Accountants
Name |
Telephone |
| Yorke Associates | 207-361-1322 |
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Appraisers
An appraisal is an unbiased estimate of the value of property which is usually required when a property is sold or re-financed. To produce an accurate resale price for a residence, appraisers compare the price and features of the subject property to the selling prices and features of similar nearby properties that have sold recently. Fees for appraisals vary anywhere from about $275 and upward. New appraisal guidelines do not permit lenders (or their clients) to choose a particular appraiser.
A real estate agent can do a market analysis, usually prepared free of charge, but it differs from an appraisal because, although there are many similar elements, it would not meet bank requirements. A market analysis is used to determine a suggested price range for marketing a property and is often also used for estate planning or divorce purposes.
Name |
Telephone |
| CM Appraisal | 207-363-3782 |
| Cornerstone Valuation Services | 207-676-5576 |
| Dudley Tyson | 207-809-2310 |
| Wentworth RE Appraisal Services | 603-433-1572 |
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Architects/Designers
Name |
Telephone |
| Fiorentino Group Architects | 603-373-8562 |
| Harvey Wells | 207-967-5415 |
| Robert Reed Associates | 207-363-8568 |
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Attorneys and Title Companies
General Information
I am not an attorney and, while the Maine real estate purchase and sale agreements are fill-in-the-blank forms supplied to us by the Maine Association of Realtors, it is possible that you may have some questions about how to handle a particular issue or contingency regarding the sale or purchase of your home or land. I encourage you to consult an attorney, if you wish.
Typically a buyer or seller’s attorney does not attend the closing, but it is a question that I am often asked. If you would feel more comfortable having your attorney attend, we can certainly make arrangements for that.
Seller Responsibilities
The deed and the Maine transfer tax form are the responsibility of the seller and must be provided prior to closing. Often the buyer’s attorney is willing to perform this task if you would rather not have your own attorney prepare the documents. Either way, plan ahead since the closing agent (either and attorney or title company) will need to review them on behalf of the buyer and/or bank. The cost ranges between $150 to $200.
Buyer Responsibilities
The closing, title search, recording of the deed and mortgage note and associated paperwork are the buyer’s lender’s and/or attorney’s responsibility. Often the lender will suggest an attorney or title company, but you as the buyer have the right to choose whomever you want, but it is important to let the lender know as soon as possible. I would be happy to provide you with some suggestions.
Title Insurance
If the property is being financed, you will be required to have enough title insurance to cover the mortgage amount. You will likely be asked if you would like to have title insurance to cover your own risk. A one-time expense, title insurance (which is based on the purchase price) is far less expensive if purchased at the time of closing and it is highly recommended. If you would like more information about title insurance, ask the closing agent or click here.
Attorneys |
|
| Name | Telephone |
| Clark & Howell | 207-363-5208 |
| David Ballou | 207-363-5300 |
| McEachern and Thornhill | 207-439-4881 |
| Shaheen and Gordon | 207-747-1232 |
Title Companies |
|
| Name | Telephone |
| Atlas-Heritage Title | 603-743-0900 |
| Cornerstone Title | 603-766-8121 |
| Red Door Title | 207-358-7500 |
| Signature Title | 800-655-0013, 603-431-8100 |
| Stewart Title | 800-539-8266, 603-427-2811 |
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Banks and Mortgage Brokers
Which should you use – a bank or a mortgage broker?
Mortgage brokers are able to provide a wide selection of mortgages of varying shapes and sizes. The mortgage broker originates the loans, obtaining the proper documentation, etc; but the mortgage lender (which funds the loan) is actually a totally different entity.
A bank, on the other hand, may not offer as wide a selection of products from which to choose, but may be able to offer more flexibility within those products. If you have already established a relationship with a local bank, you may prefer the idea of having your loan serviced locally.
So, which one should you use? That will depend upon your individual preferences and needs. It is wise to speak with several different lenders before making your decision, explain your particular needs, compare rates and see what each has to offer.
Bank or Mortgage Broker |
Contact |
Telephone |
| Bangor Savings Bank | Damian Pisano | 207-351-5287 |
| Blue Water Mortgage | Jim Collins | 207-752-3320 |
| First Financial Mortgage | Linda Peters Drake | 207-838-5105 |
| Merrimack Mortgage | Bonnie Gates | 603-319-4303 |
| Monument Mortgage | Susannah Goodwin | 207-752-0120 |
| Mortgage Network | Kirk Todd | 603-430-8488 or 207-363-3009 |
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Basement Waterproofing
Basement waterproofing can be very effective. Confirm that the company you choose provides a guarantee that is transferable to future owners.
