Many of the ads have the premise that interest rates are lower than ever, the selection is plentiful and you have lots of choices. But in the back of the mind of listeners, viewers, readers, there's the nagging notion from the media that EVERY market is dire, that homes left and right are being foreclosed on. Images of long lines of sad looking, dusty former home owners looking like the Beverly Hillibillies loading up the old pickups with family heirlooms, and slowly leaving cities or where ever they live run thru their heads. 
For starters, nearly every National Association of REALTORS ad will end with the tag line..."every market is different."
In Houlton, Maine we are fortunate to be parked in the
So back to the question, how is the real estate market in Houlton Maine? Woodlots are in demand..the average acre of wooded land in Northern Maine creates a harvestable cord a year. So owning a 40 acre woodlot to carefully selectively cut is in demand for oil independence. Lakeshore cottages that are say a few acres with a log retreat on water in the $40's move very well. One floor economical country ranches not too far from town under $70,000 move all day long easily. What is slow in this market? Apartment house sales have been slower for many years due to landlord perception that anyone can move in, destroy, not pay rent and cause hard aches for the owner. But with high oil prices, I think this sector will improve as folks sell large older homes that are harder to heat with oil that only have one or two occupants. Instead, buying a four unit and putting family members in each unit. Kinda akin to the family farm of years ago where three generations lived under one roof. Large 6 bedrooms 3,000+ square foot homes are harder to heat but the stained glass of the victorians, the turrets, the original patterned woodwork and tin ceilings are still an attraction. If marketed to outside buyers who may figure they could never hope to own something that elegant where they live, they buy it for $149,900 and down in Houlton Maine. But a plain jane, 6 bedroom home without the fireplaces that may have some miles on it from deferred maintenance or rental wear and tear, that segment of the Houlton real estate market is stalled. There also is a larger number of $149,900 homes to consider and that price range with larger supply is in grid lock especially due to how to heat it with $5 a gallon oil if no wood burning options exisit. That's the 
Houlton Maine real estate market that overall is healthy due to so low a price tag for property to begin with. There are no $200,000 spikes on homes up and down like the west coast or other area's of the country witnessed in the last two years We are fortunately in our own local economy and due to cautious spending and lower cost big ticket items like real estate than others struggle with, we live well. The strong Canadian dollar has caused lots of heading this way border traffic too which helps the local economy.
We don't need to part with lots of money for family trips and getaways either. With over 47 state parks, miles of snowsled and atv trails, thousands of lakes, ponds, streams and rivers it provides us "Vacationland" entertainment and recreation right here in our own backyard. We don't leave home to find it. We live here...kinda like being in a 4 season natural "Disneyland" but no lines at Space Mountain and no price for admission. Just have to live here to reap the benefits.
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