Buying Lakefront Property in Maine is Like Ballroom Dancing

Recently Mr Lakefront decided that it was high time that he learned to ballroom dance. If macho football players like Warren Sapp, Jason Taylor and Jerry Rice can risk making fools of themselves on Dancing with the Stars, surely I can give it a go too.

On Tuesday nights I visit The Ballroom in downtown Harrison, Maine. The owner, the charming Nan Brett, has hired the exquisitely beautiful and cultured Polina, a Russian émigré, to teach ballroom dancing to us rural western Mainers in the Lake Region.

Polina appears to be as delicate as a Faberge egg, but boy, oh boy, how looks can be deceiving! She knows ballroom dancing and we students don't. We are there to learn. She is exceedingly professional, but exacting. If one is doing something wrong she corrects it immediately. We happy few feel fortunate to be in the hands of a true professional.

Polina makes it clear that even though I am new to ballroom dancing, as the male, I must lead my female partner. With the lead comes responsibility - to signal to my dance partner my every move. My dance partner is willing to give me the lead with the understanding that I signal my intention so that I do not step my size 15E foot on her tiny size 7.

There is a compact between my partner and me. I lead and she follows, with the understanding that I signal my every intention.In working with a real estate buyer agent, a lakefront buyer should have a similar understanding.

Lakefront buyers should look to the buyer agent as a lakefront authority who will "lead" them to the right lakefront property. And the understanding is this, "If I ‘lead' you to a lakefront home that meets your requirements, you, the buyer, are prepared to offer a fair price for that lakefront home."

Nine out of ten lakefront buyers will say "YES!" to this understanding. However, some buyers do not agree with this tacit understanding. They prefer to look for homes priced much higher than their budget allows, then make unreasonably low offers hoping that the seller, under duress, will accept their low offer.

Buyer agents at Mr Lakefront will work hard for every lakefront buyer, negotiating the lowest possible price. However, it's unreasonable for any buyer not to buy a lakefront property that meets their requirements when the property is fairly priced.

Ready buyers should take the lead from our lakefront experts, as they know the market well and are best able to help buyers find the lakefront home of their dreams.

So, dear lakefront buyers, remember - the buying process should be fun! As much fun as ballroom dancing. But partners dance best only when intentions are known, understandings reached, and trust is earned.