Belfast Named “Best Place to Live” by Down East Magazine
Every few years, Down East magazine takes stock of the varied towns across the state and compiles its list of “Best Places to Live,” taking into account quality of life, or as the editors say, “easy access to the Maine outdoors, lively or up-and-coming Main Streets, [and] proximity to interesting dining and retail,” all while factoring in the current “gonzo real estate market,” (their words, but we have to agree their adjective choice is spot-on). This year, Belfast came out on top.
Why Belfast, you might ask? Learn more about the midcoast gem in the excerpt below.
Main Street, which seems never to have an empty storefront, overlooks the Passagassawakeag River, which wends alongside a popular rail trail and a few lovely nature preserves. Nicolle Littrell moved to Belfast 20 years ago and runs DoryWoman Rowing, leading guided rows and tours on the river and Belfast Bay in a traditional wooden dory (even in winter). The water, she says, is integral to the city’s character. “It’s just like an artery running through town,” she says. “Upriver was once the seat of industry. You look at the structures built on it, the footbridge connecting both sides. The river and the bay are really just the full heart of Belfast.”
The story also pieces together a nice timeline of the colorful “collars” that have driven industry and culture throughout the town’s history, as the “blue-collar backbone owes to more than two centuries of shipbuilding and maritime trades,” and the “white-collar boom came between 1995 and 2005, when credit-card titan MBNA invested heavily around town and paved the way for Athenahealth and Bank of America, now among the midcoast’s largest employers.”
The “green-collar” wave came with hippies and homesteaders, and there’s a green thumb influence in programs like “the middle school’s nationally recognized garden-and-greenhouse program to the acclaimed farm-to-table café Chase’s Daily to the Belfast Cohousing & Ecovillage to the headquarters of the Maine Farmland Trust.” Read the full story here.
If you’re looking to join this up-and-coming community, learn more about our Belfast properties for sale below.
51 Bridge Street, Belfast, Maine
Offered at $1,275,000
Represented by Michael Lynch
This custom-built 4-bedroom home overlooks the Belfast harbor with multiple large covered decks. The second-floor master suite boasts a jacuzzi tub overlooking the water and a gorgeous glass and tile shower with dual showerheads. The property has plenty of storage with a 2-bay garage and a second detached 1-car garage and is just steps away from the Belfast Harbor Walk and Footbridge. Learn more about this Belfast home for sale here.
70-72 Main Street, Belfast, Maine
Offered at $795,000
Represented by Aaron Crossman
Fantastic investment opportunity located in the heart of downtown Belfast in a high-traffic area. This is the entire main floor, comprising two retail spaces and two hotel-like rental units that can be rented on a nightly basis. Learn more about this Belfast property for sale here.
