real estate tips: Wishing You had a Shorter Commute to the Office this Winter? - 02/21/10 12:57 AM
The Maine Association of REALTORS Foundation is now offering Live Where You Work loans for down payments and closing costs - loans of up to $5,000 at an interest rate of 0% (APR 0%), to families earning up to 100% of the area median income, moving more than 30 miles closer to their employment. 

As a result of a grant from the National Association of REALTORS Ira Gribin Workforce Housing Grants program, the MAR FOUNDATION is offering this NEW PROGRAM . Live Where You Work! Downpayment / Closing Cost 0% Loans Available for Commuters.  The loans are available for current … (2 comments)

real estate tips: Funds Available to 'Live Where You Work' - 05/20/09 11:26 PM
I was so delighted to read in our MAR newsletter this AM that the Maine Association of REALTORS Foundation is one of the first REALTOR Foundations in the country to receive an Ira Gribin Workforce Housing Grant from the National Association of REALTORS.  Grants are now available to help low- and moderate- income working families secure safe and decent housing (http://www.realtor.org/iragribingrant).
In Maine, the $50,000 will be used to fund a new Foundation program called Live Where You Work, to help families with downpayment and closing cost assistance for a home purchase that is more than 30 minutes closer to their … (0 comments)

real estate tips: "I Love to Show Kitchens" - 01/30/09 01:33 PM
I get such a kick out of it when new agents say "I want to be a real estate agent because I LOVE to show kitchens" :)I was thinking about that yesterday when I went in almost blizzard conditions (15+ inches of snow predicted)...to meet a buyer's agent and building inspector at one of my favorite listings (Higgin's Store in Somesville, Maine).The first thing I had to do at my office was shovel my way to the car. (Couldn't snow shoe because the "LLBean Tubbs" were in the trunk of my car)...Then I had to 'de-ice' the car before I could take it … (7 comments)

real estate tips: Where there's a will, there's a way - 01/15/09 11:05 AM
Maine Winters in Acadia National Park!....Gotta love it!Realtors in the Acadia Council are a hearty group  ..Especially the Seller's agents! In this area, if you are a seller's agent...and have an appointment to show your listing... and have to get INTO your office to get the listing information, keys and/or card reader before you meet at the property...before you attempt to get INTO your listing to show it... you better allow an extra few hours between appointments!Seasoned Maine Realtors on Mt.Desert Island know that 'where there's a will there's a way'. Not only do they have to shovel their way into their office, they travel with … (0 comments)

real estate tips: YPOM "Your Piece of Maine, Your Peace of Mind" - 04/11/08 02:16 PM
Attention all YOU Mainiacs ! ......Let the Games Begin! (Those of us who survived the Winter, DESERVE the summer !!) YOU have a chance to win $20,000! The Maine Association of REALTORS has just launched a contest on "You Tube" for YOU...Maine residents (*non-Realtors and their families *) to say by video what you love about Maine and why you want to own "Your Piece of Maine". ..Or..If you already have your 'Piece of Maine', let the world know how it gives you 'Peace of Mind'!...The Grand Prize is $20,000; Second Prize is $5,000; and eight third prizes are $1,000. You … (0 comments)

real estate tips: "When you are over the hill you pick up speed" - 01/14/08 11:18 AM
I was walking past the TV this AM and happened to hear a catchy phrase that I just had to jot down."When you are over the hill, that's when you begin to pick up speed".I googled the phrase to see if I could credit the quote** and stumbled on an article by Marc Freedman posted in the Providence Journal: Over the Hill and Gathering Speed Interesting facts and comments:*"THE FIRST of 77 million Baby Boomers celebrated their 60th birthdays last month".* "Boomers now nearing traditional retirement age are on the front edge of the largest, healthiest, wealthiest and best-educated population of … (1 comments)

real estate tips: How to Build a House in 5 days! - 01/13/08 03:39 PM
Can you imagine building a home from the slab up in less than a week? Well, 20 Volunteer REALTORS ® , staff, friends and family from the State of Maine...and the Maine Association of REALTORS® believe it can be done! Check out the blog created by MAR for a 'behind the scenes' daily posting of comments and photos. I'm already 'lovin' it'...great stories!!.. Shopping trips for ibuprofen, first aid kits, water and coolers...hard hats and gloves...and maybe a few alarm clocks for the 'not so early risers' who have to meet the group by 6:15 AM for the morning breakfast get-together!Maine … (1 comments)

real estate tips: Think that Blogging is a Vast Project? - 12/10/07 01:09 PM
"Even if you think you are on the right track, if you just sit there, you'll get run over!"To quote The Maine Association of Realtors' technology consultant, Matthew Ferrara : "Web site logs - or blogs as they have become known - are the next big thing for agent Internet marketing"...In a recent article , he advises REALTORS® to not stay stuck in the 80's. "The technology behind blogs - mostly typing into a box, attaching a file and pressing post - is within the grasp of almost every agent, even the dedicated technophobe". He sums up the article by saying … (2 comments)

real estate tips: "And Miles To Go Before I Sleep" - 12/08/07 02:16 PM
I recently had a conversation with my son who is considering running a 100 Mile endurance race. I asked him what he would do about lack of sleep...assuming the race might take up to 30 hours to complete. After that conversation, I decided , just for fun...to send him the poem lyrics of ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' by Robert Frost because it has the quote "and miles to go before I sleep". In my Google search, I was delighted to discover a very interesting article about a commercial real estate investor who was making his debut in solo … (2 comments)