Company |
Telephone |
| B-Dry System | 800-287-2379 |
| Coastal Basement Waterproofing | 207-793-4994 |
| T.C. Hafford Basement Systems | 800-407-3419 |
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Builders/Contractors
Name |
Telephone |
| Harry Eastman | 207-363-3755 |
| K & J Construction | 603-750-5050 |
| Maine Coast Builders | 207-363-7426 |
| Percey W. Stevens, Jr. | 207-337-0422 |
| Period Design Restorations | 207-351-1593 |
| Robert Reed Associates | 207-363-8568 |
| Rocheleau Custom Homes | 207-363-3857 |
| YFI Custom Homes | 207-363-8053 |
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Caretakers
Contact |
Telephone |
| Charlie Beaudette | 207-384-5718 |
| Jeffrey Haines | 207-475-7107 |
| Reynolds Property Services LLC | 207-363-1434 |
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Chimney Inspection/Cleaning
Should you wish to have a more comprehensive inspection including all accessible portions of the chimney, exterior and interior, you will find below a list of qualified personnel. An inspection can include areas within accessible attics, crawl spaces, and basements and accessible portions of appliance and chimney connections and will include inspection by video scanning or other means of inspection.
Company |
Contact |
Telephone |
| A Merrie Sweepe | Bob Warner | 603-431-8772 |
| Charlie’s Chimneys | Charles Odermann | 207-985-3477 |
| Jim and Doug’s Masonry | 603-601-0618 |
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Electricians
Name |
Telephone |
| Bridges Electric | 207-363-7177 |
| Maldini Electric | 603-436-4736 |
| Moran Electric | 207-363-5889 |
| Josh Stevens | 207-439-0179 |
| Woods Electric | 207-363-4541 |
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Environmental Testing and Mitigation (Radon, Mold, etc.)
Company Name |
Telephone |
Issues Covered |
| Air Quality Management | 207-657-7360 | Lead paint, mold and asbestos testing |
| Air and Water Quality | 800-698-9655 | Radon air, water quality |
| EnviroVantage | 800-640-5323 | Lead, asbestos, mold, demolition |
| Radon Systems | 207-247-8181 | Radon mitigation |
| Radon Removal Systems | 800-640-8889 | Radon air |
| Yerhot Environmental Solutions | 603-742-0055 | Lead, radon and mold testing |
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Furniture Disposal (Sell and Give Away)
| If you want to SELL your furniture… | |
| Name | Telephone |
| Olde Port Traders (buy and sell used furniture) |
603-436-2431 |
| Hap Moore Antiques (buy and sell used furniture) |
207-363-6373 |
| Boyd Auctions | 207-439-6641 |
| Howard Koeppel (buy and sell used furniture) |
207-363-5873 or 207-475-6824 (cell) |
| If you have furniture to GIVE AWAY… | |
| Name | Telephone> |
| 2nd Generation in Greenland accepts used furniture in good condition to benefit homeless shelter (no pick up) |
603-430-9482 |
| Salvation Army (of Portland) (will do beds) |
207-878-8555, ext. 1 |
| Catholic Charities (of Maine) will accept beds and pick up if large quantity of items; for questions – dshaw@ccmaine.org |
207-879-1130, ext. 8215 |
| Goodwill in Portsmouth (no pick-up) |
603-430-2040 |
| Leeward Landing will accept clothing, pottery, dishes, vases, pots, pans, silverware, small appliances, decorative items, furniture, tools, blankets, sheets, curtains, pillow cases, place mats, linens, etc. (open Tues.-Sat. 9-4 and Sun. 10-3, closed Mon.) | 207-361-4085 |
| Operation Blessing (no pick-up) (open M,Th,F – 10-4) |
603-430-8561 |
| York Community Thrift Shop will accept clothing, children’s items, kitchen/household appliances in good working condition, housewares, glassware, jewelry, antiques, linens, curtains, books and furniture. (open daily 10 – 5:00) |
207-351-8234 |
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Handymen
For jobs too small for a general contractor…
Name |
Telephone |
| Charlie Beaudette | 207-384-5718 |
| Jeffrey Haines | 207-475-7107 |
| Tom Pritchett | 207-439-5878 |
| Rick Spencer | 603-534-6844 |
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Home Inspection Services for Real Estate
Whether the house is old or new, we encourage all buyers to have a home inspection. You should understand that the purpose of the home inspection is not to discover small imperfections since no house (even a new one) is perfect. The real purpose of the inspection is to make sure that there are no significant surprises.
All of the home inspectors below are members of ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors). To learn more about ASHI, you are encouraged to visit their website (www.ashi.org). There is an explanation about the home inspection process at www.ashi.org/customers/vhi_tour.asp.
Please note, we have no affiliation with and receive no compensation from any of the following companies.
