UPDATE'S, Where are you in life, and your move to Maine (Hope: garage, yard)

[lovemaine]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Sorry to hear that, Palval, but you know everything happens for a reason. I agree with you that the universe must be speaking!

We've just realized this morning that Brad only has 4 more days available to get things done before loading day, so we're in a bit of a panic. Don't tell him, but I've been seeing this time coming for while now, so I've BEEN in a panic, knowing how much we have yet to get accomplished!

Today is van tune-up and interior house paint touch-up day. We're down to actually having to schedule the things that need to be done on specific days before we run completely out of time. And, of course, I have a number of lists going around so we don't forget something important! Oh, and ask an auto parts store salesman in SE Texas...."Do you have washer fluid with de-icer in it?" They look at you like you just walked in with your hair standing straight up on top of your head! We'll have to do a few things when we get up there!

Exciting....scary....nerve wracking....worrisome....exciting!!!

WOW! Only 23 days to go for your big move! I hope it all goes off without a hitch and you and your family have a safe trip!

I must have missed it, but did you end up selling your house or are you renting it out? Just curious...

[MeganAK]

23 days, I am so envious! We have 120 days left and we put one piece of candy in a jar for every day, and we eat a piece every day. Haha!

[Chandler85]

79 days here...but I've done all I can do at this point. Got the Movers arranged (...bunny trail... Uhaul from Minneapolis to Portland is $1600:O Budget is $1064 and a full service mover (Budget Van Lines) is $1050... gee I wonder which option I shall chose... LOL). Started feeling the job market out. Now its just learning the streets and the neighborhood (Thank God for Google Earth with StreetView!) Come the middle of March its time for the Great Rental Quest.

[mensaguy]

Originally Posted by Chandler85

79 days here...but I've done all I can do at this point. Got the Movers arranged (...bunny trail... Uhaul from Minneapolis to Portland is $1600:O Budget is $1064 and a full service mover (Budget Van Lines) is $1050... gee I wonder which option I shall chose... LOL). Started feeling the job market out. Now its just learning the streets and the neighborhood (Thank God for Google Earth with StreetView!) Come the middle of March its time for the Great Rental Quest.

I've seen similar price differences when I was renting a truck. Last time I did it, I used Penske and saved a bunch of cash as well as getting a newer, better maintained truck. Penske has been aggressively adding local pickup-dropoff locations, so it might be worth checking them out.

[Elcarim]

I second that about Penske. They were nearly 50% cheaper than the others we quoted. We opted to go with ABF, since our move is quite a long distance for us to both drive the entire way.

[boonelsewhere]

You don't have to worry about the washer fluid, once you in the snowbelt area all gas station will have them out next to the gas pump.

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Today is van tune-up and interior house paint touch-up day. We're down to actually having to schedule the things that need to be done on specific days before we run completely out of time. And, of course, I have a number of lists going around so we don't forget something important! Oh, and ask an auto parts store salesman in SE Texas...."Do you have washer fluid with de-icer in it?" They look at you like you just walked in with your hair standing straight up on top of your head! We'll have to do a few things when we get up there!

Exciting....scary....nerve wracking....worrisome....exciting!!!

[reindeerlady]

Originally Posted by mensaguy

I've seen similar price differences when I was renting a truck. Last time I did it, I used Penske and saved a bunch of cash as well as getting a newer, better maintained truck. Penske has been aggressively adding local pickup-dropoff locations, so it might be worth checking them out.

And I third that! My two sisters and I moved my Mom's stuff up from Florida to Vermont a few Aprils ago and used a Penske truck. It was very well maintained, and although I had never driven a really big truck, it handled well. I had to lie to my sisters and tell them I'd driven a truck like that before, and didn't tell them until we arrived in Vt - they could've killed me, but were relieved that they didn't have to! The brakes held up well even through the Lake George region of NY, which sister #1 thought would break up the monotony by being a "scenic" ride. Well, sister#2, who was riding the truck with me and giving me directions, and I were white-knuckling the whole way up and down those hills with this huge truck, loaded to the gills, praying the brakes wouldn't smoke out, sheesh
Anyway, I thought I'd touch base on the topic and say DH has just set aside the last week of February to go up to The County to have a job interview and to have a look-see around the area. I'm going to send him with my camera and the command to take many pictures and drop off many resumes. If anyone has any ideas as to places where he might look, we'd appreciate the help. He currently works on the big machines that make chips in the semi-conductor industry, but is willing to do something different. He is going to be starting at Houlton, and working his way up to Fort Kent, as that is the area that is the most like what we're used to as far as living and landscape is like. So, even with this horrible recession, bad news every day about more job cuts, maybe- just maybe, we might still make it up there this year. I don't see how, but that's never stopped us from taking the steps in a new direction
We're in NW Vermont right now, and it's going to be a very long drive for him, but what better time to see how the commute would be in a Maine winter? Besides, he's from upstate NY, where his sister right now has 8-9' of snow on either side of her driveway, and is running out of places to put it!

[BoundtofindME]

Penske was our truck of choice 6 years ago. We had 2 full size ones and they were brand new with only about 500 miles on them! Best price around, plus I remember they let us have them free the night before to load up earlier, which we did! Good to see, that Penske is still offering good value.

[Ode]

My husband and I won't be moving for 12 years alas, but are saving to buy a property in the area around Bangor. I like the area a bit north and west of it, within about a 45 minutes driving radius. If all goes well we should be able to start looking in 2-3 years. I guess it really depends on how much the property values change during that time. We really are very excited to have finally chosen the area we want to live in during our retirement, and that we will be able to use the property as our vacation/camping spot until we can start building our home there.

It was this forum really that got us thinking about the possibility of Maine, and after visiting we were sold. The state is beautiful, I just wish we had the money for a property now! Every time we browse through listings we get envious, and try to think of more ways to increase our rate of savings accumulation!

[dramamama6685]

Originally Posted by Ode

My husband and I won't be moving for 12 years alas, but are saving to buy a property in the area around Bangor. I like the area a bit north and west of it, within about a 45 minutes driving radius. If all goes well we should be able to start looking in 2-3 years. I guess it really depends on how much the property values change during that time. We really are very excited to have finally chosen the area we want to live in during our retirement, and that we will be able to use the property as our vacation/camping spot until we can start building our home there.

It was this forum really that got us thinking about the possibility of Maine, and after visiting we were sold. The state is beautiful, I just wish we had the money for a property now! Every time we browse through listings we get envious, and try to think of more ways to increase our rate of savings accumulation!

Welcome to the boards and I am in your very same shoes at the moment though we won't buy until we're ready to go.