The only Maine-based member of the Federation of Exchange Accommodators

Maine Exchange Services, LLC

(207) 871-1031

Expert 1031 Real Estate Exchange Services

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Forward Exchanges

Sell your Relinquished Property, then buy Replacement Property.

Reverse Exchanges

Purchase your Replacement Property, then sell your Relinquished Property.

Improvement Exchanges

Available with a Forward Exchange or Reverse Exchange. Add qualified Capital Improvements to your Replacement Property within the 180-Day Exchange Deadline to increase the value of Replacement Property.

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About Us

Maine Exchange Services, LLC specializes in Forward, Reverse, and Improvement 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges, and has advised hundreds of clients and provided Qualified Intermediary services for thousands of 1031 Exchanges throughout the United States. Maine Exchange Services is the only Maine-based member of the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA).

Thomas F. Jewell, Esq., and Paul S. Bulger, Esq., now retired, founded Maine Exchange Services, LLC in 2009 and are of counsel. Together, Tom and Paul possess over 40 years of experience as Qualified Intermediaries facilitating 1031 Exchanges.

Carol A. Redfern is a Certified Exchange Specialist (CES®) and Managing Partner of Maine Exchange Services. She has years of experience coordinating 1031 Exchanges, assisting clients, and managing the day-to-day operations of Maine Exchange Services, LLC. Carol graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and began working alongside Tom and Paul in 2017. She earned her Paralegal Certificate from the University of Augusta in 2019.

McKayla R. Redfern joined Maine Exchange Services, LLC in 2023 as the Assistant to the Manager, Carol. McKayla graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics.

Adam L. Redfern joined Maine Exchange Services in 2024 as the Senior Business Analyst. Adam graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics.

Why Our Clients Put Their Trust In Us

In order to assure our clients the highest level of protection of their funds, and as part of our State of Maine licensing requirements, Maine Exchange Services, LLC (MES) utilizes Qualified Escrow Accounts. With over 40 years of combined experience, MES engages in an estimated 200 million dollars’ worth of real estate transactions each year.

As a member of the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA), we remain currently informed of the latest disaster relief extensions and other news pertaining to 1031 Exchanges. We are also included in robust discussions with experts and other Qualified Intermediaries regarding best practices and case law.

1031 Checklist

  • Hire a Qualified Intermediary (QI) – prior to selling or buying property– that’s us Maine Exchange Services, LLC.
  • Investment Property – The property you are buying and selling must be held for investment purposes. Second homes and properties being “flipped” do not qualify.
  • Taxpayer – The taxpayer must remain the same throughout the exchange.
  • 45-Day Identification Period – You have 45 calendar days from the date of sale of your Relinquished Property (Forward Exchange) or date of purchase of your Replacement Property (Reverse Exchange) to identify, revise, or revoke your qualified property(s).
  • 180-Day Exchange Deadline – You have 180 calendar days from the date of sale of your Relinquished Property (Forward Exchange) or date of purchase of your Replacement Property (Reverse Exchange) to complete your 1031 Exchange by closing on the purchase of your Replacement Property (Forward Exchange) or the sale of you Relinquished Property (Reverse Exchange).
  • Replacement Value – To defer all Capital Gains Taxes and Depreciation Recapture Taxes, an exchanger must acquire Replacement Property(s) of equal or greater value to the Relinquished Property adjusted for cost of sale. The mortgage payoff is not a closing costs- this is a common misconception.
  • Partial Exchanges – Occurs when the exchanger does not fully replace their Relinquished Property valuation adjusted for closing costs. A Partial Exchange is most beneficial when there is a low Adjusted Tax Basis, and not beneficial unless the exchanger is purchasing Replacement Property valued above their Adjusted Tax Basis.

Our Accreditations

Maine Exchange Services, LLC has been approved by the Director of the Maine Real Estate Commission to provide 2 clock hours toward fulfillment of the educational requirements for activation or renewal of a real estate license through it’s in person presentation: Understanding 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchanges: The Investment Real-Estate Tool for Preserving Net Wealth.

Maine Exchange Services, LLC has been approved by the Florida Bar Association to provide 1 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit hour through it’s in person presentation: Understanding 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchanges: The Investment Real-Estate Tool for Preserving Net Wealth.

What Our Clients Say

You went above and beyond our expectations...

“Thank you so very much for all your hard work, extra efforts, and significant contributions to our recently completed like-kind exchange. This was the most complicated exchange we have ever attempted in over 35 years and your contributions and expertise were invaluable to us.

From start to finish, you went above and beyond our expectations and made it possible for us to achieve the impossible. We greatly appreciate your rapid responses and constant availability, your invaluable guidance and counsel and your spirit of teamwork and camaraderie with all of the team members. Our attorneys, lenders, real estate agents and brokers were all very complementary of your contributions and appreciative of how easy you made their efforts and responsibilities.

To accomplish an exchange of this magnitude with a multitude of downstream properties and all within the required timeframes was nothing short of miraculous. Thank you so very much for your commitment, support, and spirit of business partnership, all of which are greatly appreciated.

It was a pleasure to partner with you and we look forward to working with you once again in the near future.”

 

–B Winner, CPA
June 2024

Maine Exchange Services made this process entirely seamless!

“I utilized Maine Exchange Services to facilitate a 1031 Exchange between a property that I sold in North Carolina and a property that I purchased in Maine. Tom Jewell and Carol Vining at Maine Exchange Services made this process entirely seamless. From the first call to Tom, I felt that I was in good hands. Tom described the process and answered all of my questions in an easy to understand manner. He followed that up with documentation, i.e., a 1031 Exchange Primer, Fee Schedule and Sale Language that was just as clearly written.

Carol was efficient in establishing a Qualified Escrow Account at Machias Savings Bank, instructions for wiring funds, and keeping the paperwork timely between the realtors and legal departments (in NC and ME).
Both Tom and Carol were very patient, timely, knowledgeable, and professional in responding to my questions throughout the process.

I was really impressed!

I would rate Maine Exchange Services as 5 star on all counts and strongly recommend them for any 1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges of Real Estate.”

 

– Khlaire Parre 2020

What a pleasure it was to work with you!

“I just got back from Greenville and wanted to write immediately to say what a pleasure it was to work with you.  You provided all information in a timely manner and answered all emails within a matter of hours.  You made me feel comfortable asking for information and directions.  I especially appreciate this as others I worked with on different aspects of the whole sell and buy process fell far short of the service you provided.  Thank you again and when I sell my remaining property, I will be in touch.“

 

– F Monahan

You have made my job so much easier!

“I cannot thank you enough for collecting and sending all the documents in a single email for me to forward to my accountant. You have made my job so much easier!

In fact, I want to take a moment to tell you how much I appreciated all your assistance in a process that seemed very complex and complicated to the uninitiated! You were thorough and carefully explained all that I needed to know which allowed me to enter into these transactions with confidence. I am so pleased with how smoothly everything proceeded.  In addition to your thoroughness, you were also incredibly prompt.

Please forward my thanks to everyone at Maine Exchange Services which I will strongly recommend to anyone considering a 1031 exchange.”

 

– P MacBrayne

I would not consider using any other company.

“This is the second time I have used Maine Exchange Services for a 1031 transaction.   I would not consider using any other company. They are consistently organized, professional, knowledgeable, and efficient.  Carol is always one step ahead in the 1031 process, has great attention to detail and makes a potentially stressful process amazingly easy.  Without question, Maine Exchange Services is the best in Maine.“

 

– I G Thomson

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