A log cabin once part of the Point Lookout resort in Northport but moved to Rockport in the past year is among the log cabins for sale now in Maine.
Others located in more rural, wooded areas include a completely off-grid cabin in Franklin County and several that need work. Most are close to water and hiking or snowmobile trails for buyers seeking an outdoorsy option for weekends or year-round living.
All are priced at less than $350,000, which is about $17,500 under the median sales price for a single-family home across the state in April, according to the Maine Association of Realtors.
Log cabins were more expensive than an equivalent traditional stick-frame house a decade ago, but a spurt in homebuilding and inflation has driven lumber prices through the roof in the past two years.
That made it cheaper for the current owner of the Rockport log cabin to buy it and spend another $15,000 to move it from Northport rather than trying to build a new home on the Rockport property, said Chuck Brawn, a real estate broker with Dwelling in Maine who is selling the property. The two-bedroom log cabin is listed for $345,000.
“It has the charm that log cabins have and at less than $350,000 it is almost an affordable housing option for a first-time homebuyer,” he said.
This 588-square-foot log cabin (left) has two bedrooms (right) and is located close to hiking and other activities in Rockport. Credit: Courtesy of Chuck Brawn
The 588-square-foot log cabin, located on West Street, has a new heat pump and a metal roof. Although the 1.2-acre lot has a lot of trees, is close to hiking trails and is about 2 miles from Rockport Harbor, it also is close to a major road, Brawn said.
The owners are investors and developers based in Maine. Brawn expects the log cabin to attract a buyer interested in turning it into an Airbnb.
An off-grid log camp in Temple, about 5 miles west of Farmington, would be a “very rugged Airbnb,” said Gary Snow, a broker with Coldwell Banker Sandy River Realty who is selling the property.
Snow said it is “very, very quiet,” a couple miles from the nearest road and half a mile to the nearest neighbor.
“It’s a quiet place to collect your thoughts,” he said.
That could be perfect for those seeking a simple, relaxing weekend or seasonal camp, which is how the current owners use it, he said. They live only a half-hour’s drive away. One feature is the 10-foot-deep front porch.
The 784-square-foot camp sits on 10 acres on Dean Mountain Road, which Snow describes as “a grade above an ATV trail.” It is listed at $154,000. It has propane monitor heat and uses propane to power the lights, refrigerator and stove.
Since propane trucks cannot get up the driveway, the new owners will have to get 100-pound propane cylinders filled in town. Those come with the property. The water that needs to be lugged in does not.
The camp has a kitchen, a great room with combined living and dining areas and a loft. A small stream runs through the property, but those who want to fish would have to drive 3 miles to Varnum Pond, known for its landlocked salmon, lake trout and brook trout.
Snow said there has been a lot of interest in the cabin, but no takers so far.
This 784-square-foot camp in Temple is remote and off-grid. It features a combined living room and dining area, as well as a rustic kitchen. Credit: Courtesy of Gary Snow
Another log cabin in Linneus, an Aroostook County town about a 10-minute drive from either New Limerick or Hodgdon, also comes with a lot of acreage. The property on Winter Road has 20 wooded acres and is part of the Maine Tree Growth Tax program, which can help save on taxes.
The log cabin is 800 square feet with two bedrooms and one bath. There is a 12 feet by 20 feet Amish outbuilding for storage. It is close to Drews Lake and has deeded access to a shared lakefront area. It is listed for $169,900.
Two other log cabins need some work before they can be used as a home or rental. One in Baileyville on South Princeton Road is on the market for $129,000. Located about a 30-minute drive west of Calais in Washington County, the two-bedroom, 735-square-foot cabin is on 28 wooded acres close to lakes and snowmobile trails.
The outside is completed but parts of the interior need to be finished, according to the real estate listing. It is insulated and comes with “what the seller believes would be all the materials needed to finish it.” It has a pellet stove and a full bath with laundry hookups.
The other cabin in Dyer Brook also needs to be refurbished, said Sheldon Anderson, an agent with Realty of Maine-Bangor who is selling the property. Located a couple miles south of Oakfield in Aroostook County on Pond Road, the 672-square-foot cabin has one bedroom and one bath. It is listed at $72,900.
The floor coverings and ceilings need repairs, and the plumbing needs attention, Anderson said. If updated, it could be a year-round home.
“The big attraction is it is located near Pleasant Lake, which has clean, clear water,” he said.
That lake is known for its striped bass, largemouth bass and flathead catfish. The area also has accessible snowmobile and hiking trails. Anderson said it could be turned into a rental once it is fixed up.
The cabin is on a road maintained by the town. It is about 25 minutes from the Canadian border and about one and a half hours north of Bangor. It also is about 37 miles from Baxter State Park.
“With very little effort this cute cabin could be cozy and complete,” Anderson said.