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# Maine Home Connection: Maine Home Connection is an independent real estate brokerage headquartered in the heart of downtown Portland, Maine — where the working waterfront is our front yard and the communities of Greater Portland and Southern Maine are our home.

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://mainehomeconnection.com/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Posts
- [Some Maine History Grows on Trees](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/09/28/some-maine-history-grows-on-trees/): It involves apples, old farms, forgotten orchards, and a man who has spent more than 50 years searching for apple varieties that nearly disappeared. His name is John Bunker, and his work offers an interesting way to think about Maine—not just its history, but the land and properties that are still part of that history.
- [Waterfront Living Beyond Summer](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/09/26/waterfront-living-beyond-summer/): When people imagine waterfront living in Maine, they usually picture summer. Boats moving across the bay. A kayak pulled up on the shore. Dinner on the deck. Long afternoons outside and evenings that seem to stretch on forever.
- [Portland Short Term Rentals](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/09/23/portland-short-term-rentals/): Why are short-term rentals so popular in Portland? Ask ten visitors why they booked a short-term rental instead of a hotel room, and you'll hear the same handful of answers. A full kitchen instead of a mini-fridge. Enough space for the whole family under one roof. The chance to wake up on Munjoy Hill or in the West End and feel, for a few days, like a local instead of a tourist.
- [Monthly Connection – Sept 2026](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/09/23/monthly-connection-september-2026/): This morning, from our house, we watched two fireboats send arcs of water into the sky over Casco Bay — a signal, not a coincidence. Laura checked her watch. 8:46. The exact minute the first plane hit, twenty-five years ago.
- [August Sales Report](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/09/21/august-sales-report/): Statewide, August closed sales fell 9.9% from a year ago and 9.8% from July — the sharpest pullback of the year. Active inventory kept climbing anyway, up 23.2% year-over-year, pushing months of supply to 3.6. Days on market jumped 36% from July to a median of 15. The median price barely moved, down 0.1% for the month.
- [Monthly Connection | August 2026](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/08/17/monthly-connection-august-2026/): You can read the full August issue — the organ, the island, the rent board, and everything else — Monthly Connection - August 2026. Or visit the Monthly Connection Archive for all the past issues.
- [Oceanfront Home at 144 Surf St](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/08/04/oceanfront-home-at-144-surf-st/): More Than an Oceanfront Home. A Place to Imagine More. Most property videos begin with a room-by-room tour. We chose a different approach.
- [Multigenerational Homes in Maine](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/07/15/multigenerational-homes-in-maine/): If your needs are changing, you may be thinking about sharing a home with additional loved ones — grandparents, adult children, or other extended family. Whether it's driven by finances, health, or simply a new phase of life, you're not alone in wondering whether living with multiple generations under one roof is the right move. So, Is a Multigenerational Home Right for Your Family?
- [June Home Sales Stats](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/07/14/june-home-sales-stats/): June kept the Cumberland County single family market firmly in seller's territory. The median sales price climbed to $620,000, up 4.6% from May, and while that's just a touch below where we stood a year ago, it's a signal of a market that's cooled only slightly from an already-hot 2025. What stands out most to our team is speed: homes sold in a median of just 5 days, 16.7% faster than both May and June of last year. When a house is priced right in this county, buyers aren't waiting around to make a decision.
- [July 2026 Monthly Connection](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/07/14/july-2026-monthly-connection/): Every place has stories that hide in plain sight — the ones nobody tells until something jogs them loose. Maine has more than its share. This month, in the middle of putting together the July Monthly Connection, we kept running into a few of them: a summer that never showed up, a lake that doesn't ask for attention, land quietly disappearing, and a philosophy we don't talk about enough. They don't have much in common on the surface. But taken together, they say something about how this state actually works. You can get the latest edition right here - July Monthly Connection.
- [Evaluating Luxury Condos in Portland](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/07/09/evaluating-luxury-condos-in-portland/): Is a Portland waterfront condo worth the premium? The honest answer: it depends on more than the view from the living room. At Maine Home Connection, we've walked enough of these buildings to know that "waterfront" is doing a lot of work in that listing description — and the difference between two condos both called "waterfront" can be the difference between the lifestyle you pictured and one you didn't sign up for.
- [250 Years of Received Wisdom](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/07/08/250-years-of-received-wisdom/): Fireworks have been part of the Fourth of July since its very first anniversary, in 1777 — making them one of the oldest, and best-documented, of all Independence Day traditions.
- [May Home Sale Update](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/06/23/may-home-sale-update/): The Cumberland County housing market continues to show why it's one of the strongest in Maine. While we're seeing more homes come on the market, demand hasn't disappeared—it has simply become a little more selective. The median sales price reached $595,000 in May, a 2.6% increase over last year, while remaining nearly unchanged from April. Home values continue to hold steady, reinforcing the long-term strength of our local market.
