Terry Driscoll Realtor Mid-Coast Maine Residential Real Estate

I just got an email from Maine Street Bath listing September's Top 10 Reasons to Visit Bath. Since I totally agree with everything and could not come up with a better list myself, I'm just going to pass along the link to Maine Street Bath's Top 10 Reasons to Visit Bath!

From the ighthouses, to the spectacular fall weather and foliage, to the art galleries, the shopping, the dining and the friendly people - - Bath, Maine really has it all - - come experience the glory of the fall season with us here in Bath.

And if your visit leads to a decision to stay and live in Bath, ask me about the Top 10 Reasons you should contact me at Allen & Selig Realty to help you find the property of your dreams!

Serving Residential Real Estate Buyers & Sellers in Maine's Southern Mid-Coast Region & Inland Towns

Before heading out for a break this Labor Day Weekend, I need to tell you about a Free Workshop being held locally: "Super-Efficient Homes: Build New or Renovate." The workshop is being conducted by Al Heathof Arrowsic on September 10, 2009 at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods and Supplies at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick. This workshop is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.

People often think of energy efficient buildings and products as being more expensive. Al Heath, a contractor/designer turned Maine Home Performance Energy Auditor, immersed himself in the science of energy efficiency relative to buildings when he designed and built a home for his family 5 years ago. The house is 2000 square feet and a year's heating (remember, this is Maine) can be accomplished with 50 gallons of kerosene and one cord of wood and most of the hot water comes from a solar powered system - - Now that's a Super-Efficient Home!

Mr. Heath will share lessons learned during his own process with workshop attendees. A list of helpful sources and contractors will also be provided. Individual questions will also be answered. You will get a good idea where to start to build or retrofit your own Super-Efficient Home project.

The workshop offers refreshments and handouts, too. Space is limited. Visit www.FWHorch.com for more information.

And, if you want information about homes for sale in Southern Mid-Coast Maine, Contact Me!

Have a wonderful, safe Labor Day Weekend - - Buckle Up!

At Allen & Selig Realty's Bath Office, we practice The Fine Art of Real Estate! I'm happy to report that Art and Real Estate are both alive and well in Mid-Coast Maine! The Mid-Coast Region of Maine has one of the most vibrant art communities you will find anywhere. In Bath, during the summer, the Five Rivers Arts Alliance sponsors Bath's 3^rd Friday Art Walks from June - September. During these precious summer evenings, local artists open their studios, as do galleries and local businesses displaying their art, and invite everyone to come see the work and meet the artists.

At Allen & Selig Realty's Bath Office, we are members of the Arts Alliance. This summer, we have been so fortunate to have members of the Kennebec Art Clubdisplay their work on our office walls - - each month, two different artists display their creations and we hold the house open for the Art Walk evenings. Inasmuch as our office is located on the periphery of Bath's Downtown area, we put out a call for artists to create interest in the location by having artists sit out and "Paint the Bridge" on Art Walk evenings. What we have is a rather "industrial" view with BIW cranes in the background, a long line of abutments disappearing into the horizon, train tracks, street signage, etc. This has been the best part of Art Walk for me, personally, as I have met some wonderful, creative spirits this summer.

During the month of June, it rained, rained, rained and I was the only one out there drawing - - you know us real estate sales people - - nothing if not persistent; I wasn't going to let a little bit of rain (it was actually a downpour) dampen my plans.

Then in July, Tricia Scottof Falmouthsat and painted with me - Tricia is an adventurous soul who paints in acrylics - she created a fantastic vision of my work-a-day world where bridge abutments are whales' tales - - she invited me to join her in a place where it was OK for me to paint a pink bridge.

So, the August Art Walk rolled around and after a long, crazy, hectic day when nothing in The Fine Art of Real Estate was easy and I was still working as the artists and visitors were arriving, I thought, "How am I going to make it through the evening?" But, once I forgot the work, and enjoyed the people and their creative energies, the exhaustion slipped away and I was revived, in a happy, serene place - - and I was still at the office! My "Paint the Bridge" artists were a wonderful couple from South Portland - they arrived on the scene a bit late but quickly assessed the views, set up and got to work. I will never forget the sight of Rachel Guthrie perched on the trunk of her car, happily painting the Carlton bridge towers with ominous thunderclouds looming, completely unnoticed, behind her. And Chuck Ott, so intent on his panoramic piece under the lights on the veranda - - I knew it was best to leave this intense man alone while he was working - - but what a smile at the end!

