Historic Homes for Sale in Maine

Homes for sale in Maine have a median price of $390,300, according to Houzeo's data. However, this is not the total amount you pay to buy a home. Extra fees such as closing costs, property taxes, home insurance, flood insurance, and HOA dues increase both your upfront bill and your monthly payments.

Yes, Maine charges a real estate transfer tax when you buy a home. Maine Revenue Services collects $2.20 per $500 of the sale price, and the buyer and seller split this cost equally. Sales above $1 million trigger an extra surcharge on the amount over that threshold. The county registrar of deeds calculates and collects the tax when registering the deed.

Under Title 33, §174, a seller must give you a written Property Disclosure Statement before or at the same time you make an offer. If the statement arrives late, you have 72 hours from the date you receive it to cancel the contract without penalty. The document has details of the water supply, waste disposal system, and known material defects. However, Maine law does not force sellers to disclose past deaths, illegal activities, or other stigmatized events connected to the property.

The property owner often owns the beach all the way to the low tide line. A 1647 colonial ordinance gives private owners land up to the low-water mark, unlike in most coastal states, where the state owns the intertidal zone. However, the public retains the right to use that strip of land for fishing, fowling, and navigation. You can own the beach and still watch strangers dig for clams on it.

Maine relies on heating oil for a larger share of homes than any other state. About 51% of households use fuel oil as their primary heat source. Such a setup exposes you to fuel price swings that households using natural gas or heat pumps avoid.

Always factor heating fuel types into your overall budget rather than focusing only on square footage.

No, and this surprises buyers who review a home's permit records. Maine's building code, MUBEC, only applies directly to towns with 4,000 or more residents. Smaller towns can opt in, but many do not. Roughly 370 of Maine's 488 municipalities do not require building permits or official inspections for home renovations. A missing permit history in a small town does not mean the owner did unpermitted work, because the town simply never required permits.

If you buy a home in Maine, you gain access to an exceptional quality of life centered on safety, quiet communities, and vast natural beauty. The state features dense forests, a famous rocky coastline, and clean air, offering opportunities for year-round hiking, skiing, and boating. Its exceptionally low crime rates create peaceful neighborhoods for families. Residents enjoy a relaxed pace of life with welcoming local shops, while inland towns keep overall living expenses manageable compared to nearby states.

A licensed real estate attorney or a title company can handle your closing in Maine. State law does not require an attorney, but buyers commonly hire one to handle the closing.