My wife and I have known Martha for years, but as long-time apartment dwellers we had no idea how real estate brokers worked, nor did we really consider hiring one since we had retiring family members with homes we could acquire. After a couple of imperfect fits, however, we became determined to find our own house in the Waterville area and realized that in order to shop correctly, we needed professional help. We went to Martha primarily for advice but quickly learned that her mid-coast territory and portfolio of properties that were a little beyond our price range really did not affect her ability to serve us in the Waterville area. She explained well what we could expect from her and answered our questions clearly and promptly.

We toured six properties with Martha, and like a detective she picked out certain clues and painted scenarios of the good and bad things that could become of them. From tracing holes left by ancient radiator systems to the threat of mosquitoes in the summer at a house adjacent to wetland, to potential geographic areas to satisfy our wants, she knew it all! That knowledge extended into the lending and insurance aspects, processes that can make anyone's head spin.

I'm really glad we went with Martha to help us out on our home-buying journey. Looking back at all the timelines and hurdles that seemed problematic at first, they really weren't that stressful with Martha’s guidance.

— Brian Vigue & Amy K. Cyrway

 

When it came time to sell my parents' house, I was overcome by anxiety, looking forward to a very stressful experience. Then I made the best decision in a very long time, and contacted Martha Laitin. As soon as Martha was invloved in the sale of the house, all of my stress disappeared. At every point in the process Martha knew what needed to be done, and how to do it. Her guidance and suggestions, her depth of knowledge made the whole process easy, informative and actually fun!. The house sold over the first weekend, a quick ending to what I had forseen as a long andunhappy process. I cannot praise Martha highly enough for the informed, professional job that she did for me. I recommend her to anyone who is considering selling a house and looking for a good realtor (no, a great realtor!) Ask Martha!

— Gary Lawless

 

As anyone knows who has attempted it, buying a house is a very stressful process. But I was very fortunate in having chosen Martha Laitin as my agent. She knew the area well, and she was quickly and knowledgeably responsive to my requests, concerns, and questions, The outcome was ultimately successful though there were several bumps along the road (due to the nature of the sale ? a home foreclosed for a year with an out-of-state mortgage holder, etc.). However, Martha remained always upbeat and serene and positive and encouraging. She never pressured. Her concern, and this was sincere, was that I not hasten into anything, but make the right choice for myself.

— Elizabeth Moore

 

We needed a broker. We were steered to Prudential in Searsport. Enter Martha Laitin into our lives. We had two difficult properties to sell---two seasonal properties with old Maine family connections with lots of deed complications. The market had tanked but we were convinced after meeting Martha that she could help us. Martha did leg work, leg work and more leg work. We were impressed with Martha’s geographic acumen. She found out more about our property than we ever knew and it all came in handy during negotiations. The individual properties took 2 years to sell (which, by the way, was her original forecast based on current market conditions). We had numerous showings and in the end, a buyer for the house from New Hampshire and a buyer for the summer cottage from Texas. The important thing was that in the end we got our fuuuuullllllll price and the people who bought the properties are happy.

Dealing with Martha was a fun trip. Because of the nature of our properties, negotiations were difficult and involved attorneys. Through it all, Martha maintained a terrific sense of humor, kept us informed at every step, and made us feel like we were the only clients she had. Thanks to the internet we could send documents back and forth quickly, make changes and move on. Over the two year period we had about 1000 emails----some complicated, some serious, some humorous but all contributed to a successful conclusion.

We had many laughs, never a cross moment between us but more importantly we became friends. We only wish we had more property to sell— we will miss Martha.

—Mike and Janet Weston, Cape Porpoise, Maine, June 15, 2011

 

Our plan upon retirement was to move to Maine. We were living in Texas and had not purchased a house in over 25 years. The challenge was to find a community and home that fulfilled our desires for the true nature of the state.

The task of narrowing down the field and who to choose to assist us with our new venture was overwhelming. The Internet was our primary source for real estate listings and agencies. After numerous online searches, a unique website boasting "Ask Martha In Maine" captured our interest.

After reading her bio and the wealth of other information on her site, we made contact via email. From that point forward, everything came together and we signed up Martha as our exclusive agent. Martha’s resourcefulness, efficiency and professionalism lead to our success in finding our new home in Orland. In many ways, she exceeded our expectations by going that extra step. We have absolutely no regrets about our choice of working with Martha and would highly recommend her to anyone looking to move to Maine. She is truly the best of the best.

— Jim and Susan Murasko

 

We first became interested in moving our family to coastal Maine from Prescott, Arizona after reading an article about eco-minded towns in a magazine. We did some Internet searching and found Martha's website right away, contacted her and received timely responses to our questions.

