart skipped a beat. Lyman boats were wooden boats constructed in Michigan and were built to withstand the rocky shores of Lake Michigan. They may have been built for durability and re...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
I get emailed a lot of information from, and about, the financial markets. Earlier this week I received an email from one service that talked about the recent stock market gyrations and offered an opinion about what was currently driving the market. Here's what it said, in part: "For now, stocks seem focussed on the last crisis - that of the financial/housing mess - which seems to be pretty much over with. At least, almost every week we get more positive news about it. Recently, we heard from Toll Brothers, the home building company. While the company's numbers were not brilliant, the Chairman spoke positively about lower cancellation rates and pent up demand for housing. And why should he not? After all, real estate is the one hard asset that has not risen along with commodities. It's ...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Controversy continues to surround the fate of the Naples causeway bridge project as the date nears for a local, non-binding referendum vote on the bridge options May 20th.Two items in the local newspaper point out the difficulties in deciding this question.The first describes the response to an appeal made to the Army Corps of Engineers to designate the Standish-to-Harrison waterway a "U.S. Navigable Waterway". Such a classification would make it incumbent upon the federal government to keep the waterway open which would impact the type of bridge that would be built to replace the aging swing bridge currently in place. The Corps of Engineers have told the town that the waterway does not qualify for such classification. However, Naples town manager Derik Goodine read the reasoning behind...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Now, I know what you're thinking. When it comes to lakefront living, the thought of a condo leaves many lakefront buyers cold.That's because in their mind's eye they see a concrete tower brimming with boxy units filled with indoor/outdoor carpeting, formica counters, vinyl sheet tile, avocado appliances and other vestiges of the seventies.But, the truth is, lakefront condos in Vacationland, for the most part, are quite nicely appointed. They have woodburning fireplaces, screen porches, decks and master suites.But what about privacy? Relax. Here in the lakes region there are no concrete hallways smelling of boiled cabbage and stale garlic. No grumpy asssociation members trying to outlaw fun.Most condos have private entrances. Units are grouped tastefully in quads, threes, twos and even s...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
The latest news out of Naples is that the local populace - business owners, waterfront property owners, and landlubbers alike -  will be sounded out via a May 20th referendum on whether they would prefer to see a fixed bridge or moving bridge replacement for the existing, deteriorating swing bridge. The vote would be non-binding, but would help officials steer a course toward resolution with the Maine Department Of Transportation, who only have enough budget for a fixed span.The other development that came out of the meeting was the acknowledgement of a quiet groundswell of support for the less expensive fixed bridge option. At a meeting in January there was a strong, vocal outcry against the fixed bridge option, with opinion at the meeting running about 80 to 20 against the fixed bridg...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Strong resistance to a fixed bridge plan proposed by the Maine Department of Transportation to replace a Naples swing bridge is being voiced by a local group of  Sebago Lakes region businesspeople and waterfront front property owners around Long Lake, Brandy Pond and Sebago Lake.This grassroots group of concerned citizens met earlier in  the week in Augusta with MDOT officials to air their concerns and objections. A meeting between Naples town officials and MDOT representatives is scheduled for March 31st at the Naples town office. The meeting is open to the public, but remarks will be limited to the officials participating.Apparently, the MDOT is sticking to its guns about having a fixed bridge replace the current swing bridge, citing lack of money in the state budget to build the more...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
The Naples Causeway Bridge controversy continues to generate a lot of discussion in this lake region community. The Maine Dept. of Transporatation has now scheduled a meeting to promote their fixed bridge plan, which has many Naples waterfront business owners and area residents up in arms. The local board of selectmen is urging everyone to keep an open mind, but there seems to be a groundswell of opposition to replacing the current swing bridge with a fixed bridge. The cost of the project, whatever happens, plays a large part in what the state is proposing as funds are short and many projects need attention.The main bone of contention is that a fixed bridge, as proposed, would not be high enough to allow the Songo River Queen II or tall-masted sailboats sufficient room to pass under the...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Recently I posted an article about the ongoing controversy swirling around several new proposals for the repair or replacement of the Causeway Bridge in Naples on Rte. 302.  A  news article today in our local Bridgton News tells me that the whole project is being put on hold pending further study.There are currently three active proposals attracting consideration and the Maine Department of Transportation felt that it would be better to get more public input before choosing an option and proceeding with a schedule. The long and short of it is that nothing will be happening with the bridge in 2008.I have posted the full article from the Bridgton News in our Lake News on our website and you can see it here.
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
You might be surprised to learn that most lakefront property here in Maine is purchased by folks "from away". From away usually refers to folks from Massachusetts, Connecticut or some other state here in the Northeast. The attitude these folks have about associations has always been peculiar to me. A lakefront buyer will spend a whole lotta time finding just the right lakefront property and then will refuse to tender an offer until they have a chance to read the association bylaws and understand what the annual fees cover. It amuses me when a buyer is ready to buy a half million dollar second home but hesitates because he wants to understand what the annual dues of $150 per year cover. My only thought is that perhaps buyers from away have had to deal with terribly restrictive neighborho...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
Stretching from the Maine Turnpike in the east to the New Hampshire border in the west and from the Standish/Cornish area in the south to the Sunday River/Bethel area in the north, the Greater Sebago Lakes Region offers a complete package to vacationers and relocators alike - a multitude of lakes and ponds, a variety of amenities and attractions, and easy accessibility from the Boston area and points south. For over one hundred years the Greater Sebago Lakes Region has been the premier destination for those who want to enjoy clean recreational water, lake and mountain vistas, and four season fun in Maine.The lakes and ponds in this region come in all shapes and sizes. More than fifty have a surface area over 100 acres. From the quaintness of Coffee Pond at 106 acres to the mighty Sebago...
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By Jon Whitney
(Anne Plummer and Associates)
A recent hearing conducted by the Maine Department of Transportation on the viability of a new, fixed bridge proposal struck fear in the hearts of several business people in the Naples area.The old swing bridge that spans the waterway that joins Long Lake to Brandy Pond needs replacing. An original estimate of $11 million to replace it had been seen as "doable", but now that cost estimate has ballooned to $18 million - an amount the state doesn't have.  A proposal for a fixed bridge, at a cost of $8 million, would fit the DOT budget, but has many critics and detractors in the Lakes Region area.Local marina owners, the owner of the Songo River Queen, and other area business people all voiced their concerns at the recent hearing citing history, local economics, and image as reasons for no...
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