SUMMER LANDSCAPE SPRUCE UP

Summer in Maine may be Short

but we sure enjoy the time we have

to spend outdoors in the sun. 

 

Summer is a great time to spruce up your landscape

to make your yard more enjoyable or

to add value if you are planning on selling your home. 

 

Photo from HGTVRemodels

 

Here are a few tips to help you spruce up your lawn this summer

1.  Make your small yard look more spacious by planting flower beds in each corner.  
2. Give your shrubs a boost by covering exposed roots and fertilizing.  Over time, topsoil tends to wash away from roots which may cause the shrubs to become thin. 
3. Mulch but not too much.  Just a few inches of mulch is all you need.  Mounds of mulch may attract pests.
4. Create privacy using shrubs or trellises covered with vines.  Climbing vines are also a great way to dress up a fence.
5. Coordinate colors.  Using 3 colors that complement your homes exterior color scheme will tie the space together and improve curb appeal.
6. Mix it up.  Choose plants that have a variety of shapes & textures.  If you want to enjoy color longer, choose plants that bloom at different times.

According to Realestate.com, a 5% investment

in the landscaping of your property can increase its value

by as much as 15% and may reduce the amount of time

a home stays on the market by up to 6 weeks! 

 

Summer is short....dig in the dirt...enjoy the sun...and add value to your home!

 

If you are interested in more ways to improve the value of your home, 

call us at (207)784-3800 or e-mail brenda@fontaineteam.com. 

 

 

 

OPEN HOUSE THIS WEEKEND!

Are you ready to enjoy the Good Life in Maine?

 

Stop by one of our upcoming Open Houses at Apple Valley Estates in Lewiston.

June 29th

July 20th

August 3rd & 17th

 

All open houses are from 11am to 1pm!

 

 

This 55+ community sits on the outskirts of Lewiston and offers free standing condos with a country feel, but close to city amenities and coastal beaches. 

Some of the Amenities offered are:

• Spacious community building with full kitchen, stone fireplace, banquet area, conference room and equipped fitness center
• Tennis courts and nature trails
• Routine lawn care and landscaping
• Aggressive spring clean-up, mulch and pruning
• Driveway and walkway snow removal including salt and sand
• Scheduled housekeeping of community building and amenities
• Nature trail maintenance
• Maintenance of tennis courts & fitness equipment
• You own the land your unit sits on

 
 What are the benefits of owning a condo?

• Owner has control of his/her unit
• You can build equity with each payment
• Possible tax advantages
• Much of the grounds maintenance is taken care of by the association

 

 

If you have questions about condo ownership,

please e-mail brenda@fontaineteam.com or call

(207)784-3800.

 

We are always here for all your real estate needs!

STOP BY AND SAY "HI"!

Today, we are busy, busy, busy...

getting ready for the 18th Annual

Androscoggin Business to Business Trade Show!

 

Join us Thursday, June 13th

at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee

in Lewiston for

Maine's largest business networking event!

 

 

- Drawing for a $100 gas card to J&S Oil

- Information on Apple Valley Condos

- Fontaine string bags (while they last)

- and Flat Brenda!

 

 

Make sure to come by booth 311 to say "Hi"!

 

Admission is free if you have a business card.

The show starts at 9:30am and goes to 5:30pm.

We will see you there!

 

We are always available for your real estate needs!

Call (207)784-3800 or e-mail us at

brenda@fontaineteam.com

CAN YOU STILL GET A NO MONEY DOWN MORTGAGE?

Are you interested in buying a home...

 but worried about coming up with the down payment? 

If so, you are not alone...

 

of recent home buyers in Maine were first-time buyers.

(according to the 2012 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers by the National Association of Realtors). 

 

Good News!!

There is still some no-money down

mortgage options available! 

Here are a couple of options:

• Rural Development  - This program offers no money down loans if you meet income eligibility and credit requirements.  There are also restrictions on where the property can be located.  There is a RD Direct Option as well as a RD Guaranteed Housing Loan program that is offered through private lenders. 

• VA Home Loans - This program is offered to Active Duty Service members, Veterans, and National Guard and Reserve members.  To be eligible, you must have a good credit score, sufficient income, a valid Certificate of Eligibility, and meet certain service requirements.

