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Kennebec County, ME Real Estate News

By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
 Are you looking for meditation groups, Reiki sessions, crystal bowls or other types of natural healing and spirituality tools?  You can probably find what you need at Merkaba Sol, located at 153 Water Street in Augusta.  From the witches’ balls in the front window, to the wall of oracle cards, to jars of healing crystals and stones, to incense and sage sticks, this wonderful shop has everything you might need in your search for natural healing.  They sell crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, Chakra candles, incense, crystal jewelry, books and CDs on spirituality and natural healing topics, healing stones, Tarot and Oracle cards, Himalayan Salt Lamps, and many other spiritual tools. They offer energy and sound therapy techniques like Sacred Gong meditation, Reiki and Yoga, and also teach ...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
A Paranormal Activity Update   Back in July you might have read about my recent paranormal experience: I've Been (Mis)quoted on a Paranormal Blog Site!   For those who wanted an update... Yes! She removed all references to me on her blog post.  And apologized.   I think this is pretty good advice for anyone living in a hounted house:     Happy Friday!  Have a great weekend.   A big thank you to Kevin Ward for use of his great cartoon. http://augustusceaser.deviantart.com/    
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By Kristen Wheatley, Supporting Success - Best Job in the World!
(Better Homes & Gardens | The Masiello Group)
Elegant Home With Lake Access OverviewMapsPhotosFeaturesDescription Video Tour $275,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 2,842 sqftLot: 0.70 acre(s) Location 24 North Lakeview DriveLitchfield, ME 04350USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Kristen Wheatley The Maine Real Estate Network(207) 240-2250mainehomeseller@gmail.comhttp://www.homeseller.me   Listed by: The Maine Real Estate Network Nearby properties for sale
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By Kristen Wheatley, Supporting Success - Best Job in the World!
(Better Homes & Gardens | The Masiello Group)
6 Beautiful Acres With 2 Homes OverviewMapsPhotosFeatures Video $69,900 Single Family Home Main Features 2 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 1,054 sqftLot: 6.00 acre(s) Location 274 Richmond Mills RoadFayette, ME 04349USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Kristen Wheatley The Maine Real Estate Network(207) 240-2250mainehomeseller@gmail.comhttp://www.homeseller.me   Listed by: The Maine Real Estate Network Our recent listings West Paris Village Home For SaleYear Round Mount Abram Retreat >>Just Reduced<<6 Beautiful Acres With 2 HomesUpdated West Auburn Home For Sale or Lease PurchaseElegant Home With Lake Access Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
A New SCENTsation for Marketing Real Estate!   It's no secret that how a home smells has a huge impact on a buyer's perception of the property.  Pet odors, cigarette smoke, last night's dinner, perfume - any of these smells can be an assault to visitors' noses and an immediate turn off to the property.  Not good when trying to sell the home! But now, Google has once again come to the rescue with Google Nose BETA!  With their Aromabase of over 15 million "scentibytes" we can experience the smells of a home while viewing all the home's pictures online.  Imagine watching a Virtual Tour and smelling fresh chocolate chip cookies while in the kitchen, or lavendar oil in the bathroom - all without leaving your house!   What a fabulous marketing tool! Take a whiff of Google Nose BETA and experi...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Come see this 3 bedroom, 2 bath home today from 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm.  It's in a great Manchester neighborhood on a huge corner lot, just a short walk from the elementary school and close to the Manchester Country Club.  There will be refreshments and LIVE jazz music performed by Beau Jai Rouge Jazz Group.  Priced at $189,000, this could easily be your next home!    
Comments 5
By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Digital House Hunt: Is the Internet Important in Real Estate Sales? If you're selling your home and are still questioning the effectiveness of internet marketing in real estate sales, you need to read this report. It should erase any doubt in your mind that if you have an Augusta, ME home for sale, your agent should be digitally connected and actively marketing your home on the internet. This data was a collaboration between Google and NAR to determine consumer trends surrounding the use of digital media in the home shopping process. The report clearly emphasizes the importance of digital media in real estate --- a whopping 90% of consumers (covering ALL age groups) use the internet during their home search process.  And more home buyers are going mobile - 89% of buyers use a mobile sea...
