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Is the Maine housing market favoring buyers right now, or is it still a seller’s market?

Question from Joan S, Sanford, Maine November, 2025

Answer:  Thanks for the question Joan. It’s shifting toward a more balanced market. While buyer demand remains solid, inventory is increasing — Maine listings are up about 14% compared to a year ago (MAR).  Buyers now have a bit more leverage than in the super-tight seller’s market of prior years, but good properties (well-priced, well-located) still move briskly.  Lower rates anticipated for 2026 will move buyers off the sidelines and back into the market, which may also change market dynamics throughout Maine and the country.

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Have home prices in Maine come down, or are they still rising?

Question from Megan L.  Freeport, ME November, 2025

Answer:  Great question Megan.  Focusing exclusively on the Maine Market, per the Maine Association of Realtors (MAR) the median sales price (MSP) of $402,500—a slight decrease of 1.35 percent compared to September 2024. The MSP indicates that half of the homes were sold for more and half sold for less. I would say the market is stabilizing due to such a large increase in MSP over the last 5 years.

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What does the rising inventory mean for someone looking to buy a home in Maine in 2025/2026?

Question from John P. Saco, ME, November, 2025

Answer: As of this writing (11/20/2025) there are a total of 6316 total properties for sale on the MLS of which 5189 of those are SFH’s (Single Family homes), 640 are Condominiums and 477 are mobile homes. There are also 433 multi unit homes which may be cross listed with SFH’s or commercial properties.

Now that you have a picture of the current market here is your answer: More inventory is giving buyers more options, but it’s not a free-for-all. This type of market will give the buyer more choices, better negotiation power and longer decision windows. John-Don’t be afraid to get pre-qualified, jump off the sidelines and see what is out there.

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Video tour

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced on Wednesday a proposal to delay the effective date of the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule until Oct. 1.

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Real Estate Roundup!

May new home sales gain 2.2% from April

Sales of new single-family houses in May 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 546,000, which is up 2.2% from April, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. — From Housing Wire

3 ways to tame student loan debt and afford a mortgage

It’s no secret that student loans can make buying a home a challenge. But what exactly is the problem, and how can buyers overcome it? The problem is that student loans can be included in the buyer’s debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. — From Bankrate

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We’re ready for the TRID rules!

At 5 p.m. EST June 17, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a statement that the effective date for the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rules would be pushed back to Oct. 1, 2015.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray said in a prepared statement: “The CFPB will be issuing a proposed amendment to delay the effective date of the Know Before You Owe rule until Oct. 1, 2015. We made this decision to correct an administrative error that we just discovered in meeting the requirements under federal law, which would have delayed the effective date of the rule by two weeks. We further believe that the additional time included in the proposed effective date would better accommodate the interests of the many consumers and providers whose families will be busy with the transition to the new school year at that time.”

Rainier Title has been working towards the TRID implementation for over a year and felt prepared for August 1st. However, with the proposed delay we will be taking this opportunity to continue our education and training of TRID. While we believe that we have been proactive and ready for this change, there are still so many unknowns that will have to be addressed at the time of implementation. The industry should still prepare for 45-60 days for transaction to close due to the new timing parameters of the forms.

We’re working hard to be ready for all changes!

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Real Estate Roundup

Active Home-Building Industry Will Lead to More Demand for Warehouse Space

Strong consumer spending and the rise in housing construction activity are currently the prime factors for the incredible rebound of the U.S. industrial real estate sector, and experts say as home buying continues to increase, so will demand for warehouse space. — From NRE Online

To Buy or Not to Buy: That Is the Developer’s Question

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