Housing
This section of the BDN aims to help readers understand Maine’s housing crisis, the volatile real estate market and the public policy behind them. Read more Housing coverage here.
You never know what’s hiding behind the doors in someone’s house.
Maine is full of older homes often teeming with features that hint at the home’s age or past owners, such as crown molding, built-in cabinets or stained glass windows. But, homes of all ages can hold unique, whimsical elements that add to the property’s charm or functionality.
We found three homes in Maine on the market with one thing in common — they all have rooms hidden behind bookcases.
Camden, $895,000
Set on a little more than 2 acres, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Camden offers nearly 2,760 square feet of living space with an attached two-car garage less than 10 minutes from downtown.
The home was built in 1828 and restored to hold modern comforts with historic charm. Several skylights fill the house with sunlight while the master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with a large soaking tub with a separate shower and a walk-in closet.
A built-in bookcase on one side of the fireplace in the living room reveals a cozy hidden den with another woodstove and more shelving and windows.
Outside, the property offers a large antique barn, a spacious deck and a sauna, in addition to a fenced-in yard and sprawling gardens, the listing shows.
The home hit the market in January with an asking price of more than $1.1 million. The listing has been removed a few times and the price cut until it was listed again in late June for $895,000.
Farmington, $450,000
Built in 1820, this 200-year-old farmhouse in Farmington has been expanded upon over time to now hold five bedrooms and three bathrooms across more than 3,320 square feet of living space.
The main house has four bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms as well as several unique features, including a secret room hidden behind a bookcase in the home’s library. There’s also an old pipe organ in the house.
The property has an attached one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a private entrance that could be used as an in-law suite or rented out for additional income.
The basement, meanwhile, holds shelving and storage space, as well as the heating oil tank that has been painted to look like a cow.
Set on nearly 5 acres, the property has fields, apple trees and a pond that serves as an ice skating rink in the winter, according to the property listing.
The house hit the market in March after selling the month before $575,000, Zillow records show. It had an asking price of $475,000 in March, but that has since been knocked down to $450,000.
Belfast, $1.7 million
This four-bedroom, four-bathroom contemporary-style house in Belfast was built in 2023 and offers nearly 4,800 square feet of living space on a little more than an acre.
Located less than five minutes from downtown Belfast, the home features a large sunroom and a commercial kitchen, as well as open living and dining room spaces on both the first and second floors.
The home has several hidden spaces tucked behind bookcases and shelving units. In the kitchen, for example, there’s a pantry hidden behind a built-in shelving unit while two bookcases on the second floor hold office spaces.
The property also offers a two-car attached garage, covered porches on both floors and a fenced-in backyard with a pool. Features such as rooftop solar panels, heat pumps and specialized insulation makes the house especially energy efficient, according to the listing.
The home, which is being sold furnished, was first listed for sale in April with an asking price of $2.2 million, but that has been reduced to $1.7 million.