Unlocking the Secrets to Making an Informed Decision and Maximizing Your Investment When it comes to protecting your home and ensuring peace of mind, many homeowners contemplate purchasing a home warranty. This article provides insights into the benefits and drawbacks of such warranties and offers some valuable tips if you're considering this option. Understanding the Basics: For a comprehensive look at the basics of home warranties, the following articles are recommended: NerdWallet: "What Does a Home Warranty Cover?" Forbes: Who Much Does A Home Warranty Cost? This Old House: How to Bu ..read more

Everyone wants to get the most value out of their home, whether they're preparing to sell or simply looking to improve their living space. With a few strategic and cost-effective improvements, you can boost your property value without putting a massive dent in your wallet. 1. Paint: A Fresh Coat for a Fresh Look One of the most affordable and effective ways to upgrade your home is by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Neutral and light colors tend to make rooms feel larger and more inviting, which can be attractive to potential buyers. Be careful to avoid dark colors which make rooms look smalle ..read more

Winter is the perfect time to make some much-needed home improvements. Not only can you tackle projects that you might not have time for during the warmer months, but you can also make your home cozier and more energy-efficient. Here are some home improvement ideas to help you get started. Insulate your home: One of the best ways to make your home more energy-efficient is by adding insulation. If your home is drafty, consider adding insulation to your attic, walls, and floors to help keep heat inside. Install weather stripping: Another way to reduce energy bills is to install weather stri ..read more

3 YEAR MAINE HOUSING BOOM Over the past three years, the U.S. has seen a boom in housing prices, caused by high demand, low interest rates, a lack of new homes built, high construction costs and a low inventory of existing homes for sale. While many people have seen a strong increase in the value of their homes, some have been more fortunate than others, depending on location. Maine has been a magnet for newly minted, work-from-home buyers from out of state - and they are bidding up prices in Maine, all the way to Canada. (1) HOMES GOING ABOVE ASKING Historically, when you priced a home for sa ..read more

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SKY 3 Easy Ways to Shrink Your Carbon Footprint and Lower Energy Costs at Home When hiking the Maine woods, they say “take only pictures, leave only footprints.” When it comes to our homes, while we should be encouraged to take lots of pictures, we should minimize our carbon footprint.  Here are some easy ways to save money on energy, have a healthier home and help reduce greenhouse gasses to help the planet (and all its creatures).  What is a carbon footprint?  Your home’s carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas generated by your actions in and ..read more

The holidays will come and go, but what will you remember?  Maybe, for better or worse, you will get to be with some family you haven’t seen since last Christmas and they will leave a “lasting impression.” Maybe you will get the ugliest Christmas sweater ever made and be able to disgust those around you for years to come.  Why leave it to chance while there is still time to make it a Holiday Season to remember? Gather the ones you love into the car and head to Boothbay for Gardens Aglow– a Covid-safe, drive-through, light show and display that will inspire awe for all ages of gawk ..read more

By Jonas Werner for Balsam Realty If you find yourself in midcoast Maine and you don’t like the people around you, you are probably not in Owl’s Head. There are not a lot of T-shirt shops or knick-knack stands, and no national, name brand stores or chain restaurants to draw in earth’s masses.  Owl’s Head is a quiet place, for quiet people that simply want to enjoy coastal Maine at it’s best.   The small town of 1,600 sits just south of Rockland on the Atlantic Ocean; it guards the mouth of Penobscot Bay and lights the way to Rockland Harbor for sailors and fisherman wi ..read more

Late Summer Home Project Series: How to Maintain a Beautiful, Safe and Cozy Home This is the last of our Six Part Series, Best Late Summer Home Projects. As summer winds down in Maine, if you take a few hours a week to perform these projects now, you can have the benefit of warm weather - and be finished before the madness of life after labor day fully sets in. When selling a home or prior to home inspections, we advise clients to do many of the projects we will suggest in this series- but when done regularly they can save you thousands of dollars, an untold amount of stress down the road, an ..read more

Part Five: 10 *More* Late Summer & Early Autumn Home Projects  As summer winds down in Maine, if you take a few hours a week to perform these projects now, you can still have the benefit of warm weather. When selling a home or prior to home inspections, we advise clients to do many of the projects we will suggest in this series - but when done regularly they can save you thousands of dollars, an untold amount of stress down the road, and a better life in your home each day.   This is the fifth part of a Six Part Series, Best Late Summer Home Projects.  10 *More* Late Su ..read more

Part Four: Take a Break and Enjoy the Last Days of Maine Summer  This is the fourth part of a Six Part Series, Best Late Summer Home Projects - but this one is a diversion from the projects. Late summer in Maine is a magical time - and Labor Day weekend is a good time to check off the summer to-do list for fun with family & friends. 10 Things to Do to Catch the Last of Maine Summer: Walk, Hike, Bike. Take a stroll outdoors, along your street, downtown or in the woods.  See our Local Resources page for walking, hiking & biking opportunities in Maine.  Also, there is sti ..read more