Advice On Moving to Maine (Portland, Bangor: for sale, rent, broker)

[msina]

Augusta made the "top ten" most affordable places to live (No. 8) today, per Business week
The 10 most affordable U.S. markets - SlideShow - MSN Real Estate - 1

[Jpurvis]

Mollysmiles,

Point taken. I too am working, but during my break, I would hop on and see if I had any info Just found this the other day and it has been very helpful. That is one thing I will have to get use to and I really look forward to it. I am just trying to get all my ducks in a row if ya know what i mean.
Am planning on doing this in the next several months. Didn't mean to come off as pushy or anything. Just anxious!!

[mollysmiles]

I completely understand I would be too! What kind of work do you do? One of the best things about the Augusta area I would think would be that you have a nice central location from which to explore.

[BacktoNE]

Molly is right about Augusta being very centrally located. I think half of Augusta heads south in the morning, and maybe a quarter of the population heads north to Waterville. But then again, lots of Waterville heads south to Augusta every day as State employees.

It all depends on what you do for work as to where you would want to concentrate your search.

The more details you can give us, the better.

[Jpurvis]

Well I have done accounting for the past 15 years, but have also done banking and insurance. Also I have done personal home care for an elderly man. I am willing to do something different. So hopefully I can find something. My sister who may be coming to, she is a bookkeeper, but she too is willing to do something else.
We are just ready to settle down, have a simple life, not all the hustle and bustle that we have lived down here. Time for a change and since we have family there, I think that will help us to some extent. But it is nice to talk to people that have lived there for a long time. They have only been there a year.

[BacktoNE]

Accounting, banking and insurance give you an excellent background. Since you are targeting central Maine, at least to start with, Augusta would be a good target town. If you are willing to head further north, I think you would have success in Bangor as well and you might find the cost of living to be easier as well.


As for your sister, a good bookkeeper is worth his/her weight in gold. She will have no trouble at all finding work in any number of environments. She could look at the colleges, hospitals or private sector very easily.

One piece of advice however. Actually be living in Maine, or at least have an address that you can give potential employers. Most companies are very hesitant to hire, or even interview, someone who isn't already living in the area.

[deerislesmile]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

It is home to the University of Maine.

Sorry, but nope. There are several satellite campuses, including Augusta, but The (real) University of Maine is located in Orono and has been since 1897.

[dmyankee]

Originally Posted by deerislesmile

Sorry, but nope. There are several satellite campuses, including Augusta, but The (real) University of Maine is located in Orono and has been since 1897.

That's funny. I go to Orono, but have taken classes at UMA. You blink and you miss it! It's a commuter campus.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

All this talk about Augusta being central Maine mystifies me. It is certainly the political hub, but it's 440 miles from the green bridge in Kittery to Fort Kent. Lincoln is half way up. Augusta is 1/4 of the way up.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

All this talk about Augusta being central Maine mystifies me. It is certainly the political hub, but it's 440 miles from the green bridge in Kittery to Fort Kent. Lincoln is half way up. Augusta is 1/4 of the way up.

Good, I'm not the only one who has wondered this then. Been wondering how an entire State could be so geographically challenged for 20 years. Calais is "Northern Maine", Augusta is "Central Maine", Where am I "Occupied Canada?" I've even heard one person say they were going way up North to Ellsworth. Jeeze thanks, if Ellsworth is way up North, I must be Santa then .