While we wait for "ice out" to come to area lakes and ponds later this month, the snow is already melting around here at a rapid pace. Camp roads and shorelines are emerging and, much like our beloved Red Sox, lakefront property buyers should be moving out of "spring training" mode and into the "regular season".

Phones in the office are ringing and new lakefront property listings are coming onto the market. Early bird buyers are venturing out of hibernation to see what the new listings are - as well as what older, unsold listings have come down in price.

If you're in the market this season for a Maine lakefront property, there are distinct advantages to starting early.

The first is selection. There's a lot of lakefront inventory and it's growing by the day. That means a lot to look at and a lot to choose from. Start now and pare down your possibilities.

The second reason has to do with money - more specifically, price and financing. A seller may take an  early season "fair" offer, rather than wait for a fuller price offer, finding the "bird in the hand..." scenario more appealing.  In this strong buyer's market, it eliminates a huge amount of uncertainty for the seller and puts cash in his hand, now! And as far as financing goes, mortgage rates are still at historically low levels and there's no predicting where they'll be in six or eight months.

The third and, I feel, most important reason for buyers to look early and often, is because if you were to put something under contract now, you can get a full season's enjoyment of your purchase this year. If you delay looking and buying until mid-summer, it's very possible you could make a purchase this year, but not start to really enjoy the property until summer of 2009.

Don't miss a season's worth of enjoyment and memories - come now to see what the possibilities are and make your summer of 2008 truly memorable.

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Don't forget - our Lakefront Locator is here to serve you. If you're thinking about looking at Maine lakefront real estate, there's no better place to start than with our Lakefront Locator.