Florida to Maine...Is there a trend? (how much, houses)
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Maine is REAL. Places like Florida are newer, but largely are the domain of chain store, corporate America. I spent a year in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Yes, there were a few mom and pop stores and restaurants, but the town was growing ridiculously fast. There was a chain store on nearly every section of Rt. 1. All the new houses were being built by mega builders throwing up 500 to a few thousand houses at a time....all cookie cutter, all soul-less. One large development, west of town, a place called Martin Downs, had it's corporate symbol, a monarch butterfly, plastered on all the street signs, on the shopping plaza signs. They even put it on the large storage tanks at the sewage treatment plant!
I won't even talk of the fabricated, make-believe that is Orlando.
My late father, a Burger King franchisee, loved Florida.
I couldn't stand it.
Yes, there is a real Florida. A few parts of the older cities, such as St. Augustine and some of the rural parts in the interior come to mind. But at the time (80s and 90s) even those parts were being bulldozed thousands of acres at a time for more Wal Marts and Martin Downs.
All too many parts of California that I have visited, the built-up parts anyway, were similar. Some small towns in the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada were a happy exception, but again, it's a state that was growing so fast, nowhere was really safe from being destroyed.
Mind you, growth itself wasn't and shouldn't be a problem. But most growth nowadays is an ugly, corporate one that puts butterflies on every man-made thing it can, to take the earlier example.
I spent 32yrs in Ft. Pierce. Came from Maine, had no choice but to move there. Always said I'd get back to Maine and I'm trying. Just going to take more time. I've seen Ft. Pierce go from bad to worse, no way I'd ever go back to Fl anywhere.
The back and forth thing is the way to go....no state income tax and warm winters in FL and cool summers in ME.
Yeah, but you have own two different properties in two different places, and you have to be able to travel the distance, usually by car unless you keep a car in both places too and take public transportation between them.
For most people, this option is beyond their means. Additionally, it means that you really aren't considered part of either community and you may miss the comraderie that you get from persevering through the difficult season of either.
As far as getting to a warm climate in the Winter, I would walk if I had to, and do a roommate sitiuation for the season if need be; what ever it takes to be comfortable!
It's what you make it. Some people will never be happy, no matter where they are!
Well said. I speak as a true FL native (born and lived there my whole life - 50 years). 99% of the people in FL thought we lost our minds - leaving FL for ME. We have had Maine in our sights for about 10 years now - visiting 2 or 3 times a year to get to know people and places. We planned an early retirement (I call it a sabbatical - too young to feel "retired") to Maine to enjoy a simpler life. We love the outdoors - hiking / boating / skiing / gardening. We wanted to slow down and enjoy our lives - Maine seemed a perfect fit. Friends kept saying it's so cold up there - well I love FL; and we left some dear friends, but the summers are SOOOO hot it's oppressive - the air is like dog breath when you walk out of an air conditioned house. I got tired of hearing of all the crime everytime I turned on the news, and my hometown was not a "Big City". We now live in a small Maine town with lots of charm. Small town yes, but not unfriendly or "closed" to outsiders. I love walking in the local pub and the bartender is pouring my drink before I ask for it. We have met several professionals like ourselves that just want to slow down. We plan on doing volunteer work - my husband at the fire dept, me at wildlife parks, and local schools. It's easy to do that here. We love the change of seasons - and you have to embrace winter - we do. It's funny, most people from NY, Ohio, NJ etc., think we are nuts, but we meet so many people up here that totally get why we made this move. The beautiful blue skies up here in the winter are spectacular. I don't think the mid-west or lower NE states have that. Can't wait till next year though - because I will be able to proudly answer that standard question I get from people every time I tell someone I moved from FL to Maine - ..... "have you spent a winter up here?"
Well said. I speak as a true FL native (born and lived there my whole life - 50 years). 99% of the people in FL thought we lost our minds - leaving FL for ME. We have had Maine in our sights for about 10 years now - visiting 2 or 3 times a year to get to know people and places. We planned an early retirement (I call it a sabbatical - too young to feel "retired") to Maine to enjoy a simpler life. We love the outdoors - hiking / boating / skiing / gardening. We wanted to slow down and enjoy our lives - Maine seemed a perfect fit. Friends kept saying it's so cold up there - well I love FL; and we left some dear friends, but the summers are SOOOO hot it's oppressive - the air is like dog breath when you walk out of an air conditioned house. I got tired of hearing of all the crime everytime I turned on the news, and my hometown was not a "Big City". We now live in a small Maine town with lots of charm. Small town yes, but not unfriendly or "closed" to outsiders. I love walking in the local pub and the bartender is pouring my drink before I ask for it. We have met several professionals like ourselves that just want to slow down. We plan on doing volunteer work - my husband at the fire dept, me at wildlife parks, and local schools. It's easy to do that here. We love the change of seasons - and you have to embrace winter - we do. It's funny, most people from NY, Ohio, NJ etc., think we are nuts, but we meet so many people up here that totally get why we made this move. The beautiful blue skies up here in the winter are spectacular. I don't think the mid-west or lower NE states have that. Can't wait till next year though - because I will be able to proudly answer that standard question I get from people every time I tell someone I moved from FL to Maine - ..... "have you spent a winter up here?"
And...you're still here? Congratulations, and Welcome.
I sometimes believe that most people who consider those who move here as "nuts" have had to deal with the winters their whole lives, so that changes their perspectives. We often become 'snowbirds' because we're good and sick of winter. I, for one, would like to plan to get out at least for the month of February anyway. I don't think I'd want to go the full 6 months. We'll have to see how things go financially down the road more though.
Location: Land Of Moose, Blueberries and Chickadees
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MainerWannabe
I have always heard of people wanting to move/retire to warmer climates. But I see a lot of Floridians (and Arizonians, Californians, Georgians etc) moving to chilly Maine! Why is it? Does it apply to you? Is Maine poised to be the next "hot destination" in this vast Country of ours? I find it to be great to the economy of Maine. Do you?
For me, I have lived in the desert, I have lived in cold climates and I have now lived in Florida. South Florida to be exact. Florida does have some stunning scenery in areas; absolutely beautiful but I cannot handle this heat. I thought I could but the humidity...OY! It's a killer.
I like my seasons. I like cold. I like snow. I miss snow. Some will tell me that I don't know what to expect but I've lived in areas where it snows a lot...I don't mean in cities, either, where everything is cleaned up in a day. I learned to drive in the snow, I ski, I snowboard...I'm happier when I'm cold than when I'm hot. In fact, I get downright grumpy when I'm hot.
Why do I want to move to Maine?
It appears to be quieter than most places. It appears to be cheaper to live there than any other place I'VE lived, (I'm not saying it's the cheapest place to live but reading these forums over the months and doing city to city comparisons....it still comes out cheaper), I can find peace and tranquility right outside my door. It has ocean and forest...my two favorite things and I can have them both at the same time if I want.
It seems the people are nicer. It seems they understand core values. It seems they GET what being a neighbor is all about.
I'm tired of the city life. I'm so over city living. And in Maine, I can get that quiet life as well as my ocean in the front, forest in the back and nice cold weather like I like.
Maine will always be home to me, no matter what. There is still a very good possibility I will return eventually, but that idea is sort of on the back burner for now with the current economy and housing market. I have a FSBO sign up, but not too many people even know about this particular area, so there are virtually no drive-bys and I've adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Maine is certainly not for everyone though; even after all these years, I believe I have a true "February phobia". Is there a word for that? There should be!
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Is there a word for that? There should be! 
