Looking for a place to get away

January 24, 2006 10:00 AM

I'd like to buy an inexpensive, second home (a summer place) in either New Hampshire or Maine. Someplace we can go for vacations/weekends with the kids. But I have no idea how to go about finding such a place, or what options there are for paying for it. Any suggestions?
posted by GernBlandston to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

As for payment options, talk to a mortgage broker near you. They'll crunch all the numbers and tell you how much they'll lend you and what your monthly payments will be. Then you'll know what to look for.

As for real estate, it sounds like you'll be looking for something described as "3-season" or "seasonal." I haven't found a real estate site that lets me search that way yet, but this one is good for both states and will let you search for, for example, waterfront properties (most people who buy vacation homes seen to want to be on the water).

Also, might try this publication. It's good for finding for-sale-by-owner places.
posted by JanetLand at 10:42 AM on January 24, 2006

If you can narrow your search criteria, geographically, to some specific areas, you can then contact a real estate agent in each area and ask them to look for specific properties (house size, condition, price, etc.). You don't pay them, of course, unless you buy (and even then, technically, the seller pays commissions, although for-sale-by-owner prices may be lower because of no commissions).
posted by WestCoaster at 11:10 AM on January 24, 2006

Gern, my aunt is a real estate agent in the Naples, Maine area and deals with a lot of lakeside camps/cabins/summer homes. Contact me (email in profile) if the area interests you and I'll put you in touch if you like.

As for deciding on a place you like, I'd say your best bet is to do some research now, narrow it down to a half a dozen places or so, then take a couple of weeks this spring/early summer to drive through NH and ME to check them out in person.
posted by mikepop at 11:36 AM on January 24, 2006

I'd thought about a similar purchase a few years back and found this site was very helpful and simple for searching, etc.
posted by lazywhinerkid at 11:52 AM on January 24, 2006

If you are interested in the Mt. Desert Island Area ( Bar Harbor- Acadia National Park), the Mt Desert Islander is a good source, with ads from most of the realtors. you might also try The Bar Harbor Times. Prices on the Island can be a little high, but it's a buyer's market now, and you should be able to negotiate. In the interest of full disclosure, I recently became a sales agent for my aunt's firm. I am still green, but I grew up here, and know the area well. I need some experience, so I would gladly offer some FREE advice if you want to email me.
posted by lobstah at 1:57 PM on January 24, 2006

sorry... botched the link
Mount Desert Islander
posted by lobstah at 2:00 PM on January 24, 2006