Falling in love with the State of Maine... (Portland, Bangor: sales, real estate)

[RunD1987]

First off hi to everyone. New Englander hailing from Conneticut.

Something has always drawn me to Maine. As a child remember my first trip to Maine and instantly fell in love. It was in Maine that I learned have a passion for being outdoors and where I feel at home.

Fast forward to the Now wife and I went up to Maine for a 3-day camping trip. We both fell in love with Maine. The place takes your breath away.

Maine reminds me of a love child between Colorado and Pennsylvania. Further North you went seemed Religion was the backbone for Communities. Oddly enough didn't seem pushed and also felt an attitude of live your life as you want.

The people of Maine are very friendly. They say hi and can spark up a random conversation with strangers. Plus Maine is so healthy with so many farms and fresh food. The food scene up the Coast was out of this World.

We really loved Enchantments in Boothbay!

We loved how much forest there is. Love the open fields. The air is fresher. The space between you and your neighbor. The highways how easy to drive on, how flat they were, and how they did not have a lot of traffic on them.

We enjoyed the small town and communities along Route 1. Camden had to be our favorite. Can really tell where Stephen King The Mist drew inspiration from. Camden Hills State Park at night must would roll down the hill enveloping the town pretty cool to watch.

Another awesome site was running up Beech Hill. Reach the top have a stone hut that overlooks many areas. The most breath taking view was Vindalhaven surrounded by fog a cloud Island!

We also liked the areas as we got closer to Portland. We are torn. We love the rural life. Eventually if I can obtain my RN license; my wife and I should have a good number of job opportunities in Maine.

With that said and returning from my tangent. Portland area felt like being transported to another State. That is good not bad. It still had the Maine personality. Portland was weird but good weird. Wife and I felt at home in the uniqueness of Portland. Had art, good food, beauty, history, heavy metal music, and so much more.

Also Portland is about 50% less in population than where my wife and I currently reside. However, Portland is double and with some change larger in square miles than where we currently reside. Plus has more restaurants, bike paths, running store, college's, baseball park, shops, and so forth so that is awesome!

On the flipside Portland does have higher education opportunities and health care profession jobs. So for when we do venture to Maine to live think starting in the Portland area may be the best start and then move up the Coast.

Did enjoy Yarmouth, Falmouth, and Freeport as well.

Would love to explore further into Maine as well.

My wife and I want to make a drive from Portland to Bangor in the near future. That area has colleges and hospitals can look at. Furthermore, we could move next March when our lease ends and myself or my wife can start school in Maine. Though probably add a year or two on. However, did find State jobs in Augusta, South Portland, and Bangor. Iffy on State Jobs where in our State mandated to stay, that doesn't help me when in school. Also did find private sector jobs in my current line of work, psych tech. Also could work at L.L. Bean but do love being in the health and social service field.

For the most part school and life seem like it be more laid back in Maine.

Mean nothing disparaging or bad about Conneticut. The lifestyle in Connecticut is not just for us and the State feels too congested.

Also Taxes are less in regards to Sales Tax and Property Tax in Maine. Some areas have high home value. Groceries, gas, and goods are less expensive in Maine. That could change depending how this election goes this year. Rooting for Hayes!

Though Winters may be slightly tougher in Maine I look forward to it. Love to do more in the Winter but feel limited. Summer felt like Fall. Closer to Portland did become slightly warmer but the humidity didn't even bother us. Always a breeze and the clouds at times offered a great moment to cool off.

I can't wait to return to Maine soon. Hoping for more camping trips next year. Also wife and I are hoping to go up at least once more this year to Maine.

If you lasted this long much appreciated!

Last thing should add I felt safe in Maine no matter where I was. The only danger I felt was being in the woods being charged by a moose in heat.

[7th generation]

....and........?........................you nailed it. Seems as though you've got this figured out. You know what you want and how to get there..........psst...don't worry about a hot mama trampling you ...much overated........

[RunD1987]

Just had to say how amazing this State is.

Love to head up now. Wife and I are thinking like to tidy up some finances and see if I can achieve my license to an RN by the end of 2020. Doing that will open up lots more doors in Maine.

So we have time to explore and scope out areas of Maine.

[melbanie]

....keep in mind that it can get tough at times. It takes a certain something to make it here in Maine. I compared the first year when we moved here to getting hazed in a sorority or fraternity. It was a tough first year. We got a winter with a ridiculous amount of snow. It would take me 20 minutes attempting to get my car out of my driveway onto the road and I actually had to take my first ever "Mental Health Day" off from work after I got stuck in a snow bank in my own driveway.
I always romanticized about moving to Maine. Ahhh....I would ski all the time, bake fresh blueberry pies that I picked from the backyard and see moose on a daily basis. It reminded me of this funny story, Diary of a Snow Shoveler. It is laugh out loud hilarious! Here is the link.
www.funny2.com/snow.htm

I wanted to share with you that I DO love it here in Maine. It got easier and it's been heck of a crazy ride with alot of tears, fears and laughter. I wouldn't change a thing. Remember that it is not about the destination, but the journey! Best of luck to you.

