101 Things I Love About Portland Maine

60.Joe's Boathouse South Portland-- This is a great spot to enjoy lunch or dinner and soak up the flavor of the area. You can eat out on the deck in nice weather and watch all the activity in the busy boat yard. I always get the chicken and corn eggrolls with delicious dipping sauce. All of their seafood dishes are fresh, too.

Testimonial

Working with Nancy through the complex process of selling my Portland condo eased my anxiety, replaced fear with sound knowledge and attracted a group of qualified buyers to my propert. With her help, I was able to make the best financial decision. She was calm, accessible, thorough, knowledgeable and fun. We sold our place within a week and worked through closing without a hitch. She made every step of the process clear and easy. I walked into my closing feeling confident and happy. I recommend her without reservation and will continue to rely on her in all my future real estate dealings. ---Mary F.

101 Things I Love about Portland Maine

58. Old Port Sea Grill on Commercial Street is comfortably elegant with a nice view of Portland's bustling waterfront. We stopped for after work drinks and appetizers which included the oysters on the 1/2 shell, veggie springrolls, fried clams and seafood chowder. Everything was fresh and tasty. The sring rolls were crisp with a spicy dipping sauce. They also have a fantastic vanilla bean creme brulee!

Closing today!!

Another happy new first time homebuyer!

Staged Homes Sell Faster

The #1 Reason To Stage... Show Me The Money!


The better a home shows - the higher it will sell for which means more dollars in your pocket. Non-staged homes are more likely to require price reductions in order to sell as opposed to staged homes, which are more likely to enjoy a number of offers, possibly a bidding war or a sale above the asking price.

According to a recent USA Today article, a major residential brokerage company looked at nearly 2,800 properties in eight different cities and found that staged houses sold in almost half the time the non-staged houses did. They also found that sellers got substantially more money for a staged home.

Successful real estate agents all agree... Staged Homes Sell Faster!

Call me today for a complimentary consultation when I list your home.

Art of Negotiation

Everything is negotiable when buying a house. For some reason, most buyers either don't believe it or don't like it. Here's a partial list of what's negotiable when you buy a home:

Price
Financing
Closing costs (except where specified by financing or law)
Occupancy (When can you get the key and move in?)
Painting (Will the seller repaint a portion of or the entire house?)
Repairs (Will the seller repair the roof, plumbing, windows, etc., and what kind and quality of repairs will be made?)
Yard (Will the seller remove unwanted trees, bushes - put in desired landscaping?)
Fixtures (Which lights, fans, appliances, etc. stay and which go?)
Wall coverings (Do the drapes stay or go?)
Furniture (Will the seller include certain pieces?)
Prepaid taxes and insurance (Will the seller credit you with these?)
Negotiation gives the buyer incredible power in making a favorable transaction. It can also place him or her in a position of immense weakness. Negotiation can determine whether you get the home of your dreams…or whether those dreams end up being a nightmare.

Ultimately, how you fare when buying a home is going to be a direct result of your knowledge. The more you know, the better position you'll be in to negotiate.

101 Things I Love about Portland Maine

57. Restaurants again! This time a late breakfast at The Front Room on Munjoy Hill in Portland. We sat at the comfortable bar in this attractive and popular spot.
The east end of Portland has become very trendy but still has an old neighborhood feel. We relaxed and read the paper and enjoyed talking with the pleasant wait staff. My husband had a ham and cheese omelet and I tried the Croque Monsieur. They made it especially for me with whole wheat bread instead of brioche.
I caught a glimpse of some huge delicious looking muffins when I was paying. Next time....

101 Things I Love about Portland Maine

56. Restaurants in Portland--My husband and I tried the Brazilian Steakhouse on Commercial Street, Gauchos Churrascaria and I can tell you that you need to spend a long time over your meal or be very hungry. My husband tried the traditional drink of Brazil with his meal---similar to a mojito but with lime instead of mint. You start off with a visit to a colorful well-stocked salad bar. Everything was fresh and inviting. The small cheese ball rolls were delicious. Be careful you don't overdo here though.
Next came the meats. The selection was incredible starting with salmon. The waiters come to your table with huge skewers of grilled meat and shave slices for you. There was beef, chicken, turkey, ribs, pork loin and more. They continue to serve you until you throw in the napkin. There are side dishes of beans, plantain, root veggies and small potatoes, too.
It seemed like it would be a fun place for a group to linger over the food and have a bottle or two of wine. The bill for 2 complete dinners came to @ $80.

