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Old 09-05-2017, 08:37 AM
 
130 posts, read 191,428 times
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WhoFanMe - that is just crazy!!
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Old 09-05-2017, 09:47 AM
 
Location: Central Maine
133 posts, read 135,515 times
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I agree about that offer -- that's just insane. A note about buying in Rockland: the taxes there are high so you might want to look at Owl's Head right next door.
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Old 09-05-2017, 09:50 AM
 
130 posts, read 191,428 times
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quietnights - I love Owl's Head - but it's too pricey with most homes over $ 250k
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Old 09-05-2017, 10:04 AM
 
Location: Central Maine
133 posts, read 135,515 times
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That's too bad about Owl's Head home prices. I can understand why it might be popular. You might want to check out Appleton, Hope, and Union for more affordability if that area appeals to you.

I can add something else about the Rockland area, and that is there is a shortage of physicians accepting new patients there. The next nearest towns with hospitals and physician practice clusters are Belfast, Damariscotta, and Augusta.
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Old 09-05-2017, 10:12 AM
 
130 posts, read 191,428 times
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Wow - good info. How do you know all these things . . . .who would have thought a physician shortage? Have physicians left or has the population grown I wonder?
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Old 09-05-2017, 10:38 AM
 
Location: Gorham, Maine
1,973 posts, read 5,222,076 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
WhoFanMe - that is just crazy!!
It's my life in a seller's market. Things will change, they always do.
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Old 09-05-2017, 11:08 AM
 
Location: Central Maine
133 posts, read 135,515 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
Wow - good info. How do you know all these things . . . .who would have thought a physician shortage? Have physicians left or has the population grown I wonder?
A friend in the area was looking for an internist, called all of the area internal medicine and family practices and was quoted an 18 month to two-year waiting list. That's pretty discouraging for a town with a hospital. We're not talking about a rural health clinic. Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport is a 99-bed hospital.

To view news sources, google for midcoast maine physician shortages, and you'll get the full explanation.
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Old 09-05-2017, 03:28 PM
 
130 posts, read 191,428 times
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I thought I read Pen Bay was having money problems . .. guess not? But that is crazy about healthcare If you were concerned about health care and picking the next best area - would it be Belfast or Damariscotta?
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Old 09-05-2017, 06:07 PM
 
Location: Central Maine
133 posts, read 135,515 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
I thought I read Pen Bay was having money problems . .. guess not? But that is crazy about healthcare If you were concerned about health care and picking the next best area - would it be Belfast or Damariscotta?
I've spent a lot of time in both places and I'd pick Belfast. There are active artist events in both towns. Belfast is more accessible to more places (about an hour to Bangor and Augusta), and further up the coast to Blue Hill, Brooklin, Deer Isle. In my experience, it's got a cooler vibe than Damariscotta, is larger and has more to offer. Belfast has a nice library too. Because Belfast is larger, there might be a better chance of finding work.

Damariscotta is a cool little town though with a great library, but there's something about the layout of the downtown that bugs me and it's more crowded in summer than Belfast. Belfast gets loads of summer folk too, don't get me wrong, but the layout seems to work better. Belfast has a brewery, a pedestrian bridge over the water in the harbor, and a nice walk/bike trail along the river too.

Pen Bay Medical Center, Belfast's Waldo County General, and Damariscotta's Miles Memorial/LincolnHealth are all part of the MaineHealth system. You can read more about it on its site and the health of the smaller hospitals in Maine. Certainly many of them were struggling on their own, and may be doing better now that they're part of the larger system. But as I mentioned elsewhere, MaineHealth is only one of the hospital systems in Maine.

I re-read your original post to make sure I was staying on track with your general goals. Belfast has a very nice YMCA with an indoor walking track. I don't recall if it has a pool but you can look it up. Rockport (about a 1/2 hour south of Belfast) has a huge newish Y with a big pool. However, Camden in the summer is pretty clogged up to drive through.

Belfast also has public transportation; Damariscotta does not. Both towns have large food co-ops.

Just for fun search online for the Belfast Maine We Are Happy YouTube video. That'll give you an idea of .... well, I don't know what it'll give you an idea of, but it matched what I like about Belfast.

P.S. Belfast is definitely the "crunchy" choice of the two.

Last edited by quietnights; 09-05-2017 at 06:19 PM.. Reason: tweaks
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Old 09-05-2017, 06:14 PM
 
Location: Central Maine
133 posts, read 135,515 times
Reputation: 175
I'll add another thing that's been said by others in one way or another. Pick a coastal town you love and if you can't find what's affordable, go inland one town or two and it will be easier. You'll still have access to that coastal town without the larger, premium pricetag.
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