This rural riverside retreat for sale is a Maine outdoors paradise

A homestead on the Sandy River in Mercer comes with 8 acres as well as access to 89 miles of snowmobile trails and fishing at the reasonable price of $265,000.
Dozens of prospective buyers inquired about the property in the two months it was listed, listing agent Nolan Hanson said. It’s expected to go under contract this week, Hanson, an associate broker with RE/MAX Collaborative, said.
“It’s very hard to find something in the $200,000 to $300,000 price range, especially in central Maine: something that is secluded but has some acreage as well,” Hanson said.
The property offers plenty of opportunities for an outdoors enthusiast: snowmobiling or ATVing on its trails, or canoeing, kayaking and fishing on the scenic Sandy River.
The 1,700-square-foot homestead itself offers two bedrooms and one bathroom. It’s an open-concept layout that feels rustic but modern and is ideal for entertaining or hosting guests, Hanson said. Since it was built in 1984, Hanson said its windows and siding could get an update, but there are no major maintenance issues.
The homestead has been a working organic farm, which the broker said was a draw to buyers. It has 28 raised garden beds and a plethora of fruit and berry plants as well as perennial flowers. An attached barn on the property is currently used as a workshop and as storage space but could be repurposed by a new owner.
Though the property is quiet and secluded with an Amish community around it, it is a less than half-hour drive from Farmington in one direction and Skowhegan in the other, Hanson said.
The ample opportunities for self-sufficient living and outdoor recreation offered by this property attracted a mix of local and out-of-state prospective buyers, Hanson said. Some from as far away as Colorado, Tennessee and Florida inquired. One plus was that the town of Mercer plows the dirt road leading up to the property.
“We do a lot of business with buyers from southern New England migrating north, that seems to be the majority of out-of-state buyers that we see,” Hanson said.