New Members Moving from UK to Maine (Portland, Bangor: sales, real estate)

[ME-Evergreen]

Hello Everyone,

We are new members and plan to relocate from Scotland to Maine hopefully in July of 2008. We are academics with two daughters ages 12 and 13 and two incredible Saint Bernards. So far we have been looking in the Hampden and Gorham areas since the schools seem to rate very high here. We will be in Maine in early May for a week to house hunt and will likely make an offer if we find one we like.

We are looking for some acrage (5-10 acres) and welcome any information anyone has to offer. We have a realtor in Portland but have not heard back from the realtor in Bangor. Is it normal for realtors in the Bangor area to take weeks to respond to emails? We are pre-approved for the loan and have mentioned this so that they know we are serious buyers.

We have been reading the posts concerning purchasing a car in Maine and are wondering if we should purchase it in another state given the taxes. Obviously we will need a car.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by ME-Evergreen

Hello Everyone,

We are new members and plan to relocate from Scotland to Maine hopefully in July of 2008. We are academics with two daughters ages 12 and 13 and two incredible Saint Bernards. So far we have been looking in the Hampden and Gorham areas since the schools seem to rate very high here. We will be in Maine in early May for a week to house hunt and will likely make an offer if we find one we like.

We are looking for some acrage (5-10 acres) and welcome any information anyone has to offer. We have a realtor in Portland but have not heard back from the realtor in Bangor. Is it normal for realtors in the Bangor area to take weeks to respond to emails? We are pre-approved for the loan and have mentioned this so that they know we are serious buyers.

We have been reading the posts concerning purchasing a car in Maine and are wondering if we should purchase it in another state given the taxes. Obviously we will need a car.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Welcome to Maine!

There has been a lot of commentary about realtors on this forum already. Currently I am working with a realtor in the downeast area who is very prompt, but to not receive a response to an email from a realtor isn't unusual at all to my experience. Many of them are merely brain dead. I suspect the realtor in Bangor made two sales last year, and was thus able to take three months of vacation time in Florida and just hasn't returned to Maine. Either that or they spent all of their money buying gasoline to use driving back to Maine, and haven't enough cash left to have their electricity turned on so can't read their emails. Obviously, I am being cynical and sarcastic. There are a lot of realtors in the greater Bangor area, and perhaps you would be best served to find another one. Above all remember: the realtor works for the SELLER.

You really should hire an attorney to help you through the process of buying a house. This is especially true coming from abroad, as US and Maine real estate law may well present some issues with which you are not familiar coming from the UK. Remember: the realtor works for the SELLER. (Oh, I said that already!).

It will not matter where you buy a car, as you will pay Maine sales tax and Maine excise tax on the car when you register the car. If you have purchased and registered a car out of state, you will need to show proof that you paid sales tax in that state or else will have to pay sales tax here. Don't worry about the taxes on the car. The taxes on automobiles in Maine are no worse nor any better than any other state. For a lot of people who complain about the cost of taxes on a vehicle, the real issue is that they cannot afford to own the car that they bought to begin with, and the taxes are merely the final blow that is commonly acceptable to complain about.

It seems to me that the biggest hurdle you face in moving here will be getting the two dogs into the country. I can't imagine what kinds of health checks and other issues may be presented by doing that.

From your post it sounds to me like you are pretty well prepared for Maine. Remember to put the Common Ground Fair on your list of "must do's" for later in the summer!

Remember: the realtor works for the SELLER. (Oh, I think I already said that.)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

You need a Realtor who will represent you. When you have a buyer's broker he represents you. Somebody else represents the seller, either the seller himself or another real estate salesman.

I raced sled dogs in a prior life. Getting dogs across the border is no problem if you have their documented immunizations.

[island mermaid]

I think you'll only need a current health certificate from your vet to bring them in. They shouldn't be in need of quarantine coming from the UK.
I just found out that I can bring mine to Dubai with only a vet's health certificate, can't imagine you would need anything more bringing 2 into the US. Good luck with your search, I'm sure you'll find some place wonderful in Maine!

[dramamama6685]

Welcome to the boards, Evergreen! Good luck on your serch and move!

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

You need a Realtor who will represent you. When you have a buyer's broker he represents you. Somebody else represents the seller, either the seller himself or another real estate salesman.

.

I believe this "buyer's broker" stuff is a scam being foisted off on an unsuspecting public by the real estate community.

Unless the buyers broker is from a different real estate firm, and is being paid by the BUYER, and not out of the listing agent's commission, the whole business is suspect. A buyer's broker who is compensated by the sale of the property, and from the commission can be relied upon only so far as the buyer can trust their ethics.

To my experience, ethics among real estate brokers is like honor among....well, you know. There are some professionals who are truly that among the ranks. But finding one to trust is difficult, and so, like Ronald Regan, I prefer to check and verify. And I never ask a fox to guard the chicken coop.

[peachie_in_maine]

I wanted to wish you all the best of luck in your hunting. I am upper downeast, so I'm not sure what's in that area. I just know what's here.

Best of Luck, and keep us posted to your progress!

Tami~peachie

[Bydand]

I just used a buyers agent for the first time. What a positive and rewarding experience it was. She worked hard for us, and even tried to dissuade us from looking at a property that her own agency was listing, because she said it was in rougher shape than we indicated we were looking for. When I say her agency I don't mean the agency she works for, I mean the very large one she owns. She was 100% correct, it was WAY rough. Every single property she took us to, she was above board and very honest. Before she took us to the one that was listed with her agency she informed us that while she would be glad to take us out there even though she didn't think it was right for our needs, she was NOT going to act as a buyers agent for us, even though legally she could because she wasn't the listing agent. She offered to refer us to another agency to work with another agent she knew would represent our best interest because she was ethically obligated to the seller on any property that chose to list with any of her agents.

Most of the other agents I have seen and worked with are questionable at best and downright crooks at worst. I prefer to do it owner to owner, but in this market and being so far away I chose this route and am VERY pleased with the outcome. She wouldn't even talk about signing a contract to act as an agent for us until we were actually set to make an offer, then she made it for that property only. She put in hours and hours of work before we got there without a hope of being paid for that work unless we put in an offer on something.

[ME-Evergreen]

Thanks so much for all your nice and helpful comments.

It makes sense to buy the car when we arrive--that is one less thing do do beforehand.

It is much easier to bring dogs to the USA than to the UK!

We have been to Maine before and are definitely looking forward to being back. It has much the same climate as Scotland but we do not get the winter snow.

At this time we are unsure exactly where we will be but the schools will likely be the deciding factor.

We would love to have a few Highland cows (as pets) so that is also a major consideration for us. They should thrive in the Maine climate.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by ME-Evergreen

Hello Everyone,

We are new members and plan to relocate from Scotland to Maine hopefully in July of 2008. We are academics with two daughters ages 12 and 13 and two incredible Saint Bernards. So far we have been looking in the Hampden and Gorham areas since the schools seem to rate very high here. We will be in Maine in early May for a week to house hunt and will likely make an offer if we find one we like.

We are looking for some acrage (5-10 acres) and welcome any information anyone has to offer. We have a realtor in Portland but have not heard back from the realtor in Bangor. Is it normal for realtors in the Bangor area to take weeks to respond to emails? We are pre-approved for the loan and have mentioned this so that they know we are serious buyers.

We have been reading the posts concerning purchasing a car in Maine and are wondering if we should purchase it in another state given the taxes. Obviously we will need a car.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Just wondering...what's wrong with Scotland?