Beginning in the mid-1800s, summer visitors have flocked to the Belgrade Lakes region to swim in the clear water, fish for trout and bass, breathe in the fresh air, and relax listening to the sounds of the water lapping peacefully on the shore. The region comprises 20 lakes and ponds, seven of which are considered the heart of the Belgrade Lakes; these range in size and amenities from Great Pond, with 46 miles of shoreline, a marina, and proximity to the quaint village of Belgrade Lakes (perhaps the only place in Maine where you can pull up to the post office on a boat) to smaller lakes and ponds that offer a more remote feel. Yet all are in about an hour from Portland and three-and-a-half hours from Boston, making this scenic section of central Maine one of the state’s most desirable locations for vacation homes.

Since 2006, Lakepoint Real Estate has been the brokerage buyers turn to when looking for their own piece of lakefront para- dise. Located in Belgrade Lakes, Lakepoint is annually number one in sales for waterfront homes in the region, and is also number one in sales for lakefront homes throughout Maine. Like everyone on the Lakepoint team, designated broker Gail Rizzo has a lifetime connection to the area. “We had so much fun with our summer friends, and it’s still great to see the familiar faces when everybody comes back,” says Rizzo, who married “a summer kid, a New York City boy,” 49 years ago. “There is a huge amount of camaraderie and community spirit here,” she says. Her colleague, realtor Stephanie Yeaton Gardner, agrees. “You’re surrounded by water and everybody is always happy because they are on vacation,” she says. “There are so many memories made on these lakes.”

According to Gardner, many Lakepoint clients start coming to the Belgrade Lakes as renters before deciding the time is right to buy. “They rent the same cottage for the same week and it’s family tradition for everyone to show up,” she says. When it comes to vacation homes that have been in the family for generations, however, traditions have started to change. “This is the first year we’re beginning to see some of these old family cottages come on the market for the first time,” says Rizzo, adding that Lake- point’s knowledge and experience benefits homebuyers looking to upgrade or add on to an older property.

Whether it’s a charming old place or a new build, a grand, multi-bedroom home or a cozy, rustic cottage, Rizzo and Gardner say the Belgrade Lakes region offers a wide range of properties and price points. “It’s like everything else here, there’s something for everyone,” says Lakepoint Real Estate owner, broker/realtor Dan McCarron. “You can play golf at an 18-hole championship course, go waterskiing, fishing, kayaking, hiking, or just sit at night listening to the loons call out over the water. Having a home in the Belgrade Lakes region gives you access to so much that is great about life in Maine.”