Maine or Ohio ? (Portland, Bangor, Caribou: crime rates, home, to buy)

[shauna714]

Hi Y'all, I live in the Washington DC area and am debating between moving to Portland or to Columbus, Ohio. Portland is where I want to be but I am not sure I can make a good enough living there to be able to buy a single family home, which is my lifelong desire. My business is teaching private piano lessons and I will have to start over again from scratch wherever I go. I know I can make it in Ohio and have a great single family home there, but Ohio is more of a safety net and not the place I want to be. Moving to Maine is what I need and want but I'm not sure the market is there for piano teaching. Can any of you offer any advice or comments either way ?

[elston]

Oh my, I have a friend who lives in Columbus; she is a teacher. Over the years I have never heard her say a good word about living and working in Columbus. This same woman longs to live in Maine. (I am not sure how so many of us end up living in a place we really don't like...but I know a lot of us long to move to Maine.)

There certainly are people with children who love music and who want their kids to learn to play an instrument in Ohio and in Maine. Columbus is a much larger city so the potential market must be larger.....but the supply of teachers is probably larger as well.
Family love for their children and love of music is probably the constant.

Is there any professional organization of piano teachers that would have info to help you make a decision? Maybe if you looked up piano stores in Portland and made inquiry about your job availability. Are there any other related businesses you could contact that might have an idea? How did you build your business where you are now? Is there the possibility of another job to tide you over while you build your clientelle?

I imagine it will take you awhile to get established and that will necessitate some funds to tide you over wherever you go.

Where ever you end up....good luck.

[dramamama6685]

Welcome, Shauna! I have lived in Southwest Ohio my entire life (currently about 1hr and a half southwest of Columbus)> While there are definitely some great things out this way, it CANNOT hold a candle to maine!

[Zymer]

Didn't we already have this conversation last month?

[msina]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Didn't we already have this conversation last month?

I believe you're correct.

[AliceT]

I can sum it up for ya. Last summer in Ohio, the temps got to 100+ more than once. The rest of the summer was like everywhere else, except Maine of course: not enough rain, too much heat, enormous utility bills due to the increased use of air conditioning, higher than normal criminal activity. People get irritable when they are uncomfortably warm for too long. The folks who are of a criminal mind do things they might not have if they were more comfortable.

Have you ever compared the crime rates in Ohio and in Maine. For my money, I would do everything in my power to make the decision to go to Maine. If that's where you want to be, it's where you should be.

Why Portland? Why not Bangor? Bangor is a bustling city with lower housing prices and all the amenities/conveniences of city life. Why not Caribou? Also a city with amenties and needs. The further inland and north you go, the lower the housing prices. And it's still Maine.

[woxyroxme]

Originally Posted by AliceT

Have you ever compared the crime rates in Ohio and in Maine..

The city of Cincinnati probably had more shootings last year than the entire state of Maine. I'm in Ohio now and would not wish it on anyone, I am counting the days until I get back to Eastport.