From Idaho to Maine? Appreciate any input (Portland, Bangor: car rental, rentals)

[LloydinMaine]

I think Idaho would be an awesome state to live. So far I'm loving Maine, but if I was already in Idaho I would probably stay put. I've been snowmobiling, snowboarding, fishing, etc. in Jackson Hole (other side of the mountain) and if I had the opportunity to live in that area I would have jumped at it. No ocean like we have in Maine, but for outdoor activities it is a great area. I will say the same about Maine though. An opportunity was available and we jumped at it. So far we love it and it would have to be something really terrific to make us move.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"Waterfront property in Maine is taxed at about 4 times the rate of non-waterfront."

And it can be a whole lot more than that! It isn't due to some old grumpy assessor. It is due to supply and demand. If a 3 bedroom ranch with an attached 2 car garage in a town is assessed at $89,000, the same house on the lake might be assessed at $450,000. In Millinocket, foreclosed homes are going for around $5.000. It is rare for a home on a lake to be foreclosed upon. People make great sacrifices to keep their lake homes from being foreclosed upon.

That house in Maine that appraises for $89,000 would appraise in NH for $180,000. Why is that? Same reason as above. It is supply and demand. Homes in NH have a higher demand because there is more economic opportunity. From a purely personal point of view, would you rather live in a place with no income tax, no sales tax, hunt on Sunday and a good job market or on the other side of the Maple Curtain with an entirely different outlook on government?

[Submariner]

You can buy an expensive home with high taxes. You could also buy a less expensive home in an area with low taxes. Maine offers a wide selection, of both home prices and mil-rates.

Within this wide selection are included waterfront properties.

Do not be led into the paradigm that waterfront must be expensive.

I am not aware of any marketing or demand right now for Net-Zero homes [homes that do not consume grid-power nor heating fuel]. I enjoy looking at them and talking to people who live in these homes.

We shifted to Solar-Power a few weeks ago, and we plan to do a Solar-Thermal project next year. We have been consuming 3 to 3 1/2 cords of firewood each year, we hope to reduce our firewood consumption to less than a cord /year.

You can clearly afford to buy your pick from 99% of homes in Maine, you might consider a Net-Zero home. Just to be different. Then as people whine about the prices of grid electricity or heating fuel [and they will], you can find peace in the knowledge that you are not playing into that game.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

You live in LURC land. In counties like Hancock, any water front property is much high taxes, fresh or salt.

I assume that you realize there are LUPC' towns even in Hancock county, right?

Towns like: Oqiton, 3ND, 39MD, 40MD, 41MD,
32MD, 34MD, 35MD,
28MD, 22MD,16MD,
Fletchers Landing, 9SD, 10SD, 7SD,
Along with a handful of islands.

Would you like for me to tell you what the Hancock County Mil-Rate is? It is all on-line you know.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I just took a course put on by the Maine Forest Service. I don't know the precise title of the course. I just call it Managing Your Woodlot for Fun and Profit. They gave us handouts that show the tree growth value for all 16 counties and current tax rates in the UTs. None of my land is in tree growth because my needs may change and I might want to do something other than grow trees. Who knows, Maine may have a building boom as families need to move to a safer place than where they are now.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Submariner

I assume that you realize there are LUPC' towns even in Hancock county, right?

Towns like: Oqiton, 3ND, 39MD, 40MD, 41MD,
32MD, 34MD, 35MD,
28MD, 22MD,16MD,
Fletchers Landing, 9SD, 10SD, 7SD,
Along with a handful of islands.

Would you like for me to tell you what the Hancock County Mil-Rate is? It is all on-line you know.

Yes... I realize that. I was kidding.

And since I live in Hancock County, and pay the taxes, you do not need to tell me these things. I already know them.

[boiselover]

Lloyd idaho is an awesome place to live I often miss it now living back in california. But maine sounds amazing and as northern maine land man said I could see it becoming like idaho with people flooding in seeking a better life

[movintime]

Unfortunately it will, & this is just part & parcel of why this country's going clearly in the wrong direction. They'll only be so much sacred ground, so to speak left, & soon it'll be ursurped to be bastardized in some negative venture. Not meaning to sound negative here but it is realty & a not so oft in the distance myth.

On a sidenote too: Maine needs no more "flooding" isues (of any sort let alone a huge pop. surge) as it has enough when ice melts in spring thaws & inundates swollen rivers over their banks. Much the same the growing mass influx of who knows who peoples, will turn this state probably upside in many folks' here lifetimes sadly.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by boiselover

Lloyd idaho is an awesome place to live I often miss it now living back in california. But maine sounds amazing and as northern maine land man said I could see it becoming like idaho with people flooding in seeking a better life

Young adults leave Maine seeking higher wages, retirees migrate to Maine seeking the low cost rural lifestyle. When combined they balance out.

Two 'floods' are happening.

[LloydinMaine]

Originally Posted by Submariner

Young adults leave Maine seeking higher wages, retirees migrate to Maine seeking the low cost rural lifestyle. When combined they balance out.

Two 'floods' are happening.

In your opinion what area of the US are the retirees from that are migrating to Maine? I would guess mostly from the northeast. I could see retirees leaving the high cost of living states like NJ, NY, CT and MA to move to Maine for lower costs and still remain within driving distance to family.