Sprague & Curtis Real Estate Blog

The arrival of spring brings the first robin, the first tulip and the first wave of viewers touring Augusta homes for sale. Stand in front of your home and take a good look. Does it look enticing enough to draw potential buyers inside?

Boost your home's value and curb appeal by completing this checklist of spring maintenance tasks.

1. Inspect the Roof
   As your home's first line of defense against weather, the roof takes quite a beating during winter months. If you'd rather not climb a ladder, use a pair of binoculars to scan the roof for damaged or missing shingles, as well as signs of leaks.
   
   

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Pure Maine maple syrup is such a popular commodity that Native Americans used it as money. While maple syrup is no longer made by dropping red-hot stones into thick wooden containers of sap, it retains the same unique quality and flavor people have enjoyed for hundreds of years.

On the fourth Sunday of March each year, our state's sugar houses celebrate Maine Maple Sunday. Our real estate agents prepare you for this year's event on March 24 by sharing the story of making maple syrup along with our favorite sugar houses to visit.

How Maple Syrup Is Made

The maple syrup cycle begins when the first crow of the year flies, usually in late January. This marks the beginning of the "sweetwater" sap flow, which generally runs until mid-April. Even in these high-tech times, many sugar houses still follow the tradition of collecting sap in buckets hung from trees.

How valuable is sap? A large tree can produce a generous amount of 60 gallons in one year, but the end result is only about one-and-a-half gallons of maple syrup.

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Birds are chirping and blossoms are beginning to emerge. Just as Mother Nature awakens from her long winter snooze, home buyers around Augusta, Maine are emerging from their homes to take a peek at the beautiful Augusta homes for sale this season. This can create competition for property and buying the home of your dreams requires strategic planning on your part. If you want to submit the right bid at the right time, the following are five tips for successful springtime home bidding we recommend.

1. Secure Pre-approval Locally
   Securing pre-approval shows the seller that you have the ability to purchase the home. This puts them at ease and gives you a little leverage to negotiate. When you secure the pre-approval from a local lender, you're likely to receive preference over competitors who have pre-approvals from online or out-of-area lenders.
   
   Don't forget to polish your credit before you go in to secure a mortgage preapproval. Make sure that the information is accurate and that any discrepancies are addressed. It's also advisable to pay as much of your debt down and take steps to improve your debt-to-income ratio.

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Are you considering a move to the Hallowell area? Perhaps you're already working with our real estate agents to find your next new home among Hallowell homes for sale, or maybe you're still making up your mind about whether or not our area is right for you. Whichever the case may be, you'll certainly want to get to know more about the area, and if you're an art lover, there's no better place to start than the Harlow Gallery.

About Harlow Gallery

The Harlow Gallery, located at 100 Water St. in Hallowell, has a long history in the area. It was founded by the Kennebec Valley Art Association over 50 years ago, opening its doors in 1963. Its mission was to ensure that Hallowell became a center of culture in the area, cultivating and supporting visual and performing arts. Over the years, the Harlow Gallery has offered art lessons for children, art workshops for adults, scholarships for young students and has hosted a variety of events, including arts balls, exhibitions, walks, and festivals, among many others—a tradition of service to the creative that continues to this day.

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Take a deep breath in.

Now exhale with a slow "Om."

Residents who value the calming effect of meditation know that Augusta and Hallowell are perfect places for a peaceful and relaxing yoga session. Our real estate agents know that a good instructor, class, and ambiance is key to helping you disconnect from the world and reconnect with your inner spirit. We've gathered a list of our five favorite yoga studios around town that we know will enrich your mind, body, and soul.

1. Harmonious Spirit, 74 Winthrop St., Augusta
   Seek inner harmony, and you shall find it at Harmonious Spirit. Right down the street from cozy Augusta homes for sale, this studio focuses on whole body wellness. Individual coaching or group classes are available for yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and stress management. Their additional services include reflexology, cupping, Reiki, and full-body massages. They even offer specialty services like infant massages and can provide in-home chair massages by request. Licensed massage therapist, registered yoga teacher, and Reiki II practitioner Hilary Spear will guide you through holistic practices that promote mindful living throughout your life.
   
   

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