Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in one of LandVest’s properties? We invite our owners to tell us a bit about their experience, what they love about their homes and a bit of their history. We spoke with the owners of Harbor Point on Harbor Island. Here, they tell us what they love about their home at the mouth of the New Meadows River across from the shores of Sebasco Harbor Resort in Phippsburg, Maine.
How did you first encounter Harbor Point?
We’d been looking for a couple of years for the right island property. We wanted something with enough acreage to make it feel private but near enough to activities to keep it interesting. When we found both of those things together at the highly coveted “southern tip” of Harbor Island, we knew it was the right place.
We first walked the island on a crisp fall day after most of the “summer people” in the area had gone. One of the locals gave us a ride to the island in his lobster boat. We walked along the rocky shore dotted with small sandy coves and then through the moss-covered woods. It felt remote and yet it was so accessible to the resort just across the harbor.
What was it that grabbed you about this property?
It’s amazing being on the southern tip of an island. You can watch the sun come up over the harbor in the morning and later watch it set over the open ocean. In the evenings when I walk east toward the harbor I come over a small knoll at the shore and see the sun sparkling on the water and shining on the boats and moorings, it takes my breath away.
Did you make changes to the property?
Our end of the island was untouched when we arrived. While maintaining that natural landscape, we did add modern amenities. We brought electricity from the mainland, pounded a few wells, and built a gravel road to gator from one side of the island to the other. We built a timber frame barn, with beautiful mortise and tenon joinery. While we initially planned it for storage, it was such a pleasant space it became living quarters. There was no landing site on the island so we expanded a small beach on the harbor side where a barge can unload materials. Oh and the dock, we installed a sturdy, deepwater dock with a wide ramp, that was our first improvement.
Why are you selling?
A few years ago we bought a farm with animals that require daily care. I’m spending more and more time there and less time on the island.
What are the key features a new owner would relish about the property?
There’s something unique about living on a Maine island. It has a rare vibe, a quiet and remoteness, a feeling of simplicity. I relish sitting on the ledges overlooking the ocean, watching osprey soar overhead, and the lobstermen haul their traps while listening to the waves lap along the shore.
At the same time, it’s great to buzz across the harbor in the dinghy or by launch service. The resort’s right there and we can play golf and tennis, get an ice cream, or have a nice dinner at one of the resort’s restaurants. There’s always someone at the dock ready for an easy chat, a few local friends, guests coming off their boats, families visiting for the summer – it’s a welcoming community.
The fishing is exceptional, a big draw for sportsmen. There’s striper fishing right off the southwest ledges and easy boat access to unpressured bluefish, striper and tuna fishing.
It’s a place where you can stay busy or retreat and relax – that combination of nature, activity and privacy makes for very special island living.
For more information about Harbor Point on Harbor Island, click here.
If you have other questions for our seller, please let Karen Reiche know, and she’ll get right back to you!
Visit our Portland page for more information on other great Maine real estate including special oceanfront properties and lakefront retreats. For all Maine luxury real estate listings, click here.
