The BDN is exploring Maine’s housing crisis from every possible angle, from how it affects home prices, to what it means for Mainers across the state. Read our ongoing coverage here and fill out this form to tell us what you want to know. Vacant office building conversions may become the next frontier in residential real estate. More office buildings, particularly in suburban areas, are expected to be vacated over the next couple years as businesses continue to sort out how much space they need with pandemic-induced hybrid work models, a new commentary from The Boulos Company, a Portland-based real estate firm, said. The amount of office space required nationally and in Maine will drop in the coming years, especially in older and outdated office buildings, Nate Stevens, a partner and broker at Boulos, said.