Maine Insider Newsletter

March - April 2024

MICHAEL’S MESSAGE

Much Love,
Michael Hamilton

📸 The Maine Shot

A look back at Maple Sunday 2023 with

Home Sweet Maine Team!

Things to do:

March & april

Big Changes in the Real Estate World

An item making national news over the last couple of years (and even more so in the past few months) is a class action lawsuit brought by a group of sellers against various real estate brokerages and the National Association of Realtors.

The judge ruled on behalf of the plaintiffs (sellers) and the real estate brokerages immediately appealed.

Since then, there has been an ongoing battle as to what would happen with this case.

The case addresses the fact that, historically, buyer agents are compensated in the MLS via the listing (selling) agent and paid at closing out of the proceeds.

The sellers accused the brokerages and National Association of Realtors of having violated antitrust laws by forcing them to pay the buyers' agents, and inflating commissions by doing this.

This morning very big news came out that the National Association of Realtors may have reached a settlement. That includes some very big stipulations.

Two of the largest stipulations are: 

If this settlement is accepted, the rules will be in full force by the end of July - this year. Yes, that quick. 

Watch the video below, as I explain more in depth, how these changes may affect agents, buyers, sellers, lenders.

Here are some of the questions addressed the video:

Chris’s Corner

Planning for Your Future

Navigating the Trust and Probate PROCESS

Sarah Chong started the day with her usual routine of sipping her morning coffee and enjoying the ocean views from her porch. She unaware her life would soon change with a single phone call; Sarah’s beloved aunt, Mary, had passed away.

As the trustee of Mary’s estate, Sarah now faced the overwhelming responsibility of managing her aunt’s assets, including a picturesque oceanfront property in Cape Elizabeth. She was grieving and completely unprepared for the complexities of real estate in the trust and probate process.

Sarah’s story is unfortunately all too familiar.

Trusts and probate are essential aspects of estate planning that many people, especially mature adults, should be aware of. Planning for the future is essential, and creating a trust can help protect your assets and ensure a smooth transition for your loved ones.

This process can be daunting, however, especially when dealing with emotional stress and grief. This is where experienced an professional can help relieve some of the pressure on you.

I specialize in various real estate areas like trust and probate sales in Maine and provide a compassionate approach to the challenges families face during these difficult times.

In addition , the Home Sweet Maine Team provides guidance on complex real estate matters, such as 1031 exchanges and DST options, to help clients minimize or eliminate capital gains taxes and maximize their real estate investments. In addition, I have a network of service providers - from junk removal to estate attorneys - that I can connect you with.

I’d like to invite you to my upcoming seminar on “I’m a Trustee… Now What?” in Portland on April 27th at 11:30 at 50 Sewall Street, Portland (Keller Williams offices - 2nd floor in the education room). You can sign up here and share the event with others who may be also have questions about the duties of a trustee.

To learn more about how I can help you create a real estate plan to facilitate your family goals, call or text Chris at 207-417-4907 for a no-obligation strategy session.

Pets on Point - Portland

Hidden gems of maine

Sharing businesses that pride themselves in serving their community

Contributed by Bethany Ward, Director of Operations, Home Sweet Maine

Recently, I decided to start a fish tank after 15 years of no fish. After visiting the usual chain pet stores, I was shocked at the quality of care the betta fish were receiving (you know, the fish that are colorful with long tails that we were told as kids could live in bowls and be healthy?). I decided not to give these chains my money.

Through the magic of Facebook, I happened upon a video of beautiful fish in a store in Portland - a store I had never heard of. This store was called The Dog Wash at Pets on Point on Forest Ave in Portland. I decided to to take a trip down.

What I found was a pet lover’s dream - self serve dog wash stations, high-quality dog and cat food, wholistic health supplements, wide selection of toys, and, most exciting for me, two walls of bettas in large holding tanks! These bettas were not the usual you see in chain stores - and their care and health were lightyears beyond what I was used to seeing at the usual stores.

I spoke with the owner, Mark Goodwin, about his bettas, his store, and the service he aims to provide the local community of Portland.

Mark (along with his brother) of Pets on Point, started the business 20 years ago as a self-serve dog wash, catering to apartment and condo dwellers without the space (or desire) to wash their dogs at home. Portland residents eagerly adopted this concept, and the dog wash soon had to move out of their 900 square foot space to a larger facility to accomodate demand. They have since moved to a 5500 square foot space on Forest Ave.

The mission of Pets on Point is to provide a safe place for pet owners with limited space at home to wash their dogs, and purchase pet supplies in one place. In their new location, they have several self-service dog washes to meet these needs, as well as local delivery when you purchase online (dog food delivered to my door? Yes, please!). Mark and his excellent staff work hard to establish trust with customers by providing excellent service and being informed of most aspects of pet care and health.

The fish are stunning - a rainbow in a tank! The colors range from silver to red to multi-colored (so many colors it’s hard to put into words!). Some are spunky and demanding, some are shy, and some have the funniest grumpy face.

They stock all the betta supplies you could need - small nano tanks, heaters, food, decor, gravel, etc. - a one-stop-shop! You really don’t need anything else - Pets on Point has it all for your fish.

It is clear that Mark loves his fish, and takes pride in them, as much as he cares about connecting with the local community and providing them with top-tier pet supplies and services. If you would like to support a local business (and make your pets happy at the same time), I highly recommend making the trip to Pets on Point. And, if you’re thinking of buying a betta fish, Pets on Point is your place. I can speak from experience - my Pets on Point betta, Pepe, is doing great in his new home at my apartment :)

To find out more about Pets on Point, check out their website here, or Facebook page. If you are interested in bettas and proper care, you can join the Maine Betta Keepers Society Facebook group, started by Mark, the owner of Pets on Point.

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