Maine’s housing market typically sees a chill in the winter, but there are still a slew of homes around the state’s vaunted ski areas at a range of prices.
Winter activities including skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling contributed $108 million to Maine’s economy in 2023, according to the state’s outdoor recreation office. This industry continues to be one of the major things that attract people to put roots down here.
We rounded up five houses ranging from multimillion-dollar mountainside lodges built on spec to less pricey, rural homes that are a quick drive away from one of the state’s ski resorts.
A luxury ski chalet in Newry, $2.1 million
A 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom chalet near Sunday River is newly constructed, built on spec and move-in ready, according to its listing.
Though it sits on a private, 1-acre lot, the home is part of a 68-lot development that is only a 5-minute drive from the ski resort. If that’s too much for you, homeowners have access to a private shuttle that ferries them to and from the base lodges throughout the winter season.
“It’s different than a lot of the developments in the Sunday River area. It’s very walkable and flat,” listing agent Susan DuPlessis, who also resides in the neighborhood, said. “It’s a very livable neighborhood.”
There’s a network of trails around the development, which includes a private, gated access road that directly connects to the base lodges and lets homeowners cut the “morning traffic,” DuPlessis, broker-owner of Mountain Real Estate Company, said.
The home offers features including a covered porch with a hot tub, a wet bar, a large deck with slope views and a wood-burning fireplace. The property also has a generator, the agent said.
A hilltop home in Greenville, $995,000
This 3-bedroom, 4-bathroom hilltop home in Greenville sits on 5 acres and offers panoramic views of Moosehead Lake and its surrounding mountains.
“It’s one of the most beautiful developments in Greenville,” Sally Harvey, the property’s listing agent, said. “They have wonderful views. They have front row seats to the Northern Lights, the solar eclipse and incredible sunsets.”
It’s a contemporary, year-round home with two garages, vaulted ceilings, a wine cellar and a 60-foot deck. Other attractions include its remodeled kitchen, its custom, built-in bookcases; its hand-cut granite, a wood-burning fireplace and two generators.
It’s about a 20-minute drive from the Big Moose Mountain ski area, which has been listed for sale after a developer’s grand plans fell through but is still being run by a local nonprofit.
A Carrabassett Valley ski lodge, $859,000
This 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home is also newly constructed and situated on a private, wooded 1-acre lot minutes from Sugarloaf Mountain in northern Franklin County
“This area has miles upon miles of world class nordic trails in the winter and mountain biking trails in the summer,” Kimberley Kearing, the home’s listing agent, wrote in an email. “One can directly access these trails quite easily from the house.”
Some attractive features of this home include its two decks, a walk-in closet, an electric fireplace and an electric vehicle charger. It also has a generator, Kearing, an agent with CSM Real Estate, said.
A Bavarian-style “Ski Haus” in Newry, $735,000
This 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom ski home is a classic, Bavarian-style chalet located less than 4 miles from the slopes of Sunday River, according to its listing.
The owners built the “Ski Haus” in 2004 in the Alpen style because of their roots, according to Margery Camden, the property’s listing agent. One’s family hails from Germany, and both enjoy visiting the Alps. They lived in Germany just after the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989.
It’s an efficient design, Camden, an agent with Sunday River real estate, said, with three levels of living space totaling about 2,000 square feet. The home sits on a private, wooded lot, offers sweeping views of the mountains and their slopes and is close to two swimming holes.
A Fryeburg farmhouse, $545,000
This 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom home is a classic New England farmhouse, built in 1880 on just over 8 acres along a quiet road in western Maine. It’s about a 10-minute drive in either direction to in-town Fryeburg and the Pleasant Mountain Ski Area. That’s an ideal location for an outdoor enthusiast, said listing agent Mick Early.
“We have lakes for winter or summer fun, mountains for winter or summer fun, hiking — everything,” Early, an agent with The Lakes Real Estate, said.
The farmhouse has a wood stove, wood-burning fireplace and large deck with plenty of space for entertaining, according to the listing. The home could use some updates but is move-in ready, the agent said. For the equine inclined, the property also includes an attached barn with horse stalls and a paddock area, Early said.
