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Old 03-09-2013, 07:50 PM
 
11 posts, read 44,189 times
Reputation: 18

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Hello all
My hubby and I are looking for a new place to start over again with our family. One place that we read about and has picqued our interest is Maine. My husband and I are mid 30's, born and raised in RURAL upstate NY. We have 3 school age kids. We own a small excavation and trucking company. Hubby likes to do local runs, doesn't mind being gone a few days, but doesn't want to do OTR trucking. I am an el. ed. teacher with a Master's degree. We love the physical features where we currently live, rolling hills, 4 distinct seasons, 20 minutes drive to a town of 8,000 for grocery shopping, We have 20 acres where we try to be less dependent and more self sufficient; we have a garden, a few horses for pleasure, a few beefers, goats, chickens, and what family is complete without a loyal dog?
So, what is the problem? The State of New York. 1) We are gun owners and NYS is not overly fond of that. 2)The taxes and regulations, especially for small business and truck owner/operators is strangling us. My husband works 80+ hours a week and we are barely making it. We want to see our business grow, so we may have something for our children if they wish as they get older. Now, please don't think just because you see "NY" you think high cost of living. In our area, it isn't bad. It's just that the state takes so much out of us. We are not looking to do anything but assimilate ourselves into a community where we can be just a good neighbor who would give you the shirt off our back if you needed it. With hard work comes a just reward, but you do not get something for nothing.

What advice/direction can you give? In a nut shell: 10+ acres, we like seclusion, but we love friendly neighbors. Obviously, a few animals and good soil are important. Our kids are involved in 4H, YMCA, etc. Good schools are a must. A small city/town (1000) within 30 minutes for groceries.

We are planning to drive from NY to Maine in the beginning of April to scope things out if the area looks like it has potential for our wants and needs. We are currently researching small business taxes, laws, regulations, etc. We, of course, will be looking at schools. We are absolutely fine with renting short term, preferable a house, at least 3 bedrooms, until we can establish ourselves again. Is it safe to assume 1000 a month will get us something halfway decent. Our big thing is, we are not town people. We like our elbow space. We need acres, not a fraction of an acre.
Is there some kind of job availability for owner/operators? What are some GOOD, SMALL school districts? How are activities for children, (4H, YMCA, et Land and school taxes? State and local taxes?
What areas should we investigate?

Whoa, let me back up...
What would be some good areas/towns to check out? We are thinking we are going to head up to the Fort Kent area on our scouting trip/vacation. What areas would you suggest we visit? We are very outdoors type people. We love to appreciate the beauty of nature. We will be basing our itinerary on your suggestions! I hope I didn't ramble too much. Thank you so much for any advice!
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Old 03-14-2013, 09:18 PM
 
Location: Deep in the Heart of Maine
321 posts, read 484,091 times
Reputation: 461
I can't speak to the availability of job opportunities, but I would consider Easton. The town has a very solid tax base, and thus, very good schools. It's about a 15 minute drive to Presque Isle which will allow you to easily access shopping and entertainment. If you look to the east, north, or south of Easton Center, you should be able to find a good amount of open space and some land. And you're always in reach of Presque Isle, which is the economic and cultural center of the region.

There are several other options that might meet your needs, including Stockholm, New Sweden, Ashland, etc., but Easton is a pretty good choice due to its good schools, rural feel, and proximity to Presque Isle.
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Old 03-15-2013, 02:04 PM
 
1,594 posts, read 4,083,245 times
Reputation: 1098
First, I would suggest you repost this in the larger Maine forum. There are several people there who live in northern Maine who might not see your thread in the Bangor subforum.

Second, there are a lot of small towns outside Aroostook County that are worth consideration. You might consider the Bangor-Ellsworth area, for example. And if fertile soil and a decent growing season are issues, then Waldo County (Belfast-Burnham) is a place you definitely want to check out. The Farmington area (it didn't get that name by accident) might be on the list as well.

Good luck and welcome to Maine!
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Old 04-04-2013, 01:27 PM
 
Location: Bangor-ish Maine... brrrrrr
18 posts, read 20,454 times
Reputation: 26
I think the greater Bangor area sounds exactly like what you are looking for. We have a LOT of NY transplants here. Towns like Newburgh, Winterport, Dedham, Exeter....
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