House going on market in October! (Phillips: for sale, new home, buyer)

[MsJL]

I hope you're considering Portland-south. If you wind up in the area, I'll take you to lunch.

I have a feeling Maine is in for a long term housing slump. Hope I am wrong. It always seems that Maine endures a recession later and longer than anywhere else.

That housing slump cuts both ways, though. It also makes it a lot less expensive to get a great house.

One thing about the market here, though, is that too many people tend to let their houses go, and then the buyer plays catch-up on updates and repairs. That works to the good too, though, as you can chop a lot off an offer. My daughter and I are fixing this place up, and it's turning into the sweetest little bungalow I've ever seen.

Anyway, shop carefully, El. You can get a real deal here. I know the real estate market pretty well in both the mid-coast region and around Portland, south to York - let me know if you want any advice when you begin looking for a house. By the way, I can turn you on to a phenomenal realtor (no exaggeration), and a great mortgage company, too.

[jh23]

Elcarim - I'm brand new to this forum, but I've been a bit of a "lurker", reading everyone's posts, so I feel like I know you, and I just wanted to say congratulations!

To everyone else - I am considering moving to the Portland area (I explained my situation in another thread) but one thing I never thought about was the housing situation. I've been an apartment renter for years in a relatively large city with TONS of apartment complexes to choose from and it just occurred to me that the rental market in Portland is probably significantly smaller than what I'm used to, due to the relatively small population. Are there a lot of apartment complexes, or are most of the rentals houses? Thanks for the input!

[Elcarim]

Thanks for the sentiments, guys/gals! I can't wait to have y'all as neighbors!!

[Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?]

El - I'm just catching up on my reading here and came across your news (albeit a month old). Congrats on the home listing and on the job possibilties! This is exciing!

[elston]

Elcarim, Did your house sell yet? I'm sure that you have said one way or the other in the posts I read, (I see your name frequently as I scan posts in preparation for my move) I also have to sell my current house first.

I have wondered about leasing a house when that first happens, to have a place to move to and get settled in (hopefully for the winter). We have two dogs and a houseful of furniture--so I didnt know if that would be an option.

Good Luck to you, whether it be in your new home or in selling your old home.

As Bob Dylan said, "I'll let you be in my dream if you'll let me be in yours." At least in our dreams of moving to Maine.

[Elcarim]

Hi there. No, the house hasn't sold yet. We've had it on the market since the last of September, but things go very slowly in our part of Texas. The average time on the market is 6+ months here, and one house down the street that had been overpriced sat for two years before selling. So.....we're just waiting, made sure we are right with our price and will wait out the slow season I guess.

We had hoped to be able to move during the off season in Maine so that housing is more readily available, but that may not happen. We won't know for sure until it does! Is that clear as mud? The good thing about the seasons between here and there is that spring comes in February/early March here and business picks up to top speed by March. In March, Maine will still be frozen over, so it will still be off season there.

The only thing I hate about moving in March or April is being so close to the end of the school year. We have decided, however, if that happens, we're going to homeschool our girls the last couple of months, rather than trying to acclimate them to a whole new school and environment over such a short time span. I think it would be easier for them that way, and since they're only in Kindergarten and First Grade, they surely won't miss too much.

Good luck to you, and I'm confident we'll meet you there!!

[elston]

You said, "...since they're only in Kindergarten and First Grade, they surely won't miss too much."

REMEMBER:
[SIZE=2]All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]These are the things I learned:[/SIZE]

• [SIZE=2]Share everything.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Play fair.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Don't hit people.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Put things back where you found them.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Clean up your own mess.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Don't take things that aren't yours.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Wash your hands before you eat.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Flush.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Take a nap every afternoon.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.[/SIZE]
• [SIZE=2]And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.[/SIZE]

[Elcarim]

Thanks. We're good! I pride myself in being one of those parents who understands that education begins and ends at home. My kiddos knew all that before they ever graced the formal classroom.

....in addition to knowing how to read and write....We have some smart babies!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

A couple of observations:

Maine doesn't experience the economic booms reported elsewhere. Neither do we experience the busts. Our fluctations are delayed and less extreme.

Maine has the highest rate of home ownership in the nation. The flip side of that is in many towns there are no rentals to be found.

[elston]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Thanks. We're good! I pride myself in being one of those parents who understands that education begins and ends at home. My kiddos knew all that before they ever graced the formal classroom.

....in addition to knowing how to read and write....We have some smart babies!

Oh Dear, I hope I didnt sound preachy! I really didnt mean to imply anything about your parenting. I was just sharing a philosophy that makes me smile. I am sure your kids are great and your homelife is entirely supportive and nurturing!

Bless You.