Maine
Why it's so hard to sell this million-dollar Maine home with a mountain view
Housing
This section of the BDN aims to help readers understand Maine’s housing crisis, the volatile real estate market and the public policy behind them. Read more Housing coverage here.
A refurbished farmhouse sitting on 100 acres with a clear view of the western Maine mountains is for sale for $1.4 million.
The current owners of the 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home in Phillips have lived there for more than three decades. They maintain the fields so they don’t grow over. The chief reason they’re selling the place is because they’re at retirement age and don’t want to deal with the upkeep.
Its large acreage has set it apart as a rare opportunity for homebuyers, but that’s also the reason the property has sat on the market for more than 200 days since September.
“It’s a lot for some people to think about,” listing agent Eric Kinney said. “At that price point, you might want to take care of those fields.”
The large acreage presents plenty of opportunities for creative buyers. One is a potential subdivision, Kinney, a real estate agent with Sandy River Realty in Farmington who has also worked in the area as a builder for the last 45 years, said. He said “decent” homes are in real short supply in Phillips, where this is the only home for sale.
One prospective buyer has been interested in maintaining the fields and restoring the property back to what its purpose was decades ago: a working farm. But most are just looking for a full-time residence. Some are interested in splitting the parcel up to sell off land, Kinney said.
The listing is one of 32 properties for sale in Maine as of Thursday that sit on 100 acres or more. Such a large parcel of land is a much rarer find today than it was just a few years ago, Kinney said.
“There’s fewer and fewer of those,” he said. “There’s not many places left with this acreage, views, privacy.”
Many larger properties like this listing were sold to people from out of state during the COVID-era real estate boom, the agent said. At the pandemic’s outset, people wanted to get away and buy their own private space. Maine had plenty of properties that fit the bill.
Today, that frenzy has chilled. But the luxury market is still strong and properties like Kinney’s going for more than $1 million are still seeing a high level of interest. A mix of both local and out-of-state buyers have been interested in purchasing the Phillips property since it was listed for sale in September, but none have followed through with an offer yet.
The farmhouse itself is an attraction, boasting more than 2,500 square feet of living space with views and tasteful updates made by the current owners. It was built in 1850, so has rustic charm and antique quirks including two wood stoves, but the owners have installed a new furnace, alarms, electrical systems and insulation. It also has a firepit, root cellar, barn, shed and a three-car attached garage.
The property is rural, but is less than 10 minutes from in-town Phillips, a small town that still retains some amenities including a grocery store. It’s about a half-hour to both Farmington and the four-season vacation destination of Rangeley. The road that splits the property is town-maintained, an added bonus in the winter months.
“It’s just a unique property, with the views and everything that goes with it,” Kinney said. “It’s just serene up there.”
BANGOR (WGME) — A special ceremony was held outside the Cross Insurance Center Thursday to honor Maine Game Warden Joshua Tibbetts, who died in a plane crash last week.
During the ceremony, there was a fly over, firing salute and then the casket flag was folded and handed to Tibbetts’ mother, Barbara. Shortly after that, dispatch did an official sign off for Tibbetts.
Hundreds of police officers, not only just from Maine, but also from different parts of the East Coast, were there for the ceremony. They all lined up in front of the Cross Insurance Center as Tibbetts’ body was brought from the hearse to inside the arena, where the service took place.
“It was a great service,” Ernie Smith, who assisted on bagpipes and drums Thursday, said. “It’s good to see the turnout that there was today and how much our service members and safety people are honored by the state.”
“He just had a nice temperament to him,” coworker David Craven said. “He was liked in the agency. As we heard today, he loved his girls, his daughter and his family, and he was true blue Maine Game Warden.”
A special ceremony was held outside the Cross Insurance Center Thursday to honor Maine Game Warden Joshua Tibbetts, who died in a plane crash last week. (WGME)
As Tibbetts’ casket was brought inside Thursday morning, his family members were right by the entrance as game wardens carried the casket in. Those at the service say they hope Tibbetts is remembered by not only how dedicated he was to public service but how much he loved his family, especially his two daughters he now leaves behind.
ELLSWORTH, Maine (WVII) — An elected Maine official is being sanctioned for alleged ethics violations.
The Ellsworth City Council held a special meeting this week to discuss Councilor Steve O’Halloran, who is accused of bullying city staff.
Councilors met in executive session to hear a report from a third-party investigator who interviewed staff members.
Other councilors indicated O’Halloran may have violated city code. Some residents, however, disagree with the accusations.
“Steve O’Halloran has listened to the people for years now, and his constant reelection is a reflection of that,” said Ellsworth resident Tiffany Gasper. “What is happening and has happened feels more like retaliation because he constantly asks the tough questions.”
The report has not been made available to the public.
The meeting concluded with the council voting 5-1-1 to censure O’Halloran, with Councilor Patrick Shea voting against the measure and O’Halloran abstaining.
Memorial Day weekend is expected to be mostly fair, with Saturday looking the driest.
Highs are likely to be in the high 50s and 60s across much of the state this weekend, according to the National Weather Service — a break from the recent, and in some cases record-breaking heat.
However, there is a chance of rain in the latter half, according to the weather service, and it may be best to pack that extra layer: Lows will likely dip into the 40s and even 30s in some areas.
Authorities are also reminding Mainers and Vacationlanders alike to take extra precautions out on Maine’s many bodies of water as air temperatures at this time of year are often far higher than water temperatures.
THE HIGHS
The weather service’s office in Gray projects high temperatures to hover in the 60s Friday and Saturday across the southern and central regions.
The Augusta, Fryeburg and Waterville areas can expect high temperatures in the mid-to-high 60s to kick off the weekend, the agency projected Wednesday, while the Portland and Lewiston areas can expect temperatures in the lower 60s.
High temperatures in much of the southern half of the state will dip to the low 60s and high 50s Sunday, the agency forecast.
“High pressure is coming down from Canada,” Jon Palmer, a meteorologist at the weather service’s office in Gray, explained on Wednesday. “It’s going to sit over the area through Sunday and even potentially into Monday.”
Meanwhile, high temperatures in northern and eastern Maine are projected to be in the high 50s or low 60s Saturday before taking a small dip on Sunday, according to the weather service’s office in Caribou.
THE LOWS
On the other side of that high-pressure system is rain, but the likelihood varies by location.
James Sinko, lead meteorologist at the weather service’s office in Caribou, said Wednesday that the Bangor, Downeast and Moosehead Lake regions can expect some showers Sunday afternoon, with more widespread showers in northern and eastern Maine on Monday.
As of Wednesday, the weather service in Gray projects that southern regions stand about a 40% to 50% chance of seeing rain Sunday, with significantly lower chances Monday.
Palmer warned that the timing all depends on when the high-pressure system departs, but any rain should be light regardless.
“It doesn’t look like we’ll have the heat to produce convective thunderstorms or anything like that,” he said.
Temperatures will cool off in the evenings and early mornings across Maine throughout the weekend. While the southern half of the state can expect low temperatures in the low 40s (with higher elevations a bit chillier), northern Maine is expecting lows in the 30s, according to the weather service.
WATER SAFETY
Sinko noted that Maine has already lost several people who were recreating on the water this season.
“A lot of water temperatures are generally in the 40s to 50s, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get hypothermia,” the meteorologist said. “You can succumb to your body shutting down in the water.”
That makes it an especially important time to wear a life preserver and make sure other safety equipment is readily available. The agency is conducting a joint effort with state authorities to warn the public of the hazards, Sink said.
“We want to emphasize cold water safety, and have people know everything they need to survive going into cold waters,” Sinko said.
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