The inventory of available homes in Maine is near an all-time low. Yet we still found homes on the market with one striking feature in common.
That was a turret. These homes span a range of styles from Victorians to new construction, and they span the extreme parts of northern and southern Maine.
Here are four homes with turrets at different price ranges across the state.
A huge lakeside estate in Sinclair
866 Baie Creuse Road, $990,000
We’re going back to Aroostook here to nearly 45 acres that is just minutes from the Canadian border. It was built in 2008 to be a refuge for its artistic owners, who enjoyed sitting in the home’s two-story turret to paint or write or read. The sunlight hits that part of the house just right, said listing agent Matthew Dechaine, broker-owner of Crown Lakes Realty.
“It really feels stately,” Dechaine said. “It’s got the trifecta: lots of land, waterfront and utility service, which is very rare.”
The home has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and all that to explore out back. The home has been listed since last summer, and Dechaine said it might sit a little longer at this high price point for so far north. But it’s a very unique offering for the “glamorous homesteader” with a garden, fresh spring and lumber all on the lakeside property, he said.
This downtown Rockland home
140 Main St., $495,000
This charming Victorian home came on the market this month in downtown Rockland within walking distance of the water. Though it could use some updates to its floors, bathrooms and kitchen, there’s a great deal of beauty to be found in the fact that the home is still in its “original character,” broker Stephanie Rioux of Homestead Realty said.
Its woodwork, trim, and staircase are all as they were in the 1860s, when it was constructed. Other standout features include its new porch out front, attached two-car garage and gorgeous, towering turret, from which you can see the ocean.
The 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home is in downtown Rockland, walking distance from the water, and since it’s zoned as commercial could be a large residence or for business purposes. It could be a lovely bed and breakfast, Rioux suggested. A previous owner of the home told Rioux that up to 17 of her family members had stayed there at one time.
A Victorian home in Island Falls
72 Sherman St., $325,000
Built in 1907, this historic 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom Victorian home has been recently renovated but still has many of its original features, like a wood stove, fireplaces, tall, pine ceilings, and the intricate wood details over its doorways.
It’s been used partially as a business and partially as a residence in the past, said listing agent Karen Rockwell of Rockwell Properties. Another feature in keeping with that Victorian charm is the home’s small turret, which has an office.
Newer features include walk-in closets in the master suite, skylights and a jet tub set into the attic floor. Out back, Rockwell said there’s plenty of room in the backyard for sledding and gardening — right now, raspberries, rhubarb and flowers can be found there.
The home is in a remote spot in southern Aroostook County, roughly an hour and 20 minutes from Bangor and 30 minutes in either direction from Houlton and from Baxter State Park. It’s a special property, Rockwell said. She hopes a lot of people will stop to see it when eclipse chasers head north to Houlton for next month.
This coastal Kittery home
119 Pepperrell Road, $1,295,000
This grand 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom Victorian home in Kittery was a sea captain’s house when it was first constructed in 1860. Though it was renovated in 2016, the home has kept much of its original features such as its stained glass entry doors and windows and wooden floors.
Modern additions include new roofing, insulation, plumbing and electrical systems. Another standout feature is its turret, home to an office with panoramic ocean views.
“The location on Kittery Point is exceptional. [Homeowners] have use of the water, and they’re not just peek-a-boo views, they’re good views,” said listing agent Linda Briggs, broker-owner of Anne Erwin Sotheby’s International Realty.