- [Maine Home Price Appreciation](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/06/20/maine-home-price-appreciation/): None of this happened by accident, and none of it is explained by any single factor. Maine's position at the top of the national home price growth rankings reflects a combination of constrained supply, a tight labor market, one of the lowest crime rates in the country, and a growing recognition — among people who didn't grow up here — that Maine offers something increasingly rare: stability.
- [The Monthly Connection – June 2026](https://mainehomeconnection.com/2026/06/16/the-monthly-connection-june-2026/): The June issue of The Monthly Connection is out — and it leans into all of it.

## Pages
- [Michael Sosnowski](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/michael-sosnowski/): I did not come to real estate from real estate. I earned a degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut and an MBA in marketing from the University of Texas at Arlington. Before real estate, I spent more than two decades in sales and marketing roles with large corporations across the United States and internationally. Years working in Asia and Europe shaped the way I think about markets, audiences, and communication. I was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a $150 million division of Sappi Fine Paper Company. I lived in New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta before I ever lived in Maine — each move meaning I had to learn a new city, a new community, and a new sense of where I fit, often with very little help figuring it out. That experience is part of why relocation isn't an afterthought at Maine Home Connection. It's why we built out one of the most comprehensive relocation resources of any brokerage in the state, including a full area guide with video content designed to help someone understand Maine — genuinely understand it — before they've ever set foot here. I know what it's like to move somewhere without that.
- [Press](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/press/): Since 2003, Maine Home Connection has served as a trusted source for journalists and broadcasters covering the Greater Portland and Southern Maine real estate market. Co-owners Michael and Laura Sosnowski are regularly quoted in the Portland Press Herald, Mainebiz, and regional broadcast media — offering on-the-ground perspective on market conditions, buyer and seller trends, inventory challenges, and the forces shaping Maine's housing landscape.
- [Monthly Connection](https://mainehomeconnection.com/monthly-connection/): Every month, something is happening in Maine worth paying attention to — a market shift, a local story, a moment of history, an idea worth sitting with. The Monthly Connection is how Maine Home Connection has been capturing those moments since 2003. Each issue brings together real estate insights, local color, and the kind of stories that remind you why Maine isn't just a place to live — it's a place to belong. Browse our archive below, and if you enjoy what you find, you might also enjoy our collection of Maine lifestyle videos.
- [Laura Sosnowski](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/laura-sosnowski/): Getting to Know Laura SosnowskiPrincipal broker & co-founderhttps://mainehomeconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Laura-Sosnowski-1.webpPGRpdiBzdHlsZT0icG9zaXRpb246cmVsYXRpdmU7cGFkZGluZy1ib3R0b206NTYuMjIlICFpbXBvcnRhbnQ7aGVpZ2h0OjA7Ij48aWZyYW1lIHNyYz0iLy9pcGxheWVyaGQuY29tL3BsYXllci92aWRlby8xZWIxMzUyMC1kN2IzLTRjOTYtYjY5YS1mYTAzY2JiYjI4ODEiIGFsbG93dHJhbnNwYXJlbmN5PSJ0cnVlIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgc2Nyb2xsaW5nPSJubyIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuIHN0eWxlPSJwb3NpdGlvbjphYnNvbHV0ZTt0b3A6MDtsZWZ0OjA7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtoZWlnaHQ6MTAwJTtib3JkZXI6MDsiID48L2lmcmFtZT48L2Rpdj4=Co-Founder & BrokerPGRpdiBzdHlsZT0icG9zaXRpb246cmVsYXRpdmU7cGFkZGluZy1ib3R0b206NTYuMjIlICFpbXBvcnRhbnQ7aGVpZ2h0OjA7Ij48aWZyYW1lIHNyYz0iLy9pcGxheWVyaGQuY29tL3BsYXllci92aWRlby9iZGQwMzI1Ni00Yzc4LTQ0ZGQtYjNkMS03NGY1Y2Y0YzYxYmMiIGFsbG93dHJhbnNwYXJlbmN5PSJ0cnVlIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgc2Nyb2xsaW5nPSJubyIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuIHN0eWxlPSJwb3NpdGlvbjphYnNvbHV0ZTt0b3A6MDtsZWZ0OjA7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtoZWlnaHQ6MTAwJTtib3JkZXI6MDsiID48L2lmcmFtZT48L2Rpdj4=Influencer vs InfluentialFor more than two decades, Laura Sosnowski has helped buyers, sellers, and relocating clients navigate Greater Portland and Southern Maine. As Principal Broker and co-founder of Maine Home Connection, she brings together deep local knowledge, strategic marketing, and the perspective that comes from more than 20 years of working in this market. Based in Portland, Maine, Laura has particular experience with residential, waterfront, and coastal properties, as well as the unique challenges that come with relocating to Maine. But her path to real estate didn't begin with real estate. It began with building businesses, serving customers, and learning what it takes to earn someone's trust. Whether you are buying a home or selling a home in Southern Maine, Laura and Maine Home Connection offer practical guidance throughout the process.