I do believe they will both come back to paint in September - - it will be the 18^th - - put "Bath's 3^rd Friday Art Walk" on your calendar right now! The two artists with work on display in our office "gallery" also sat on the veranda and painted - - Sandra Johnson and Kathleen Sutherland, both of Bath. I, too, found a bit of time to sit with my sketch pad and refine my studies of the abutments - - too much fun!

This is why we need art, this is why right-brained people are so important to my left-brained world, this is why I do what I do - - so go to a local gallery or art show, meet an artist who lives or works in your town and buy a piece of their work; hang it prominently in your home and tell everyone who notices the piece about the wonderful person who created it - - you will enjoy the art so much more for having met the person who made it. Leave the manufactured pseudo-art on the shelves at Target and get the real deal, direct from the artist.

And if you already have art and need walls on which to display it, I can help you with that! Give me a call, shoot me an email, check out my website or find me on facebook because I practice The Fine Art of Real Estate.

See you at the next Bath Art Walk!

Because of the closing of Maine’s Brunswick Naval Air Station (BNAS), not only do we have low interest rates, the $8,000 federal tax credit, the $5500 Gift of Green from the Maine State Housing Authority (to help with closing costs), we also have all the houses that have been, or will be, vacated because the P3 Orion squadrons have been transferred to other bases around the country. These are generally not short sales or foreclosures and they are in good shape. There is a program, Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) whereby the Army Corps of Engineers buys the homes from the military families if they are unable to sell but must leave the area due to base closure. This has left many wonderful homes in many wonderful neighborhoods just waiting for new families to own them! Talk about a First Time Buyer Paradise - - Maine really is "the way life should be."

Who wants to live in a ghost-town,? you ask. It won't be a ghost-town for long; there has been redevelopment work going on since the closure announcement in 2005 -- we are ready to hit the ground running when the Navy turns the base over to the redevelopment gurus. Brunswick wasn't ever just a "Navy town", it has always been so much more, and will be incredible in the future!

For information about wonderful Maine homes in wonderful Maine neighborhoods and how to maximize your home-buying opportunities, CONTACT ME TODAY!

If you are a First-Time Homebuyer in the State of Maine, now is your time to shine!

On top of the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit that I think the whole world knows about already, the Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA) has sweetened the pot with a "Gift of Green".

The First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit features an up-to $8,000 tax credit for first time homebuyers who purchase a single family primary residence between January 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009. Anyone who has not owned a home in the last three years qualifies as a first-time buyer under the tax credit rules. There are some income guidelines but the credit does not have to be re-paid if the buyer stays in the home at least 3 years - - I'm writing this on June 23rd, so as of today, you ONLY HAVE 160 DAYS LEFT to find your house, get under contract and close the sale in order to be eligible for this FREE MONEY!

So, $8000 isn't enough motivation for you? Maine Housing presents a special, limited-time offer with their "Gift of Green." This will get you up to $5,500 toward your first home - that's in addition to the the tax credit! The Gift consists of a grant up to $5,000 (up to 4% of the mortgage amount) that can be used for down payment, closing costs and certain pre-paids. You also get a coupon for up to $500 off a 2-part home energy audit. This gift is not added to the loan amount and never has to be paid back. There are some strings, rules and restrictions that you will want to read about on the MSHA website, or call them at 1-866-223-8881.

So, between just these two programs, First-Time Buyers may qualify for Total Incentives up to $13,500! And if you are a real FREE MONEY hound, you can then take advantage of additional federal tax credits from investing in home energy-efficiency improvements to the tune of up to $1500. Go ahead and add that up - it's $15,000 in credits available to you!

Oh, and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't point out that interest rates are still low and there are many homes for you to choose from right now. The many homes to choose from - - -that's the part I can help you with! Call me or email me today - - these great incentives will be gone before you know it.