Comments 5
By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Tis the Season To Get Spammed....Fa, La, La, La, La, La, La, La, La     Boy.  There must be something special about this time of year for Spammers.  In the past 2 weeks I've received 8 (!!!) offers of various types.     By my latest calculations, I could make at least $25,475,000. I could be RICH this Christmas!    All I have to do is: 1) Send to Mr. Abdul Latif, Manager, National Bank of Abu Dhab, my full name, address, and phone number.  Oh, and he wants me to pretend to be next of kin to the late Mr. Robert Ebner.  My take: $5,775,000, deposited into the account number that I've provided. 2) Send to Dr. Dim Michael, Bank of Africa Bill and Exchange, my name, age, marital status, cell phone, fax, country, occupation, sex, religion, and private email address.  He promises to keep it al...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
It's Concert Week (aka Jazz Week) at the University of Maine at Augusta Again!     Yes, it's that time of semester again...that time when we get to hear how accomplished the musicians at the University of Maine at Augusta are becoming.     This semester the name "Jazz Week" has been changed to Concert Week, reflecting the wider range of musical performances.  Concert Week began last night with performances by the Freshman Ensemble and the Aire Libra/Latino Jazz Ensemble.  Tonight's performance, beginning at 7:00 pm, is by the Vocal Collective ensemble.  The rest of this week is filled out with performances by Big Band, Progressive Rock, Contemporary Sounds, Sonic Explorations, Fusion, Envok Vocal, and UMA Jazz on Tour Ensembles.  For the full list of performances and times, check out UM...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
FREE ADMISSION!   Marketplace & Vendor Craft Fair to Benefit Christmas Across Maine Saturday, October 27, 2012 at the Augusta Armory from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please join us tomorrow at the Marketplace Vendor & Craft Fair at the Augusta Armory!  All money raised will benefit the Christmas Across Maine program, which brings Christmas to military families in need.  There’s a little something for everyone – shopping, giveaways, raffles, line dancing, job opportunities, and even chainsaw sculpting!  Over 90 vendors, crafters and small businesses!   Join me and my fellow REALTOR® Kristen Wheatley at our The Maine Real Estate Network booth, where we’ll be giving away a$100.00 gift card from Shaw’s Supermarkets.   The Christmas Across Maine program is part of the Maine Army National Guard’s Fa...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Maine Home Sales and Median Sales Price Up in September   For the 15th straight month, Maine's sales of existing homes have risen, compared to existing home sales in the same month one year ago.  September's existing home sales are up 8.48% statewide over September 2011, while the median sales price is up 6.92% Here in Kennebec County, existing home sales for September are 14.5% higher than September 2011.  The median sales price for the same period has remained fairly flat - $137,750 in September 2011 versus $135,000 September 2012.
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Pungent, At Best....My Most Outrageous Real Estate Story (To Date...)   My Most Outrageous Real Estate story isn't funny, at all.  It's, well...pungent.  At best.   It begins with some first-time homebuyers - sweet couple, young, full of hope for their first home... They had a small budget and understood that they would have to look at "fixers."  They were actually excited about this prospect - they were handy and their parents were going to help out with the down payment and the improvements. We had spent a couple of days looking at some pretty dismal properties, but their enthusiasm wasn't dampened. They knew what they were getting into, they told me. Ok, I said, let's keep looking.   On this particular Saturday we met at a house that was in a pretty good location, and the interior pi...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Paper?  Who Needs It?  My IPad is the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread   I didn't take part in the paperless challenge way back in February 2011.  Not sure why I didn't.  (Who can really remember back that far???)  But, honestly, a year and a half ago I never imagined that I could be completely paperless.  If someone had told me back then that I would be going paperless in less than 2 years I would have said "No Way!!!"  "Impossible."  "You CAN'T. These are CONTRACTS!"   Etc., etc. You see, before I became a real estate agent I spent many (many, many) years in financial managment jobs.  I studied accounting before computers were around...when keeping books was all manual.  I was taught that there must be a "paper trail". For everything.   I had already been emailing clients listings straig...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
So You Want to Buy a Home In Kennebec County?   If you've never bought a home before, it can sometimes be overwhelming.  You probably have a lot of questions, like: "Why do I need to get preapproved?" "What do we do when we find a house we like?" "How do we make an offer?"   "Doesn't the seller have to respond to my offer?"   "What's a home inspection?"   "What's title insurance?"   "How long will this process take?"  If you're looking to buy a home in Kennebec County, I'm happy to help.  I'll answer all of your questions and get you on your way to home ownership.  I'm just a phone call away!  