- [Who We Are](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/who-is-mhc/): https://mainehomeconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MHC_8118_tonemapped-1-scaled.jpg
- [Maine Real Estate FAQs](https://mainehomeconnection.com/maine-real-estate-faqs/): Whether you're buying your first home in Portland, selling a property you've loved for years, relocating to Maine from out of state, or searching for the perfect waterfront retreat — you probably have questions. We've answered the most common ones here. Explore by topic below, or contact us directly and we'll be happy to talk through your situation.
- [Home Selling FAQs](https://mainehomeconnection.com/sellers/home-selling-faqs/): https://mainehomeconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Western-Prom-e1739305174725.jpg
- [Home Buying FAQs](https://mainehomeconnection.com/buyers/maine-home-buying-faqs/): https://mainehomeconnection.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Laptop-min-e1743608252614.jpg
- [Terms of Service](https://mainehomeconnection.com/terms-of-service/): Welcome to Maine Home Connection. By accessing or using our website and real estate services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree, please do not use our Site or services.
- [Privacy Policy](https://mainehomeconnection.com/privacy-policy/): Maine Home Connection is committed to protecting your privacy while helping you navigate your home-buying or selling experience with confidence. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you visit MaineHomeConnection.com or interact with Maine Home Connection agents, or any digital tools.
- [Market Dynamics](https://mainehomeconnection.com/market-dynamics/): Learn more about the markets or neighborhoods you are considering for your new home. The report below provides insights to selling prices, timelines, recently sold properties home specifications and financing. Get a feel for whether the your desired area is in high demand, stable or cooling off. Just enter the town or zip code. There is also an app that you can download.
- [State Forms](https://mainehomeconnection.com/buyers/state-forms/): Below you will find a list of state forms that are required to be provide to home buyers.
- [Lifestyle Videos](https://mainehomeconnection.com/lifestyle-videos/): Maine has a way of changing how you see things. The pace slows down, the horizon opens up, and what matters starts to come into focus. At Maine Home Connection, we've spent years trying to capture that feeling — not just in the homes we represent, but in the stories we tell. These videos are part of that effort. Some are about real estate. Some are about Maine. Some are about being human. All of them reflect what we believe: that finding the right home starts with knowing what you're really looking for.
- [Market Value](https://mainehomeconnection.com/cma/): Assessing and establishing the market value of a property is a multifaceted endeavor. At Maine Home Connection we specialize in employing a rigorous and analytical methodology, aimed at minimizing emotional biases in the valuation process. Our distinct approach places a strong emphasis on objectivity and impartiality. We are committed to removing as much emotion from the decision-making process as possible, ensuring that our clients receive a true and unbiased assessment of their property's market value. By doing so, we provide a solid foundation for making sound real estate choices, whether it's selling a property at its optimal price or making a well-informed purchasing decision.
- [Chebeague Island](https://mainehomeconnection.com/waterfrontrealestate/cascobayislands/chebeague/): Chebeague Island has been a popular spot for outings for hundreds of years. Huge piles of centuries old clam and oyster shells are evidence that Native Americans enjoyed their clambakes as much as we do today. Great Chebeague Island is the Largest island in Casco Bay. It's some five miles long and three miles across, covering over 2,800 acres.

## FAQs
- [What about drinking water?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/what-about-drinking-water/): While it is permissible to pull water from a lake or river, the problems are potability and freezing of waterlines, so this is typically a seasonal source for uses other than drinking. Drilled wells (often called artesian here) are the best permanent source, with the probability of finding water in Maine being excellent. For an already developed property with a water source, water quality, quantity and the performance of the systems should be tested by a lab and/or a well contractor.
- [Can a seasonal camp in a shoreland zone be converted to a year-round home?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/converting-a-camp-to-a-permanent-home/): Private campsites are subject to the following standards:
- [What about cutting trees and clearing vegetation?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/what-about-cutting-trees-and-clearing-vegetation/)
- [Any advice on septic systems?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/shoreland-septic-systems/): Yes. Septic systems can work effectively for 25 years or more if properly maintained. But its often a case of out of sight, out of mind. A system can be failing or polluting nearby surface water without there being visible signs. So before purchasing property with a septic system, ask for documentation on design, location and maintenance, look for signs of failure and have the system professionally inspected.
