What would you do? (Bangor, Ellsworth: apartments, rentals, crime)

[thesearch]

I am writing because a friend of mine has a dream of moving to Maine, pacifically Bar Harbor near the Acadia National Park. She loves what she has heard about up there and the pics she has seen. She wants to work at the NP, possibly. She has not choosen a career yet. But she has her heart set on that spot in Maine lol.

My questions are: what career would be best for her to choose, so she can make it finacially?
What is it like up there, really? (I would like to know from a person who lives there) from crime to weather.
Would you say you feel isolated? ( I have this issue personally,but thats just me)
Is housing,like apartments and maybe small homes, hard to find? Are they expensive? Is there many places to live perhaps close to town?


Any awsers would very helpful and welcomed

[Three Wolves In Snow]

Originally Posted by thesearch

I am writing because a friend of mine has a dream of moving to Maine, pacifically Bar Harbor near the Acadia National Park. She loves what she has heard about up there and the pics she has seen. She wants to work at the NP, possibly. She has not choosen a career yet. But she has her heart set on that spot in Maine lol.

My questions are: what career would be best for her to choose, so she can make it finacially?
What is it like up there, really? (I would like to know from a person who lives there) from crime to weather.
Would you say you feel isolated? ( I have this issue personally,but thats just me)
Is housing,like apartments and maybe small homes, hard to find? Are they expensive? Is there many places to live perhaps close to town?


Any awsers would very helpful and welcomed

So she's very "pacific" about where she's going to move...no compromises?

I, too, wanted to live in Bar Harbor near "the" Acadia National Park when I was getting ready to move to Maine but there were two major issues that held me back:

Rental price...it's touristy and getting a good price is hard to find. Maybe in the winter months but then what happens when tourist season picks up again?

Jobs: There's not a whole lot in the way of a professional career, if that's what you're asking. She can go kill mice at Jackson Lab but other than that, she can do a seasonal job catering to tourists. But she better be really good at saving her money because in the winter time? There's not a whole lot going on in that area. So what will she do for income then?

Is it an ideal place to live? For me, heck yes! For her, I think she agrees. But, if you do not have a ton of money saved up to make it during the winter months, for years, how are you going to survive there?

As far as weather, well, I don't live there but have been there a few times and each time I've gone, I've loved the weather. But, that's based on opinion. Best thing to do is look up online the average temps in that area.

Would I feel isolated? THAT WAS THE WHOLE POINT of me wanting to live there! (Plus the ocean.)

To find a place to rent, maybe go outside of Bar Harbor. Depends on how long she is willing to drive to get to her summer/seasonal job. If she puts herself between Bar Harbor and Bangor, maybe she'll have something to do in the summer in Bar Harbor and something to do in the winter, in Bangor.

Do I hope she can find a way to make it happen regardless? Yes. Because I feel the same way about that area...I think it's simply perfect. Just...how the heck do you afford to keep living there without a nest egg?

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Grow the egg. People arrive here to visit, love the area and ask what I have for a job. I tell them I don't have a job. They look surprised. I tell them I have some jobs. Most people in Maine have more than one job. It's a necessity for most people. It is true for most full time residents on this board. We call it "making do".

Very few people arrive in Maine to walk into a regular job with regular hours and regular benefits. The exceptions are physicians, nurses and engineers.

[atrixwolfe]

Not knowing her background, but College of the Atlantic is located in bar harbor, Its possible she could find a job there for the winter months and summer months and fall is tourist season, there should be retail jobs, particularly during cruise ship season. Of course the national park does hire too.
As for crime, I'd say very little.
Do a quick search on maine.craigslist.com and under apts search for Bar harbor or MDI. A number of these are winter rentals but there were some year round. I was suprised 650-1200 monthly.
IMO there is no bad part of town.
Be a good friend and encourage her to go for it! We only get 1 life and its what you allow yourself to make it.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by thesearch

I am writing because a friend of mine has a dream of moving to Maine, pacifically Bar Harbor near the Acadia National Park. She loves what she has heard about up there and the pics she has seen. She wants to work at the NP, possibly. She has not choosen a career yet. But she has her heart set on that spot in Maine lol.

My questions are: what career would be best for her to choose, so she can make it finacially?
What is it like up there, really? (I would like to know from a person who lives there) from crime to weather.
Would you say you feel isolated? ( I have this issue personally,but thats just me)
Is housing,like apartments and maybe small homes, hard to find? Are they expensive? Is there many places to live perhaps close to town?


Any awsers would very helpful and welcomed

The park doesn't hire much. It's not all that isolated There isn't much crime, and housing would be cheaper off the island, say Ellsworth way. The Hinckley jet boat plant may have a job, or Morris Yachts,for inexperienced people.

[Submariner]

Few tourist traps are isolated. they are usually swarming with tourists.



Also 'pacifically' usually means something is associated with the Pacific Ocean [like the West Coast].

[Zarathu]

OK.... in 5 weeks or so, my wife and I ARE MOVING TO BAR HARBOR.

But we are retired. I have two pensions, and in two years my wife gets hers. We bought a house that was the same price as the house that we own(or owned in about 4 weeks) in Lancaster County, PA.

But its true that unless you have really specific skills, such as doctoring or nursing, or a Masters or PhD in genetics or biological research of some kind, you are probably not going to find gainful employment on Mount Desert Island. That's not to say you won't; there are more than 105 non-profits operating on the island. The Park is federal and they have no money, so don't expect a job there,unless again you have very specific skills they need.

Rentals? There are some. A most recent issue of the Ellsworth American listed 6 apartments on the Island for rent. But most of them are for only the September to May time slot and then you have to find someplace else to live for the summer. Its not for nothing that when I listed my house in BH for rent full time, that more than 100 people called the agency.

Weather: not too bad because its right on the coast. You can go the Wunderweather.com and look at the history. But go even 15 miles inland and you have a much much colder and snowier weather pattern. This is not to say that you won't need a big snowthrower if you don't live in an apartment. I bought one to take up that throws the snow 50 feet on a good day with the right snow.

Stuff to do? If she's a young person, then that does tend to be a problem in the winter months. However if she were retired, or over 50, there is a very active Senior College which provides courses provided by the members, and social events and activities all winter. Fully 40% of the population on the island is retired from away, from Maine bio labs, from Jackson Labs, and from College of the Atlantic. And incidentally, College of the Atlantic has lots of things that go on there that are for the students but open to the community.

If you have more questions about MDI, I'd be happy to answer them, and if I don't know, I know lots of people who do.

[thesearch]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Few tourist traps are isolated. they are usually swarming with tourists.



Also 'pacifically' usually means something is associated with the Pacific Ocean [like the West Coast].

Yes sorry sometimes spelling and me are not friends lol

[thesearch]

Thanks everyone for your replies! To let you know, my friend is 18. I will tell her or have her read this post.