101 Things I Love About Portland Maine

55. Evergreen Cemetary which is part of the Portland Trails system is a great place to take a quiet stroll or to eat a picnic lunch by the pond in the rear. I go to feed the ducks. This time of year they are very retiring and cautious. There were several Mallards that swam away when I approached. I found one couple that weren't quite as shy. Later in the summer and early fall they are accustomed to being fed. Then they swarm all over you. The flock is very large by then. I will return later to show the difference.

Portland Trails

This is a Great Portland Maine organization with the following mission:

"Our Mission Create and maintain a 50-mile network of trails in Greater Portland.


Engage the participation of neighborhoods, schools, and the business community in trail use and land stewardship.


Make Greater Portland a model for people-powered recreation and transportation.


PORTLAND TRAILS IS TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE"

Checkout their website for more information and the list os trails: http://www.trails.org/

Why Rent When You Can Own?

Finally ready to buy instead of renting?

But, are you afraid it's the top of the market? With interest rates the lowest in 30 years, I think the risk is greater that the interest rates will go up, not that home prices will go down. But even if prices do go down a little, if interest rates tick up, the monthly payment on that house will be higher, even if the price is less. So your risk in trying to "pick the bottom" is that you'll miss out on today's very low interest rates. And besides, I don't believe that prices will fall in the entry-level price range.

The next step is up to you. I'd suggest sending me an email or giving me a call and we'll see what can be done. Even if your lease isn't up yet, we should still get the ball rolling, because we may have some credit work to do, and that could take 3 months or more. If you're not ready to talk yet, but would like to be kept up to date with the real estate market, then sign up for my email newsletter.

Either way, do something. Get something to show for your efforts. Don't be like the old saying, "Work your fingers to the bone, and what do you get? Bony fingers." You know, next year at this time you could still be renting, or you could be in your own home building equity. You might even discover you're handy at doing home improvements, as some of my clients have done, and they've really increased the value of their properties.

Who knows what you'll accomplish once you have this big unfinished business of not owning your home out of the way? You know you need to do it - it's like a big weight holding you back until you get it done. Today's a good a day as any.

101 Things I Love About Portland Maine

54. New restaurant on Congress St--NOSH. My sister and I went to check it out last night based on a friend's recommendation. It is cool and hip with a great "noshing" menu of sandwiches. You can also put together your own selection of meats and cheeses. I picked a delicious aged Vermont cheddar that came with a cone of crisp breads and some almonds with honey. We shared some onion rings and she enjoyed the fried calamari. The friendly waitperson thinks they have Wi-Fi, too.

101 Things I Love about Portland Maine

52. Day trips from Portland---Cornish, head West on Rte 25 and you come to a very sweet Maine country town with a lot of antique shops. My favorite is The Cornish Trading Center on Main Street. They have multiple dealers who specialize in architectural items, garden items, textiles, camp and cottage stuff and painted country furniture etc. I have found many treasures there over the years and look forward to their Spring opening every April. 207 625-8387
53. After a hard day of antiquing, you can head over to Bay Haven Lobster Two, also in Cornish. You've been heading inland but they have some great Maine seafood! The decor is not fancy but the portions are big and cheap! My husband had a huge double cheeseburger but I opted for the fried clams. The onion rings are gigantic. I thought I should run home behind the car at the end of our meal to work off some of the calories.

101 Things I Love About Portland Maine

51. Like to dance? Try Bubba's Sulky Lounge in Portland. On Friday nights they play a funky 80's dance mix on a big dance floor with lots of lights flashing.
The action starts at 9PM and you get in free if you dress in 80's style.

Bon Appetit Honors Portland Maine as Foodiest Small City in America!!

 Read more: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/10/portland_maine

101 Things I Love about Portland Maine

50. Short trip from Portland to Old Orchard Beach. This is a great summer spot for amusement park, rides, junk food of all kinds including pizza, fried dough, fried clams, ice cream etc., dancing in clubs with DJ's and live music, fortune tellers, and a beautiful white sand beach on the Atlantic ocean. There is a pier that has a long history including entertainment during the Big Band era.
This time of year, it is relatively quiet and all the beachwear stores are still closed. You can grab some famous Lisa's French Fries and douse them with vinegar and salt.