- [Are there erosion control requirements?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/shoreland-erosion-requirements/): Yes. Before any development is undertaken, it is essential that state and local standards be investigated. In the case of earth disturbance within 100 feet of a water resource, a permit may be required for excavating, filling, grading, placing riprap, maintaining or replacing structures including docks and retaining walls. Stormwater vegetated buffers, while not always required, are strongly encouraged to help prevent erosion and polluted runoff into water bodies.
- [What about roads, driveways and parking areas?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/shoreland-parking-areas/): The setbacks are generally the same as for structures, But there are specific requirements as to banks, grades and drainage that should be investigated. See the local Code Enforcement Officer.
- [Are there lot coverage requirements?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/shoreland-coverage-requirements/): Yes. Because solid surfaces increase runoff, the total area of a lot coverage by structures, driveways, parking areas, decks, patios, and other non-vegetated surfaces is limited to 20% in shoreland areas.
- [Are there height restrictions?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/shoreland-height-restrictions/): Yes. The maximum height of a new or expanded structure is 35 feet, measured from the downhill side of the building to the roof peak. Additionally, the first floor must be at least one foot above the 100 year flood elevation. When in doubt, see the local town office
- [What are the minimum setback requirements?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/minimum-waterfront-setbacks/): The setback for structures on great ponds or rivers flowing into great ponds is 100 feet. A 75 foot setback applies to all other water bodies, streams and wetlands.
- [What is the minimum lot size allowed?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/minumum-waterfront-lot-size/): Shore frontage (the width of the lot at the waterfront) and overall lot sizes standards vary, depending on the type of use and type of water body. Generally, the following minimum standards apply:
- [What else can be done with a non-conforming structure?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/non-conforming-options/): It may be possible to build a new or enlarged basement under the structure. It may be possible to relocate the structure. If a building is damaged or destroyed and loses more than 50% of its value, it may be possible to rebuild it. See the local ordinance.
- [Does that mean no expansion is possible?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/possible-waterfront-expansion/): No. The law does not permit any expansion towards the water if the structure is already less than the required setback. However, a non-conforming structure that existed on January 1, 1989 may be expanded less than 30% (based on the floor area and volume of the structure), but only to the part of the building that is within the required setback - and, of course, with a permit. Local municipalities may adopt some other alternatives to the 30% rule. See the local ordinance.
- [What about buildings, lots and uses that do not meet current standards?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/current-standards/): These are "non-conforming" and usually pre-date the ordinance. A common situation is where a building is sited too close to the water. These non-conforming uses may be repaired, renovated and maintained without a permit, provided no expansion occurs.
- [How is the distance from a water body measured?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/shoreland-zone-measured/): It is measured horizontally from the normal high water line, or in the case of a wetland, the "upland edge". It is NOT the uphill distance.
- [What are considered shoreland zones?](https://mainehomeconnection.com/faq-items/what-are-shoreland-zones/): All land within 250 feet of the highwater line of any pond over 10 acres, any river that drains at least 25 square miles, and all tidal waters and saltwater marshes. All land within 250 feet of a freshwater wetland over 10 acres. All land within 75 feet of streams that are an outlet of great ponds or streams below the confluence of 2 perennial streams.

## Categories
- [Art Scene](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/art-scene/)
- [Business News](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/business-news/)
- [Cape Elizabeth](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/cape-elizabeth/)
- [Client Reviews](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/client-reviews/)
- [Commercial Real Estate](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/commercial-real-estate/)
- [Concierge Services](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/concierge-services/)
- [Energy Efficient Homes](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/energy-efficient-homes/)
- [Entertainment](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/entertainment/)
- [Falmouth](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/falmouth/)
- [Featured Property](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/featured-property/)
- [Green Homes](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/green-homes/)
- [Holiday](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/holiday/)
- [Home Buying](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/home-buying/)
- [Home Selling](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/home-selling/)
- [Home Value](https://mainehomeconnection.com/category/home-value/)

## About
- [Who We Are](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/who-is-mhc/): Maine Home Connection's founding story, The Human Algorithm philosophy, and what sets the brokerage apart from national portals — written by co-founders Michael and Laura Sosnowski.
- [Laura Sosnowski](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/laura-sosnowski/): Principal Broker and co-owner, specializing in Greater Portland and Southern Maine real estate since 2003.
- [Press](https://mainehomeconnection.com/about/press/): Press citations and media coverage since 2003 — Portland Press Herald, Mainebiz, Maine Public Radio, and regional broadcast outlets quoting co-owners Michael and Laura Sosnowski on Maine real estate market conditions.