Advice for "Snowbird" Maine Home Owners

     Furnace failure creates frozen pipes and accompanying water damage.  Broken windows lead to critter chaos and security concerns.  Fallen trees cause property damage.  Storm debris, snow and flooding restrict access to the property.  All of these can happen when you leave your home during the winter months.

   HomeCheckers Midcoast LLC suggests going over a checklist to prepare your home before you leave on business or vacation travel, whether it be for a weekend or a month.  With just a little effort, damage can be avoided in most cases.

   Every property is unique, but there are a few points every homeowner should remember.  A good general inspection can save you a lot of headaches.

   Set your thermostat to no lower than 55 degrees, and keep interior doors open to allow heat circulation. This will maintain your home at an adequate temperature to avoid frozen pipes.  If you do not receive automatic oil or propane delivery, be sure you have your tank filled before leaving.

   Check to see that tree limbs are not within striking distance of the house or power lines, in the event of a storm, and have them trimmed if necessary.

   Instruct your plow driver to avoid piling snow near perimeter drains to prevent flooding. Have someone check on your home in your absence.  That person should be someone you trust to be your contact in the event of an emergency: a friend, family member, neighbor or property management service.  If you choose a local service to watch over your property or check on those items you may have forgotten, you have the benefit of knowing a professional is keeping an eye on your home. Whoever checks on your home, give that person a list of preferred service providers for reference in the event of an emergency and also information on how to reach you if anything unusual happens.

   If you choose to monitor your home yourself, you can purchase a reasonably priced freeze alarm to keep track of the interior temperature and power status in your home by phone. However you will still need to designate a contact person to follow up on any issues that may arise.

   If you have a full security system in place you also need to have someone available to respond to an alarm or emergency situation.

   Remembering to take care of your home before leaving town can prevent trouble from happening in your absence.  By putting safeguards in place you can protect your property from the wrath of winter.

   If you have any home management questions we would be pleased to discuss your particular situation with you and of course you can visit our web site for more details on HomeCheckers Midcoast LLC.  I hope that wherever you are or are going that it is warmer than here!

Ann Poole   Opening the door to your peace of mind

Home Staging in Damariscotta

   Today's Guest Blogger is Bonnie Grenier, owner of Day's Cove Interiors in Damariscotta, who talks with us about one of her first staging jobs here in Mid Coast, Maine. 

    My first local staging job happened quite by accident. I wanted to check out the house before beginning renovations on my own kitchen.  A new house with an updated kitchen would help me avoid the dust, mayhem, confusion, and stress that inevitably accompany every kitchen project.

   I was intrigued by the house because of the great location, right on Day's Cove with an ever changing water view as the tide goes in and out. The outside is immaculate with very attractive landscaping. My high expectations for the house were totally obliterated when I walked through the front door into a dark, dated, dirty and cluttered house with bright red tile in the foyer and adjacent kitchen.  you couldn't miss the stale odor of a house that has been vacant and closed up for months.

   My first thoughts were that this house was incredibly dated and in dire need of staging. There was so much potential, but I knew most buyers would not be able to get past the red floor and dark paneling throughout the house. (Very 70's!) Then, there were all those faded pictures adorning the walls, not to mention at least 3 dozen plates on the walls in the kitchen and dining room. Ahhh...so much "stuff" to look at inside at the expense of that fabulous water view!

   Fortunately, a forward thinking real estate broker and the attorney for the estate selling the home agreed to let me stage the house with a generous budget.  (No small leap of faith in an area of the country where staging has yet to come into it's own!) We agreed that 2%-3% of the asking price was a fair amount for a staging budget.

    We hired a terrific painter with a crew of two who painted 2/3 of the paneling in the house with 3 coats of paint.  A new tile floor in the kitchen and foyer were a no brainer.  The three quarter bath was updated with paint, new light fixtures, and removal of a very dated vanity mirror. We kept the light blue sink, toilet and shower to save on costs but new grey paint on the paneling muted their impact.  We eliminated a fair amount of furniture throughout the house to visually enhance the space.  Our "carpenter on call" did a great job on a variety of small jobs. Fresh bedding, removal of yellowed  accordion style shower curtains in both baths, and a really good cleaning completed our staging efforts.

   That's not to say we couldn't have done more, but given our budget we got a lot of bang for our buck and the changes were remarkable (even if I do say so myself!) The entire job took about 6 weeks, and that was with time off for Christmas and New Years.