Name |
Telephone |
| Housemasters – ask for Frank Susca | 800-626-5442, 603-332-7411 |
| ProSpect | 603-235-6015 |
| Pillar To Post | 603-759-5494 |
Some of the companies above are able to give you an on-the-spot written report while others are able to email you the report (usually within 24 hours). You should consider by what method and how quickly you will receive the report If speed is important or if you are an out-of-town buyer. With your permission, a copy of your report can be emailed to your real estate agent which is helpful if there are any issues.
When you schedule your appointment be sure to be clear about the particular inspections that you would like. Some of the possibilities are listed below with links to contractors who are able to perform them.
Click on any of the additional inspection items above for a selection of contractors who can perform these inspections.
If you need any additional names, numbers or services, please contact me.
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House Cleaners
For cleaning before or after a real estate closing or for construction clean-out:
Name |
Telephone |
| Best Cleaning Service | 207-363-0961 |
| Corn Flower Cleaning | 207-363-3474 |
| D. P. Cleaning | 207-439-4151 |
| Hillside Cleaning Services | 603-842-2833 |
| Nicole Richards | 207-337-4606 |
| SERVPRO, John and Kristine Giunco | 207-363-6900 |
| Deirdre Smith | 207-439-8760 |
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Insurance (Homeowners)
Insurance isn’t as easy to get as it used to be. Some issues that can make insurance difficult to obtain are such things as having fuses instead of circuit breakers, certain breeds of dogs, etc. For a list of these items, talk to an insurance agent.
Please don’t wait till the last minute to begin investigating your insurance needs. When you close on your new home, the lender will require that you have a proof of insurance (paid in full) for one year (a binder).
Name |
Telephone |
| Allstate Insurance | 207-363-8604 |
| Bragdon Insurance | 207-363-3200, 800-869-0857 |
| Ellis Insurance | 207-363-7670 |
| Lontine Insurance | 207-363-3140 |
| Nationwide Insurance | 207-363-8902, 877-563-8902 |
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Interior Designers/Staging
Name |
Telephone |
| Accent and Design (Anne Cowenhoven) | 207-363-7949 |
| CF Interiors (Cindy Francis) | 207-451-3937 |
| Interiors by Eeta (Eeta Sachon) | 207-351-2978 |
| Nancy Stracka Interiors (Kelly Wright) | 617-273-8438 |
| Stunning Spaces (Patrice Sweet) | 207-351-1358 |
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Lawn Care/Gardeners
Name |
Telephone |
| Brixham Landscape Construction | 207-439-2100 |
| Jacquelyn Nooney Landscape Inc | 207-439-6075 |
| Larry Revak | 603-828-8888 |
| Reynolds Property Services LLC | 207-363-1434 |
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Masons
Name |
Telephone |
| Atlas Stoneworks | 207-361-1395 |
| Dale Avery | 603-781-5705 |
| Art Young | 207-363-5416 |
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Moving Companies
Name |
Telephone |
| Rainbow Movers N.H. (NorthAmerican Van Lines) | 800-922-1020 |
| William C. Huff Moving and Storage | 800-247-6138 |
| Wood Bros. Moving and Storage | 603-436-2725 or 800-722-3033 |
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Notary Publics
Name |
Telephone |
| Liz Hayden, Notary Public | 207-351-2946 |
| Mary-Anne Szeniawski, Notary Public/Dedimus Justice | 207-363-3352 |
| Also, you can often go to a bank and find someone who will be a notary. | |
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Painters and Power Washers
Name |
Telephone |
| Mark F. Bennett | 207-439-22801 |
| Cape Neddick Power Washing | 207-361-4611 |
| Conant Painting | 207-363-5648 |
| Harbor Painting | 207-363-1777 |
| M. C. Painting | 207-337-5068 |
| Painting by Northeast | 207-324-8142 |
| Paul Mazgelis | 207-351-5380 |
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Pest Inspectors
Company Name |
Telephone |
| Atlantic Pest Solutions | 207-439-7559, 800-439-7716 |
| Ecotech Pest Control | 207-451-9451 |
| Haydee’s Pest-Free | 603-430-7577, 800-654-7378 |
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Plumbers
Name |
Telephone |
| Alan Goodrich water pumps only |
207-324-1645 |
| Performance Plumbing | 207-363-1770 |
| Rand Plumbing | 207-205-4928 |
| Rhodes Plumbing | 207-439-0334 |
| Tim Donnell Plumbing | 207-361-2768 |
| Tom Warmington | 207-363-8895 |