[RunD1987]

See I feel I would enjoy Winter more in Maine sounds odd!

In CT it snows then it is mush. That is why I dread Winter in CT; you really can't do much in the Winter.

There is one cross country ski trail area in CT. You could use it on a blue moon depending on what type of snow we get in CT and how much.

I am Not big into Skiing but if I was living in a State with a more intense Winter, like Maine, I be game to try it. Also like to try tobogganing, ice skating more, ice hockey, snow shoe racing, and maybe ice fishing. Also like to try to camp out in the Winter more and down the road look into buying/building a small lodge in the woods kind of thing.

The other issue in CT is the crews who plow here do a good job. Only issue and don't know if it is due to how quickly it melts...roads in Connecticut are a bit tricky in the Winter. Usually caked on ice/snow on the roads stay after a storm. The roads become narrow some one way roads with huge banks of snow. When that occurs pain to run on, just a dangerous situation. Don't mean to be a complainer.

Wouldn't mind chopping wood; Think it gives you a sense of completion and appreciation for the Weather and Earth by prepping for Winter/Changes of the Season. If that makes much sense it makes you humble.

[Vance Mack]

[quote=RunD1987;52717275]

Maine reminds me of a love child between Colorado and Pennsylvania. quote]


Ew. Pennsyltucky? No. That's just gross.

[Spanky25]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Just had to say how amazing this State is.

Love to head up now. Wife and I are thinking like to tidy up some finances and see if I can achieve my license to an RN by the end of 2020. Doing that will open up lots more doors in Maine.

So we have time to explore and scope out areas of Maine.

Run D,
My wife and I also feel the same way. We’ve been going to Maine for 20 + years and never missed a year yet. Sometimes 2-3 times per year, visiting different areas along with our favorite towns.
Boothbay Harbor being one of our favorite vacation spot.

As far as moving there, she’s an RN too and would take a 30-40% pay cut. I’ve looked into it extensively. Yes, housing, taxes, insurance, ect.... are ALL cheaper than NY here. However, the numbers just don’t ad up for us. Everyone’s situation is different. So looks like a vacation home or we will have to wait until retirement.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by Spanky25

Run D,
My wife and I also feel the same way. We’ve been going to Maine for 20 + years and never missed a year yet. Sometimes 2-3 times per year, visiting different areas along with our favorite towns.
Boothbay Harbor being one of our favorite vacation spot.

As far as moving there, she’s an RN too and would take a 30-40% pay cut. I’ve looked into it extensively. Yes, housing, taxes, insurance, ect.... are ALL cheaper than NY here. However, the numbers just don’t ad up for us. Everyone’s situation is different. So looks like a vacation home or we will have to wait until retirement.

Appreciate the feedback!

We would probably take a $2 to $4 cut in pay. I was going off what was listed for State RNs. The posting mentioned $30 an hour. In FFC nurses start around $32 an hour and other areas of the State $28-$30 an hour so not much change.

Also looking at Rochester up in NY and New London in our home State.

[goldenwings]

Best trip to the east coast was traveling from Colorado to Maine in winter for the holidays. Later we headed up the coast into Quebec. Our french was rather bad so we struggled getting served from time to time. Crepes, amazing. Returned back to Maine, had a family dinner with the French Canadian side of the family in their neck of the woods and ended up staying at an amazing old hunting lodge in the woods. Loved Maine.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

Appreciate the feedback!

We would probably take a $2 to $4 cut in pay. I was going off what was listed for State RNs. The posting mentioned $30 an hour. In FFC nurses start around $32 an hour and other areas of the State $28-$30 an hour so not much change.

Also looking at Rochester up in NY and New London in our home State.

It's been a long time, but I spent 5 years working at Kodak in the mid-90s. Rochester is a pretty nice area - the city still has many relics of its glory days, the real estate is inexpensive, and the surrounding farm country and the Finger Lakes are very nice countryside, with the beautiful Adirondacks not far off either.l.. come to think of it, Algonquin park in Ontario is also accessible, outdoors-wise: canoeing, moose, loon and wolf heaven. You've also got the U of R and RIT and some nice hospitals since you mention nursing. On the negative side of the ledger, the glory days for Western NY are gone and who knows when, if ever, they will return, so it's fairly economically depressed, and the city itself has significant crime issues. Personally, I think I'd rather live in most places in Maine.