 

If you don't qualify

for one of the no-money down options,

don't worry...

 

• Maine Housing First Home Program - offers mortgages to first time buyers with little or no down payments if you meet the income limits. 

• FHA offers a mortgage with only 3.5% down!  The purchase price amount that can be financed varies from state to state (see Maine's loan limits here). 

 
Setting up a meeting with a couple of reputable lenders is the first step in finding out what program will work best for you.  Not all lenders offer all mortgage options so you may have to shop around a little bit to find the best fit. 
 

Be Prepared:

When you meet with a lender, what will you need?

 

2 years of tax returns with W2's

30 days of pay stubs

2 months of bank statements

 

If you are interested in purchasing a home

 with little or no money down,

call us at (207)784-3800

or e-mail brenda@fontaineteam.com

 to get started today!

 

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED A WATERFONT HOME?

If you have always wanted to own

a waterfront home in Maine... 

 

Now is a great time to purchase one.  

Prices are affordable and interest rates are at all time lows.

 





If you are considering purchasing waterfront property,make sure you are familiar with shoreland zoning in Maine.  

 

What is Shoreland Zoning?

 

 Land withing 250 feet of the normal high-water line of any great pond or river,

upland area of coastal wetland or defined freshwater wetland,

and within 75 feet of normal high-water line of streams.

Click here

 

Besides restrictions set in place by the State of Maine, each individual town may have additional shoreland zoning rules and restrictions, so make sure you do your homework if you are considering a waterfront home.    

 

Click here

A few things to consider when you are looking at waterfront property are:



Non-conforming structures

Expansion possibilities

Clearing trees and other growth

Minimum setback requirements

Lot Coverage

Flood Elevation

 

Click here

Your real estate agent can be a valuable resource to help you find the information you need to make an informed choice.

 

Click here

 

 

Call us at

784-3800

to find your dream Maine waterfront home today!

 

SHOULD YOU LEAVE YOUR APPLIANCES WHEN SELLING?

 

In the latest episode of

Your Real Estate Solutions

with Brenda Fontaine...

 

 

Join Brenda Fontaine as she discusses whether it is a good idea

 to include appliances when selling your Maine home.

 

 Julie Poulin from Mortgage Network discusses no money down loan options.

 

DeeDee Whittemore from Phenix Title talks about the dangers of

discounted title searches and title insurance.

 

Do you have a question about real estate that you would like

to have Brenda or one of our experts answer? 

 Just e-mail us at brenda@fontaineteam.com 

or call

(207)784-3800

 to schedule a private meeting with one of our skilled agents.

8 EASY WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

 

 

Identity theft is in the news more and more often. 

Nothing is worse that finding out the hard way

that someone has stolen your identity. 

 

For example - a week before you are scheduled to

 close on your new home, you get a call from your lender

to tell you they can no longer grant your loan

 because of the furniture you charged on your credit card...

except you did not buy any furniture.  

Yikes!

 

Once someone has started using your identity

you are fighting an uphill battle to fix the problem,

 but there are some easy things you can do to protect yourself

so you don't end up in that situation.

  

8 Easy Ways to Protect Your Identity:

 

One

Don't share your personal information on social media

or by e-mail.  This includes your Social Security number,

address, and date of birth, etc...

 

Two

Make sure you have anti-virus software, anti-spyware software

and a firewall installed on your computer. 

 

Three

Use strong passwords on any accounts you access on  your computer. 

Don't use the same password for every site.

 

Four

If you keep a file of bills or personal information at home,

make sure it is locked...and don't leave the key in the lock.

 

Five

Shred anything with personal information (such as bills)

that you don't need before you throw it away.

 

Six

When you go away, request a hold from the post office

so mail with personal information is not left in the mailbox. 

 

Seven

Check accounts for unauthorized activity and

your credit report on a regular basis.

 

Eight

Ask the company who insures your home if they offer

identity theft insurance and purchase it.
 

 

Are you interested in more tips to help with 

buying or selling a home in Maine? 

 

Let us help! 

 

Call us at

(207)784-3800

or e-mail us at brenda@fontaineteam.com.