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Roofing
Name |
Telephone |
| Hall Brothers | 207-698-1551 |
| 800-Roof | 800-240-6112 |
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Septic Inspection Companies
Company Name |
Telephone |
| A-1 Enviro Service | 207-646-2180 |
| Abbott Brothers | 207-363-3762 |
| Advanced Leachfields LLC | 207-797-5760 or 207-329-8495 |
| Grover and Fallon Value Router | 207-439-1510 |
| Morgridge and Son | 207-439-1250 |
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Storage
Name |
Telephone |
| A-1 Self-Storage (Kittery) | 207-439-2077 |
| Atlantic Self-Storage (York) | 207-363-3311 |
| Eliot Rent-A-Space (Eliot) | 207-439-3077 |
| Eliot Self Storage, LLC (Eliot) | 207-439-6347 |
| Heritage Storage Centers (Portsmouth) | 603-433-1211 |
| Kittery Storage and Parcel Center (Kittery) | 207-439-0800 |
| Lafayette Self Storage (Portsmouth) | 603-431-8747 |
| PODS | 866-229-4120 |
| Safeway Storage (Portsmouth) | 603-436-4222 |
| U-Haul Co. (Portsmouth) | 603-431-2165 |
| Wood Bros. Moving and Storage (Portsmouth) | 603-436-2725 |
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Surveying/Soils Testing
Company Name |
Telephone |
Services Provided |
| Altus Engineering | 603-433-2335 | Engineering, soils testing, septic design, site design, land planning |
| Anderson-Livingston Engineers | 207-363-4414 | Surveying, engineering, site design, land planning |
| CLD Consulting Engineers | 207-363-0669 | Surveying, engineering, site design, land planning, environmental |
| Civil Consultants | 207-384-2550 | Surveying, engineering, soils testing, site design, septic design, land planning |
| Mike Cuomo | 207-363-4532 | Soils testing and septic design |
| Easterly Surveying | 207-439-6333 | Surveying, site design, land planning |
| Ken Gardner | 207-637-2260 | Soils testing and septic design |
| Joe Noel | 207-384-5587 | Soils testing, site evaluation, wetlands delineation, test pits for septic design |
| Roaring Brook Consultants | 207-384-2643 | Surveying, engineering, site design, land planning, environmental |
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Trash Removal and Hauling
Name |
Telephone |
| Art McConnell | 207-363-6932 |
| Dump Guy (Glenn Cote) | 207-450-9262 |
| J. B. Trucking | 207-439-0974 |
| Larry Revak | 603-828-8888 |
| Reynolds Property Services LLC | 207-363-1434 |
| We Get Rid of It | 866-952-8400 |
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Truck Rentals
Name |
Telephone |
| Atlantic Self Storage/Penske Truck Rental (York) | 207-363-2769 |
| Ryder Truck Rentals | 603-433-5880 or 800-297-9337 |
| U-Haul (Kittery) | 207-439-2318 |
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Utilities
Electric |
|
| Central Maine Power (CMP) | 800-750-4000 |
| Kennebunk Light and Power District (Covering parts of Kennebunk, Wells and Arundel) | 207-985-3311 |
Telephone |
|
| AT&T | 800-222-0300 |
| Comcast | 888-633-4266 |
| Embarq (Sprint) | 800-877-7746 |
| Fairpoint Communications (Verizon) | 866-984-2001 |
| MCI | 888-624-9266 |
| Time Warner Cable | 800-833-2253 |
Cable |
|
| Cable for Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick-Comcast | 888-633-4266 |
| Cable for York, Wells, Ogunquit, K’bunk, K’port, Arundel-Time Warner | 800-833-2253 |
Water |
|
| Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Wells Water District (KKW) (also serving parts of York & Ogunquit) | 207-985-3385 |
| Kittery Water District (also serving parts of York and Eliot) | 207-439-1128 |
| South Berwick Water District | 207-384-2257 |
| York Water District | 207-363-2265 |
Sewer |
|
| Kennebunk Sewer District | 207-985-4741 |
| Kittery Sewer District | 207-439-0452 |
| Ogunquit Sewer District | 207-646-2028 |
| South Berwick Sewer District | 207-384-2760 |
| York Sewer District | 207-363-4232 |
Fuel |
|
| D. F. Richard | 800-649-6457 |
| Dead River Company | 800-424-8444 |
| Downeast Energy | 207-363-4331 |
| Eastern Propane | 800-523-5237 |
| Estes Oil | 207-363-4172 |
| Gagnon and Son | 207-384-2213 |
| Jenkins Fuels | 207-439-2266 |
| Maingas | 207-646-2928 |
| Proulx Oil and Propane | 207-363-3636 |
| Rye Fuel | 603-433-7408 |
| York Oil and Propane | 207-363-6457 |
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Vacation Rental Companies
Name |
Telephone |
| Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty – Luxury Vacation Rentals | 207-370-5479 |
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