Moving to the mid coast

[Justanormalguy]

Thanks guys for all of the very helpful information! First hand information like this in priceless. Mark S and Submariner your unbiased detailed explanation has given me a much better understanding of the area geographically and socially. Mark S I appreciate your comment about people may be stand-offish. Live and let live. Don’t bother me and I won’t bother you. It’s an important reminder to give people their space.

It looks like travel restrictions are going to loosen up a bit in May. I’ve been making a list of properties I want to look at and been talking to local agents. We would be honored to grab a coffee and chat with anyone willing to do so!

Submariner thanks for the info about UT’s. That absolutely carries weight on where I want to build. And it looks like I’ll want to do pretty much exactly what you have done. My goal is to build a home debt free so I can focus on the important things in life and stop chasing a mortgage and keeping up with the Jones. I will also get a sense pride from doing as much of the work myself as I can.

Again thanks for all taking the time out of your day to share this info with me.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Justanormalguy

Mark S I appreciate your comment about people may be stand-offish. Live and let live. Don’t bother me and I won’t bother you. It’s an important reminder to give people their space.

I hope I didn't give the impression that Mainers are stand-offish. They aren't. You need to understand the difference between public and private interaction. It's perfectly fine to greet a stranger on the street or in the store, say hi how ya doin, etc. But don't ask personal questions or pry until you've gotten to know someone a bit.

This freaked out and offended my mom a bit when she first started visiting. She is used to the West Texas culture where it's prefectly fine to walk up to someone in the grocery store, say hi, compliment their kids, ask how many kids they have, how long they've been married, where they're from, where the kids go to school, etc., etc., etc. Don't do that in Maine. People find it creepy and intrusive.

A greeting is fine and appreciated, but if you start sharing personal details with a stranger and asking them the same kind of questions, you'll come across as intrusive, pushy, and rude.

But once you get to know a friend, you're family.

[CARas2020]

Originally Posted by Justanormalguy

Thanks guys for all of the very helpful information! First hand information like this in priceless. Mark S and Submariner your unbiased detailed explanation has given me a much better understanding of the area geographically and socially. Mark S I appreciate your comment about people may be stand-offish. Live and let live. Don’t bother me and I won’t bother you. It’s an important reminder to give people their space.

It looks like travel restrictions are going to loosen up a bit in May. I’ve been making a list of properties I want to look at and been talking to local agents. We would be honored to grab a coffee and chat with anyone willing to do so!

Submariner thanks for the info about UT’s. That absolutely carries weight on where I want to build. And it looks like I’ll want to do pretty much exactly what you have done. My goal is to build a home debt free so I can focus on the important things in life and stop chasing a mortgage and keeping up with the Jones. I will also get a sense pride from doing as much of the work myself as I can.

Again thanks for all taking the time out of your day to share this info with me.

I lived in Seattle for about 2-3 years. Now down in PDX. Moved because it was cheaper. Good thing because Seattle has gotten completely ridiculous and Portland is close behind. I do miss some of the things in Seattle. But I am beginning to HATE the northwest everything is getting way to expensive. Maine is still affordable.

I think if i ever did move I would miss the mountains for sure. They like to think they have mountains back east but really NOT. I loved on a clear day seeing 14410 foot Mount Rainier. Or the 11,250 Mount Hood.

Puget sound is beautiful and so is Lake Washington. My husband was stationed in Puget Sound and I was already living in Portland. He likes it here but only because he hates the idea of moving. Been trying off and on for years to get him to go back east but he has certain things in his head about it that are not realistic. I know I still love Maine even though it has been many years since I visited. I have been watching you tube videos and seeing Portland Maine makes me feel happy inside. I also saw one about Brunswick and that looks like a nice place too.

I love the idea of building your own place and that is great for people with the skills. I'm not and neither is my hubby but he could do the electrical since he was an electrician in the Navy. He could probably get your nuclear powered generator working too. I watch a you tube channel of some people building their own house in Park City Utah. So maybe you can make videos of all the progress and missteps along the way.

[Justanormalguy]

Originally Posted by CARas2020

I lived in Seattle for about 2-3 years. Now down in PDX. Moved because it was cheaper. Good thing because Seattle has gotten completely ridiculous and Portland is close behind. I do miss some of the things in Seattle. But I am beginning to HATE the northwest everything is getting way to expensive. Maine is still affordable.

I think if i ever did move I would miss the mountains for sure. They like to think they have mountains back east but really NOT. I loved on a clear day seeing 14410 foot Mount Rainier. Or the 11,250 Mount Hood.