About 4 months after we first contacted Martha we had an opportunity to travel to Maine for 5 days with our 5 month old daughter and we saw many houses, most located around Belfast. Some of the houses we had found ourselves searching online, and others Martha had chosen for us to see based on our criteria and her opinion. We ended up finding a place that we really loved — Martha's pick — and went forward with house purchasing procedures. It turned out to be a stale deal, the fault of the sellers, but Martha was able to point us in the direction of help and picked us back up again when we were ready to move on.

We ended up moving to a rental house [in Belfast] in August and looked for more [purchase] options. We eventually found a house that suited our needs. We decided we wanted to be within Belfast city limits, close yet still feeling like we are a bit removed. We sealed the deal a short time later, all the while staying in close and easy contact with Martha.

As first time homebuyers and a young couple with an infant and a dog, Martha was accommodating, helpful and very sweet through our real estate process. Our cross-country move was huge for us and our assurance that Martha would be there to help us in Maine once we arrived was very comforting. She is extremely knowledgeable about the area, giving us tips on places to go for walks in nature, including providing us with maps and brochures, advising us on good eating establishments and quality businesses to visit in the area.

We are settling into our new home and look forward to expanding our family and growing our own food next summer. With Martha's help we were able to begin a lovely life in coastal Maine. She was not only our real estate agent, but became a friend and resident "aunt" to our daughter!

— Emily Gable & James Pierson

 

"When I decided to move my home and my pottery business from [upstate] New York to [midcoastal] Maine, I had a number of specific requirements that needed to be met in a single property: a livable and affordable house that would not need extensive renovation; a substantial studio space to accommodate production and firing, and a space that could serve as a gallery. I stopped in Martha's office on U.S.Rt.1 one summer to find a Realtor and met her. Martha subsequently worked with me for three years (I was there in the summers) to find properties that might be suitable. She was infinitely patient and cheerful and really "stuck it out" with me in finding an ideal living and working arrangement. As a bonus she also provided guidance in selling my NY home! I am most grateful to be (finally!) here in Maine and especially grateful to Martha for helping it to happen."

— Barbara Haring

 

"In our search to move East and settle year round in Maine we found Martha through a Google query [AskMarthaInMaine.com]. We had some houses and areas in mind and with her help via e-mail and phone calls before we arrived, we were able to focus our search. We then travelled from our home in Colorado to meet with her. Through her knowledge, dedication and efficiency the trip and whole experience was a success. Not only was she able to help find our home, but her knowledge of the area we settled in and the surrounding area was extremely beneficial"

— Fred and Eileen Mazur

 

"While selling my house in Maine I found Martha to be an excellent Realtor who was very professional, as well as personable. I enjoyed my experience with her. She gets results, while making friends."

— Elaine Maxim

 

"Ten years ago my wife and I had the good fortune to meet Martha Laitin as we searched for a vacation cottage in Mid Coast Maine. Martha was easily the broker we were most comfortable with. Martha understood us and our wants and with her great knowledge of the area, efficiently directed us to the cottage that we enjoy to this day. Ever since, Martha has remained in friendly contact, always helpful and available. When somebody talks Maine real estate to us, we always recommend Martha Laitin."

— Fred and Linda Ryan

 

"Martha is my broker in any real estate business I have...she is a delight to work with, always upbeat, with great "people sense". I have never felt the slightest bit pressured by Martha, and can trust that she is unfailingly honest. House buying or selling with Martha seems more like a visit over coffee with an old friend. In fact, I recommend her to people whenever I get the chance!"

— Glen Bridges

 

"I found our Realtor, Martha Laitin, from a Google search in early 2006 after having a disappointing meeting with another Realtor in the mid-coast Maine area [the summer before]. I liked her credentials listed in her website.

We were looking for a mid-coast [Maine] lake cottage to buy as a second home to replace a [Pennsylvania] condo that we owned and had on the market. Living in Virginia, we didn't have the luxury of being a short drive away from Maine to go cottage hunting, [so we needed the help of a local Realtor]. ...We found Martha very knowledgeable about real estate and Maine... Martha's friendly manner and folksy charm, made us feel welcome to Maine.

...Martha was well prepared when we arrived in her office and had mapped out the properties we would be seeing. We knew which properties we would see in advance since she had e-mailed us over the previous weeks various properties on the market in our price range and awaited our feed back on each.

...We closed on our Crawford Pond cottage [in Union] the end of April 2007. Martha was terrific throughout the process helping us with snags that came along prior to closing. She was a great source of answers to anything from septic systems ...to black flies... Anytime I sent her an e-mail with a concern, I heard back within hours or one day. She never let us down. We appreciated her professionalism and friendship throughout the process. We would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a Realtor who is truly organized and knowledgeable of her profession."

— Betty and Larry Cleghorn