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

Maine Exchange Services, LLC

(207) 871-1031

Expert 1031 Real Estate Exchange Services

Contact Us

Forward Exchanges

Sell your relinquished property and buy replacement property for great or greater value, adjusted for costs of sale.

Reverse Exchanges

A reverse exchange occurs when a taxpayer elects to purchase replacement property before the sale of relinquished property.

Improvement Exchanges

Custom build your replacement property. A development or improvement exchange can be used to increase the value of replacement property by the cost of improvements.

Request Our 1031 Primer

Click Here

About Us

Maine Exchange Services, LLC specializes in forward, reverse, and improvement 1031 tax exchanges, and has advised hundreds of clients and provided Qualified Intermediary services for thousands of exchanges throughout the United States. Founded by commercial real estate attorneys, Maine Exchange Services is the only Maine-based member of the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA). (www.1031.org).

Thomas F. Jewell, Esq., and Paul S. Bulger, Esq., are both experienced commercial real estate attorneys, and act as Qualified Intermediary for each exchange. Together, they founded Maine Exchange Services, LLC in 2009.

Carol A. Redfern is a Certified Exchange Specialist (CES) and paralegal with years of experience coordinating exchanges, personally 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’s degree in accounting and began working alongside Tom and Paul in 2017.

McKayla R. Redfern joined Maine Exchange Services, LLC in 2023 as the assistant to the manager, Carol. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of Southern Maine.

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 exchange. 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 must identify your replacement property(s) within 45 days of closing on your relinquished property(s).
  • 180 days to complete exchange – You must purchase your replacement property(s) within 180 days of closing on your relinquished property(s).
  • Know your Replacement Value – To defer all capital gain and depreciation recapture, an exchanger must acquire replacement property(s) of equal or greater value to the relinquished property adjusted for cost of sale.
  • Partial Exchanges- Are most beneficial when there is a low tax basis.

What Our Clients Say

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 7/28/2020”

Carol,

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.

All the best,

P MacBrayne 8/11/2021”

Dear Carol,

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 9/29/2021

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

Request a Free Consultation

10 + 2 =