Puget sound is beautiful and so is Lake Washington. My husband was stationed in Puget Sound and I was already living in Portland. He likes it here but only because he hates the idea of moving. Been trying off and on for years to get him to go back east but he has certain things in his head about it that are not realistic. I know I still love Maine even though it has been many years since I visited. I have been watching you tube videos and seeing Portland Maine makes me feel happy inside. I also saw one about Brunswick and that looks like a nice place too.

I love the idea of building your own place and that is great for people with the skills. I'm not and neither is my hubby but he could do the electrical since he was an electrician in the Navy. He could probably get your nuclear powered generator working too. I watch a you tube channel of some people building their own house in Park City Utah. So maybe you can make videos of all the progress and missteps along the way.

Thanks so much for the response!

Is your husband the one that has a few posts up about looking/finding work in ME as an electrician? Looks like there’s tons of work over there and everyone’s backed up.

I totally agree about Seattle and Portland Oregon. It’s such a bummer because it is a beautiful state. The Olympic and cascades! And as you mention Rainier on a beautiful day! It’s gorgeous!

I would absolutely video log my progress and such but if I did put it on the internet or YouTube I’d make all the videos private. I’m not a big “public” person and I totally understand that many of these you tubers are making six figures just recording themselves but it’s not really in my DNA. But I would make the members of this form accessible to the videos.

I am an electrical administrator and journeyman here in Washington, and it’s nice to see the others comments on finding work.

I need to get my current home on the market ASAP!!

[Cuffler]

I'd hire you immediately to work on my house! My wife and I moved to the mid coast last September (you can follow our journey at this forum) and have fallen in love all over again. If there is one deficiency.......there are clearly not enough tradesmen and if you have a trade/skill like plumbing or electrical or roofing or builders, I could just about guarantee you there will be a job available for you. I had to make appointments for our electrician over a month in advance same for plumber.

I have a suggestion: Look up "electricians" in the Belfast area. Call them and ask if anyone is looking for workers. I'm confident that you'll have offer after offer. I'm a retired cabinetmaker from CT and I can tell you that I could walk into just about any of the boat shops here and come away with a quality job with benefits if I cared to do that. I'm going to say retired, thanks very much.

There is a dearth of homes for sale unless you're looking for a fixer-upper or want to be paying in the mid $300k area. Be sure to check the property taxes! They are all over the place. We pay very little but some towns like Rockland are expensive. Begin by isolating all the towns in Waldo County. Then find them on a map. Rt 3 is the main arterty that runs from Belfast (PennBay......Penobscot Bay-really beautiful) to Augusta. Most of the towns will be on the north or south of that run. We're in Searsmont and could not be happier. Then do a search for "home for sale in Knox County Maine" and just follow the prompts. You'll be able to insert each town and find pretty much everthing that's for sale. IF you need a realestate rep that you can 100% trust will keep your interests in the forefront, email me off site and I'll send you the contact. She was a Godsend to us and accomodated us every way possible when we were in the middle of Covid looking to buy property.

We searched and searched south of here all the way to the NH border but the market just went wild and homes jumped 30-40% easily over five years we were hunting. If you read our story, you'll agree that we were blessed in finding this place, a 13 year old , single story ranch on 4 wooded acres. I'm still pinching myself.

So, in my estimation work won't be an issue. Too much work may be an issue! Happy hunting.

[CARas2020]

Originally Posted by Justanormalguy

Thanks so much for the response!

Is your husband the one that has a few posts up about looking/finding work in ME as an electrician? Looks like there’s tons of work over there and everyone’s backed up.

I totally agree about Seattle and Portland Oregon. It’s such a bummer because it is a beautiful state. The Olympic and cascades! And as you mention Rainier on a beautiful day! It’s gorgeous!

I would absolutely video log my progress and such but if I did put it on the internet or YouTube I’d make all the videos private. I’m not a big “public” person and I totally understand that many of these you tubers are making six figures just recording themselves but it’s not really in my DNA. But I would make the members of this form accessible to the videos.

I am an electrical administrator and journeyman here in Washington, and it’s nice to see the others comments on finding work.

I need to get my current home on the market ASAP!!

He works in computers now. He could of done an electrician apprenticeship but he loved computers. He now works for a big software company.

There seems to be quite a bit of construction going on so I think all the trades are doing okay.

I understand about keeping your stuff private. I was going to you tube my cancer journey but I just couldn't do it. I'm writing a book. Very slow process for me. So far 6 months cancer free. Going through some stuff so keep me in your thoughts.

Have you ever been to North Cascades national Park? I never did go there. Olympics tons of times and same with Rainier.