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Wordless Wednesday - On the Coast of Maine       Portland Head Light is located on the shore of Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, ME.  It was commissioned to be built in 1787 by George Washington but construction was not completed until 1791.   It is Maine's oldest light house and was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.        
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Do You Need Some Insanity in Your Day?   Six weeks ago, my response to this question was a resounding "NO!  I have more than enough insanity in my day right now, thank you!"  I'm sure that everyone who deals with the public on a regular basis has, on at least one occasion, felt like there was too much insanity going on in their life. But I'm not talking about the type of insanity that revolves around "certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns."   On second thought, maybe I am. You see, six weeks ago I bought this:    I'd never even heard of the INSANITY WORKOUT until my daughter tore her ACL.  Wait, that's not accurate.  I'd never heard of it until my daughter's ACL surgery was healed and her surgeon told her to do some kind of activity to strengthen her knee.  She asked him if she...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
RSU2 School District:  2012 - 2013 School Year Is Now in Session   Where has the summer gone? I know that's a question I've been asking myself this week and it's also a question my daughter asked me just the other day.  It's hard to believe that school is back in session in the RSU2 School District - which encompasses the towns of Dresden, Farmingdale, Hallowell, Monmouth and Richmond.  Today (8/29) is the first day of school for grades K - 9. Tomorrow (8/30) is the first day for grades 10 - 12.     For a link to the RSU2 (KidsRSU, or Kennebec Intra-District Schools Regional School Unit) calendar, click here:  http://www.monmouthschools.org/index.php/school_calendar_2012_2013       For information on bus routes:  http://www.kidsrsu.org/index.php/rsu_2_bus_routes     Tomorrow has some pe...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
Ok, I Admit, I'm a Little Slow on the Uptake....(the IPad Uptake...)   Yeah.  I will admit that I wanted to buy a tablet, like, six months ago.  I couldn't make a decision.  I've been agonizing about it for four months.     Yes, agonizing. Yes, four months.  I'm not usually this indecisive.     You have to understand...I'm married to a Software Engineer.  (There is a reason for those "caps.")  And this particular Software Engineer is hard-core PC.  I might even say hard-core Microsoft.  (Gasp!) Anyway, about four months ago I ventured to express an interest in an Apple product to said husband...which was not received with the type of support I expected from said husband (OMG!!!  The World just ended!).   Not only did I have a less than enthusiastic response, but he proceeded to muddy th...
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
A Real Maine Country Store Drive through almost any town and village in Maine and you will most likely be able to find a Maine country store.  However, if you want to find THE "A Real Maine Country Store" you will have to take a drive through Palermo Village.  Palermo is in Waldo County, Maine, just over the eastern border of Kennebec County.  
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By Lisa Hicks, Serving Central and Southern Maine
(Hoang Realty)
This is the BEST Picture EVER!  Very Happy Buyers!!! It's been a struggle...   It's been one thing after another since January.  We would clear up one issue and another one would crop up.  My buyer client was so frustrated and distressed...month after month after month.   But WE MADE IT.  Thanks to Corey Scott at Cumberland County Mortgage!!!      
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Kennebec County, ME Real Estate Professionals