Opinions Wanted - Houlton to Eagle Lake Area? (for sale, 2010)

[North Woods]

Hi, I'm thinking of moving my family to Northern Maine, anywhere from Houlton to Eagle Lake. Any opinions on this area are much appreciated. We are looking for a small town that's quiet, where family values are important, and not too run down looking. Am I living in a fantasy or do such places exist in this area? Thanks for your help!

[bigchuckie]

It is all pretty quiet and family values are important. This area is the bible belt of Maine. As far as rundown looking alot of the buildings in the "county" are old but are well maintained fo the most part. I cant really think of any really dumpy towns

[chris]

Most people I've met from Houlton have usually been nice. I used to travel up there a lot when I was a kid with my dad for work related stuff. Things in rural Maine don't change very much so I'm sure it's not much different now than it was back then. I've never got the feeling that it was that run down.

The only thing you should be concerned about being up there (and I've probably said this 10 times in these forums) is that you absolutely need to have a job lined up before you move there if you aren't self employed/financially independent. Thinking you could move there and find a job outside of food service/nursing might be a borderline fantasy.

[chickadee]

Originally Posted by chris

The only thing you should be concerned about being up there (and I've probably said this 10 times in these forums) is that you absolutely need to have a job lined up before you move there if you aren't self employed/financially independent. Thinking you could move there and find a job outside of food service/nursing might be a borderline fantasy.

Chris, people who are planning to move to Maine need to keep hearing this, so say it another 10 times over! Also, the job needs to cover the cost of living, wherever they go, and food service may not qualify!

[chris]

Originally Posted by chickadee

Chris, people who are planning to move to Maine need to keep hearing this, so say it another 10 times over! Also, the job needs to cover the cost of living, wherever they go, and food service may not qualify!

Good point....! I hate to sound too negative sometimes about the state because it is a wonderful place (in so many ways) -it's like you said though, people do need to understand it is not like most of America in terms of the economy and jobs. Finding a decent job that can pay the bills (outside of medical field) can take years to find (especially in rural areas). Maine has always been a tough place to live financially and with most industry leaving the state, it hasn't helped.

My mom used to always say, it always takes Maine 2x as long to recover from a recession (2001/9-11). If she's right, the economy won't bounce back there until 2010-2012. However, with the apparent number of people moving to the state, it should help local economies.

[rabbitlover]

Originally Posted by North Woods

Hi, I'm thinking of moving my family to Northern Maine, anywhere from Houlton to Eagle Lake. Any opinions on this area are much appreciated. We are looking for a small town that's quiet, where family values are important, and not too run down looking. Am I living in a fantasy or do such places exist in this area? Thanks for your help!

Houlton is awesome! Downtown is lovely, there is a beautiful new foot bridge and the folks are friendly.

Eagle Lake is good for fishing, not much up there. There is more going on in Houlton.

[mainebrokerman]

there are many many great small towns, i like mapleton , or washburn, close to presque isle/caribou, but out in the country. ashland is a decent area also, land, housing , costs, is probly some of the lowest on the eastern seaboard, its definitely a buyers market up there, and as a buyer you can be discriminate (great deals up there) i wish i had money to invest, id be buying large tracts of land, to hold on to.( up in that area)

the people are great, crime is low, the air is clean!

(portage) just south of eagle lake, is a great little town also!

[rabbitlover]

[quote=mainebrokerman;469213]there are many many great small towns, i like mapleton , or washburn, close to presque isle/caribou, but out in the country. ashland is a decent area also, land, housing , costs, is probly some of the lowest on the eastern seaboard, its definitely a buyers market up there, and as a buyer you can be discriminate (great deals up there) i wish i had money to invest, id be buying large tracts of land, to hold on to.( up in that area)

[quote]


Can you explain your reasoning behind buying a large tracts of land? Do you anticipate the land increasing in price?

[mainebrokerman]

rabbit, this is my personal opinion, (so, its subjective), i saw a tract of land, over a 100 acres for sale for less than 45k, if the tract, has much road frontage,(to split lots) or had much harvestable wood on it, or had incredible views, i believe this land may be quite worthy(and yes, i know, there is cheaper land in maine, but i liked this particular area) (up in aroostook county)
there is a chain of lakes, up in aroostook county and if one tracked, the values of the better properties around that lake, you'd see they've definitely increased,(values) as have around island falls, and the two big lakes in that town

now, in a business class, 20 years, ago, i predicted, they'd be a mass exodus, to central/northern maine, due to the very cheap pricing of land/housing. and it would be a great retirement area for the baby-boomers.
along with low crime, clean air, outdoor recreation, etc.

today, having been a broker for a while, i'm seeing interest more in the central/northern part of the state, ten times more this past year, than five years before/combined.

i also believe, (god forbid) if there is another terrorist blow up, in a big city, there will be a huge number of city-folks, looking to move to rural areas and states, and maine, defines rural.

[rabbitlover]

Interesting MBM-it is always good to learn about the opinions of the business minded! Being a human services major, I admire business minded people.
I am almost tempted to put my land up for sale to a company which specializes in drug and alcohol treatments. You know turn the property into a twenty-eight day drug and alcohol treatment. This place is far enough away from Boston, New York etc. where people can disappear from their day-to-day lives. It would be a good idea for doctors and attorneys. It's just the doing. I don't know where to start.