Date Archives: October 2018

Fall is perhaps the perfect season to tour Augusta homes for sale in Maine. The weather is excellent, and the foliage is alive with color. When you need a break from house hunting, Augusta is the perfect place for a sip of New England Wine.  

In case you didn't know, Maine is wine country. You'll find quaint wine bars and secluded wineries throughout the area. To help you choose the perfect spot place to enjoy a glass of wine, our real estate agents did the research and compiled a guide to our favorite wineries in Augusta, Maine.  

• Two Hogs Winery - 186 Mudget Hill Rd, Vassalboro, ME
  Two Hogs Winery was an idea that began with a sip of a friend's homemade wine and shared wine recipes. The winery now offers red and white varieties, all made with fresh local fruit. Every bottle bears a drawing of the winery's namesake, two hogs on motorcycles.

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Many home buyers have a vision of their perfect home as they tour Augusta homes for sale. As you work with our real estate agents, we'll work hard to check as many features as possible off your wish list. However, you may need to do a little extra to turn an "almost there" home into your dream home. For some home buyers, this may only include a few cosmetic updates, and for others, it may involve some significant upgrades. Here are six ideas to turn your dreams into a reality.

1. Figure out the role of home or the space you're hoping to update.
   Is your home often used for entertaining, and is that a passion of your family? Then, you may want to spend extra money on adding a gourmet kitchen or an entertainment room. However, if you work from home, you're more apt to need a home office or a library nook.
   
   
2. Personalize your house with some fresh paint. 
   Sometimes, you may dislike the original wall colors, especially if they don't fit your color palette and style. Professional designers suggest picking mainly neutral colors with only pops of color sparingly, like on one wall.  Adding purple or red in the bedroom or yellow or blue in a kitchen adds an element of style. However, you want to choose colors that reflect your overall style so consider your furnishings, home art, and accessories when selecting colors.
   
   
3. Change your lighting.
   Upgrade outdated light fixtures like the chandelier and try new modern pendant lighting, which includes many styles of decorative lighting. Track lighting has also become trendy since it's practical and customizable, ideal for any room in your home.  Bring more natural light into your house too by upgrading your windows and adding skylights.
   
   
4. Upgrade your fixtures.
   Sometimes changing the little things like cabinet doorknobs or faucets can make a huge difference. Remember to buy the same size, so you don't have to re-drill holes. Forgo the old-fashioned brass knobs and handles and try something like a brushed nickel. This classy design will give your home an entirely new sleek look.
   
   
5. Introduce peace and serenity.
   Add a sunroom to your house with some comfortable couches, where you can see the sunshine no matter what season it is. Consider splurging and adding a hot tub as well.  Depending on what kind you buy, they range anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. If you love plants, building a greenhouse is also an option since sitting among colorful plants is calming.
   
   
6. Convert your basement or attic into useful space.
   Having storage space is great but think about converting the basement into an entertaining or leisure room. Imagine comfortable couches, a large screen television, a video game system, and a pool table or air-hockey table.   Why not convert your attic into a large, private master suite, away from the rest of the family. Add built-in shelves to have the ability to organize and store seasonal clothing.

Are you ready to take on some home projects and transform your house into your dream home? Contact us at Sprague & Curtis Real Estate to buy or sell homes throughout the Augusta area.

There are always compromises to consider when buying a house, and sometimes you have to compromise on something you want for something you need. So, do you need a short commute time? While it may be tempting to accept a long commute if it means landing the "perfect" house, it's a compromise that many homeowners wind up regretting.

After all, how can you enjoy the home if you're spending all of your time traveling to and from work? Our real estate agents know how to strike the right balance when buying a home.  Let's take a look at how much commute time matters when searching for the right home.

How Much Time Are You Willing to Spend on the Road Each Day?

For many home shoppers, commute time feels like a right place to compromise, and that might be true if you're talking about a difference of a few minutes in either direction. The risk is that even a very long commute might suddenly start to feel palatable if you find a home located far from your target destination.

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Augusta homes for sale benefit from some genuinely unique amenities. The city of Augusta is at the heart of so much of what's exciting about Maine: The best employers, dining, shopping, and education are all within reach. It still maintains the charm that makes Maine "Vacationland." 

Our real estate agents recognize that, when it comes to real estate, time is of the essence! You might want to slow down and enjoy your new Augusta lifestyle. That's when you'll discover it's a great place to go for a walk.

If you want to take in the sights and also help maintain your health, you're in luck: Many parts of Augusta are highly walkable, and there are some great bike paths also.

But what is walkability and how can you measure it when you compare neighborhoods?

How to Determine if a Neighborhood is Walkable

The website WalkScore.com has been an ambassador of the concept of walkability. It rates a neighborhood where "most errands can be accomplished on foot" as walkable.

The most walkable neighborhoods are those where a car isn't required at all. Naturally, though, this is rare outside larger cities in the U.S. and is more likely in urban centers.

Although WalkScore.com is convenient and can get you started, it's not the last word. Whether or not an area is walkable depends on many factors, including your interests.

Walkability combines many factors:

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