Morning Update: What you need to know in Maine today

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Even if they went down by 4% or 5% it’s not going to eliminate the 50% increase in value that we saw in 2020.”

— Julie Williams, owner of Bangor-based ERA Dawson-Bradford Co. Realtors, on housing prices in Maine, which have remained relatively flat this spring. The pandemic’s historically high prices haven’t come down, which keeps many families stuck in homes that don’t match their needs or priced out of the market altogether.

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Genealogists are seeing a surge in inquiries after a new Canadian law expanded eligibility for citizenship. Now, anyone who can prove they had a direct ancestor born in Canada can claim citizenship. Here’s how to do it.

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Maine’s housing market is stuck and there’s no sign of it getting better. Prices have leveled out since they shot up during the pandemic, but they remain too high for many families to buy first homes or trade up.