Don’t break the bank to live bankside.

February/March 2020

By Hannah Zimmerman

Island Livin’

$120,000, Matinicus Island
Ever feel like you need a permanent vacation? Imagine waking up each morning and your only worry is whether to take in the sea breeze and sip your morning coffee on your upper or lower deck. The seagulls and the occasional passing boat are your noisiest neighbors. 11 Flakeyard Road, built in 2000, is a three-season, three-bedroom house (with two master bedrooms upstairs). “My favorite aspect of the property is the tongue and groove finish on the inside,” realtor Jeanette Knowlton says. Glass-paneled doors and large single-hung windows fill the house with natural light and warmth.

The island is two miles long and 23 miles offshore of Rockland. “It’s quite secluded. You have to get here by boat or plane,” Knowlton says. “Everyone who lives on the island shares the land. However, there’s only a handful of people who live here, and everyone’s respectful of each other’s space. You wouldn’t know that’s the setup from walking along the island.” If you’ve been dreaming of island living, this could be your chance to make those dreams a reality.

Taxes for 11 Flakeyard Road are $1,508.

Love My Lakefront

$114,000, Whiting
“When I was a kid we made homemade ice cream with ice chipped from the lake,” says seller, 52-year-old Wanda Corey, owner of Frank’s Dockside Restaurant and family-run auto parts and repair shop, Corey & Corey. Built in the 1940s, the four-season cottage on the edge of Indian Lake was purchased by Corey’s parents in the 80s. “There’s a little island on the lake. In the winter we’d drive across the ice to the island.”
The interior is open concept with rustic wood-panel walls and a brick fireplace. “We’d gather in the living room and play board games, eat big family meals, and roast marshmallows around the fire. The brick ledge in front of the fireplace would heat up when a fire was going. There’s nothing better than coming in from ice fishing and warming up on the bricks with loved ones. 

“We had a hot tub on the deck 10 years ago,” Corey says. “The deck sits high and close to the water—it’s a beautiful view and a gorgeous sunset.” The Coreys are looking for a new family to enjoy all that comes with the property. “We swam all summer long, boated, and went water skiing. As we got older, we got into sports like canoeing and Mkayaking. It used to be a busy lake, but these days it attracts naturalists. It’s a peaceful place.” 

Taxes for 16 Corey Lane are $1,121.

Diamonds in the Rough

$149,900, Lubec
You never know what you’ll find when you go on a treasure hunt. Built in the 1840s, the house at 43 County Road itself may look a little worse for wear. “This house has a lot of history,”  says seller Kim Tan, assistant news editor at The Boston Globe. “It was built at a time when Lubec was growing. My guess is it was a valuable property even back then. We’re hoping for someone with an imagination to buy it—who can rebuild it and fix it up.” Much of the groundwork has already been done, such as foundation and electric work. “The two acres offer the new owners even more possibilities. It would be a great place for a garden.” 

This house doesn’t just hold untapped potential. “When we were gutting the house, we discovered many historical objects,” says Tan. “We found newspapers from the 1800s and some old paintings. They’re quite ornate with wooden frames—mostly portraits of men. We also found a teacup, probably from an absentminded worker who set it down and forgot to pick it up.”  

The most surprising object found in the house? “There’s a part of the roof that was hidden until gutted. In that space, we found dozens of pairs of leather shoes, from little baby booties to adult shoes.” Tiffany Link at Maine Historical Society says, “Shoes built into the walls were meant as a good luck charm and to ward off evil. They’d often be placed in the walls near the chimneys, doors, and windows. The homeowner was not necessarily aware. It was a tradition usually practiced by the builder themselves. No one knows exactly where the tradition started, but the earliest we’ve found dates back to the 15th century in an old church in Europe. You may find them throughout New England. In homes built later than the 1730s and 50s, you don’t see it as much anymore. It was more in vogue in the 17th century.”

What other treasures will be found?

Taxes for 43 County Road are $2,917.