   Now, the house has a great, attractive space for entertaining, water views from every room, and is in move in condition.  If my husband and I hadn't already begun construction on our new kitchen in the meantime, my staged house would be a serious contender!  However, you may want to take a look!

  In this competitive real estate market, every home needs to look its best to have a chance of selling. If you'd like to talk with Bonnie Grenier she can be reached via email, dayscoveinteriors@roadrunner.com or by phone 207-563-1305.To see this home in it's new splendor please call Lee Simard or Bill Byrnes at Newcastle Square Realty.

Reverse Mortgage

    When people ask me what I do as a Reverse Mortgage Specialist for Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corp. I explain to them our company's mission statement, which is "To Enhance the Lives of Seniors by Providing Financial Security and Independence."  That mission statement is simple and cuts right to the heart of why a person might want to consider a reverse mortgage on their home.

   For many seniors the "golden years" have turned out to be more difficult than they might have imagined during their working years.  Property taxes continue to soar, homeowners insurance has become more expensive, the cost of gasoline and heating oil has skyrocketed and health care costs take a bigger bite of the budget each year.  In a household where Social Security, a small company pension and personal savings are being stretched to the limit, a reverse mortgage can unlock a portion of the equity that people have in their homes and provide tax free income through a government insured reverse mortgage product.

   A reverse mortgage is a government insured loan product for seniors age 62 and older that provides loan proceeds to a borrower, which is not taxable income, doesn't require them to make a monthly payment of principal and interest and doesn't require repayment until the last borrower has permanently left their home.  The proceeds of the loan can be used for almost anything from paying current bills, to consolidating debt, to making necessary home repairs or improvements, to taking that long postponed vacation trip you've always wanted.  More importantly, the home owner will never be required to leave their home until they're ready.  The only caveats are that the home must remain the borrowers primary residence, they must continue to pay their property taxes and insurance and keep their home in good repair.

   If it sounds like a reverse mortgage could enhance the quality of your life I would enjoy having the opportunity to discuss them in more detail with you.

   Rick Newell is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist for Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corp.  Rick has been a banker in the mid coast region of Maine for almost 30 years.  In addition he has been the Pastor of the Newcastle-Alna Baptist Church for the past 17 years. Rick and his wife Debby have lived on the River Road in Newcastle for the past 30 years. You can call Rick at his home office at 207-563-5961 or his cell phone at 207-631-1196.  You can also reach him by email at rnewell@financialfreedom.com .

Help for the Second Home Owner

   Another in our occasional series of guest blogs.  Today we hear from a new company offering a service that in the past has been hard to find for second home owners here in the midcoast of Maine.

   Having a weekend getaway or second home here in the the midcoast area can be so much fun!  But having a vacation home can also add to your everyday stresses.  That's why we have created HomeCheckers Midcoast LLC; a company dedicated to managing and caring for properties throughout Lincoln County.

   Have you ever arrived at your vacation home only to discover a myriad of things that need to be done before you can begin to enjoy your stay?  Imagine if you had people checking these things regularly while you are away from your home in Maine, so that you can enjoy your time while you are here.  Remember last April when the area was hit by a Nor'easter storm?  Electricity was out, wires and trees were down, debris was scattered everywhere and even some driveways were washed out.  Wouldn't it have been nice to receive a phone call or an e-mail with digital pictures of your home from someone who has thoroughly checked your property?  In addition, imagine not having to make the calls to arrange for necessary work to be done.  Picture instead arriving in Maine and the trees have already been cut and cleared, electricity restored, all systems working and you only had to make one phone call!  This is exactly what will happen when you work with Ann and Dirk Poole of Homecheckers Midcoast LLC.  They will create an individualized plan to fit your needs and the particular needs of your property here in the Midcoast.

    Ann and Dirk Poole live in Edgecomb with their two daughters and have been successfully running a small business in Lincoln County since 1985. Their business contacts and knowledge of area contractors is extensive.  Whether it be finding the right carpenter or plumber, getting a new dock put in or even helping to find the best place to buy lobsters near you, the Poole's can help.  They can ensure that the people working at your property provide you with honest and quality services and that the job is done and your home ready for you when you are ready for it.

   Call Ann and Dirk today at 207-563-8868 or send an email to HomeCheckers to arrange a personal consultation at your convenience.  Let HomeCheckers open the door to your peace of mind!