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.
Brandon Watson moved to Standish a decade ago when he found a home that had everything he needed while still being in his budget.
“It was the right time, the right place, for the right price,” said Watson, who now serves as vice chairperson of the Standish Town Council. “The simplicity of Standish is attractive. It’s close to everything but far enough away from everything.”
Watson’s experience mirrors that of many others who have settled in Standish due to its affordability while still being close to Portland and the amenities it offers. The town, home to fewer than 11,000 people and perched on the southern side of Sebago Lake, claimed the top spot in a list of “Maine’s Hottest Towns” after the number of homes sold in the town soared by nearly 41% in 2025 from the year prior.
The list, assembled by Scarborough-based Maine Life Real Estate, ranks the 10 communities that saw the most growth in unit sales last year, and notes whether the median home price in each town rose or fell in that time.
It showed that Maine buyers are seeking out more rural but affordable communities on the outskirts of the greater Portland area as homes in city centers become more expensive.
“If I work in Portland and I want some proximity to Portland, where can I go?” said Rob Edgerley, a broker for Maine Life Real Estate who compiled the list. “Buyers have had to go further out because the price point in Portland has risen and now they’re saying, ‘If I want to buy a house, I have to go up the turnpike.’”
Yvonne Myer, broker owner of Maine Real Estate Experts’ Windham branch, noticed more buyers looking to Standish in the last two to three years as available housing inventory elsewhere fell while asking prices rose.
While home prices climbed a bit in Standish too, properties were within reach for more buyers, who were priced out of Portland and its suburbs, Myer said. This led more prospective buyers to consider rural areas within commuting distance of urban centers.
“We’ve also had a boost in new home construction and that has added some affordable inventory to the Standish market,” Myer said.
Of the 152 properties that sold in Standish last year, 32 were completed within the last two years, Edgerley said.
Newly built condominiums in Standish were available for around $320,000, or buyers could have a larger single-family home for around $500,000 or $600,000, Edgerley said.
“To get that same home in Scarborough, for instance, you couldn’t get into it for less than $750,000 or more,” Edgerley said.
The median home price in Standish rose slightly to $480,000 last year, according to Edgerley’s report. While that’s pricier than houses there once cost, it’s nowhere near the typical prices in nearby Falmouth or Cumberland, which rest at $960,000 and $830,000, respectively.
Being on Sebago Lake also means some of those looking to buy in Standish are searching for a seasonal camp rather than a year-round home, Edgerley said. That adds a different type of housing market to the community.
Standish also offers a variety of nearby amenities including hiking trails, local businesses, playgrounds and the ability to buy a beach pass to Sebago Lake. This attracts a variety of buyers, including young families, outdoor enthusiasts, working professionals and retirees alike, Myer said.
“You really don’t need to go very far to get everything that you need,” Myer said. “But if you want to go see a show in Portland or go to dinner in Scarborough, you can make it to the coast quickly.”
Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified Yvonne Myer’s title.