Can the Middle Class Make it in Maine? (Portland, Bangor: middle-class, fit in)

[AllAboutME]

I am originally from NYC but moved to Maine for college in '86. I loved Maine so much I decided to make it home. I did leave for a few years for graduate school in Vermont, and also when I married my husband he was in the military so I lived in the south for a few years.

I have always loved Portland...until recently. Up until seven years ago:

You would not see graffiti downtown- Now it's a big problem.

There were no gangs- Now there are some nationally recognized street gangs here.

The Old Port was full of locally owned shops- Now many have had to close shop due to high rents and are either vacant, replaced with chains or selling even more made in China baubles for tourists.

You could find many antique and flea markets- The flea markets are gone, and many antique shops have closed.

You could stay at beautiful seaside rooms at the historic Black Point Inn (pricey during the season but great deals off-season!)- This winter they are knocking down all of the seaside buildings and half of the old building itself to turn them into condos. A small B & B will remain.

Armed robbery was rare- You regularly read about these crimes due to an increase in drug use.

These are a few quality of life issues, but to the point of the title of this post: Seven years ago, you could buy a house in this area for $120,00 and under. Those same houses have doubled in price. Wooded areas are being developed to build executive estates. That's because there is a large influx of retirees from out of state who can afford $400,000 and up for a home.

At the same time, local salaries have NOT kept up with the rising cost of housing. The majority of advertised positions (I realize many jobs are not advertised, and that I am generalizing) on JobsInME.com, Monster.com, EmploymentTimesOnline.com pay $10-$12 an hour. Salaried positions advertised pay mostly up to $28,000. Obviously, this is not enough to own a $230,000 home (and anything decent that doesn't say "as is" or "handyman's dream!" starts at that price.) New condos are being built downtown with a sticker price of $500,000.

There have been articles written about the fact that those that keep infrastructures going- teachers, police, nurses, service workers, etc- they are being priced out. It's harder for existing tourist businesses to find employees.

Portland is becoming a retirement community for the well to do. (Old money is nothing new here). The working middle class is being priced out.

I would love to hear from other people living here. What are your experiences? I also am posting this to offer one gal's perspective.

By the way, this forum is great! I've been lurking for some time.

[forest beekeeper]

I think that any cheap quite are very near high paying markets, is going to be changing.

My hometown was a farming community when I left it to go into the military. 20 years later Shopping malls have replaced orchards, and the city limits have pushed out 5 miles.

You live in Northern Mass. and the economy that you see reflects that fact.

You can not, find any place where you can commute to a high paying job, and yet live in a quite peaceful low-crime village; and expect it to remain the same for twenty years. Everyone wants high-pay and low-expenses and low-crime. Therefore everyone will flood into such an area.

I really like Maine.

Though I have moved into an area much further North than you.

Prices are so low, taxes are so cheap, I can live very comfortably on my pension. I think that everyone with a 20-year pension should move to Maine. As it is a very low cost of living area, and our pensions can support us very nicely in this economy.

But I would stay out of the city, like where you are.

[AllAboutME]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I think that any cheap quite are very near high paying markets, is going to be changing.

My hometown was a farming community when I left it to go into the military. 20 years later Shopping malls have replaced orchards, and the city limits have pushed out 5 miles.

You live in Northern Mass. and the economy that you see reflects that fact.

You can not, find any place where you can commute to a high paying job, and yet live in a quite peaceful low-crime village; and expect it to remain the same for twenty years. Everyone wants high-pay and low-expenses and low-crime. Therefore everyone will flood into such an area.

I really like Maine.

Though I have moved into an area much further North than you.

Prices are so low, taxes are so cheap, I can live very comfortably on my pension. I think that everyone with a 20-year pension should move to Maine. As it is a very low cost of living area, and our pensions can support us very nicely in this economy.

But I would stay out of the city, like where you are.

Maine is one of the most heavily taxed states in the country.

articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/TheBestAndWorstStatesForTaxes.aspx

I would love to live outside the city, but prices are the same or higher within an hour radius.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by AllAboutME

Maine is one of the most heavily taxed states in the country.

articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/Advice/TheBestAndWorstStatesForTaxes.aspx

I would love to live outside the city, but prices are the same or higher within an hour radius.

Taxes within Maine when compared to taxes in any other state run about average.

Only when we shift to talking about "Tax Burden" and indexing those numbers according to average income levels, does Maine's 'Tax Burden' jump up to the top of the nationwide list.

The taxes themselves are low to middle range [income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, vehicle registration taxes, hunting and fishing taxes, etc]



I agree though that if you live within an easy commute of a high-income market, you will find others just like you trying to find 'cheap' housing. And that 'cheapness' will be very temporary. You can work in the city, but when you bring the city out into the countryside with you, that country-side will soon become city too.

[patsfan]

Originally Posted by AllAboutME

I am originally from NYC but moved to Maine for college in '86. I loved Maine so much I decided to make it home. I did leave for a few years for graduate school in Vermont, and also when I married my husband he was in the military so I lived in the south for a few years.

I have always loved Portland...until recently. Up until seven years ago:

You would not see graffiti downtown- Now it's a big problem.

There were no gangs- Now there are some nationally recognized street gangs here.

The Old Port was full of locally owned shops- Now many have had to close shop due to high rents and are either vacant, replaced with chains or selling even more made in China baubles for tourists.

You could find many antique and flea markets- The flea markets are gone, and many antique shops have closed.

You could stay at beautiful seaside rooms at the historic Black Point Inn (pricey during the season but great deals off-season!)- This winter they are knocking down all of the seaside buildings and half of the old building itself to turn them into condos. A small B & B will remain.

Armed robbery was rare- You regularly read about these crimes due to an increase in drug use.

These are a few quality of life issues, but to the point of the title of this post: Seven years ago, you could buy a house in this area for $120,00 and under. Those same houses have doubled in price. Wooded areas are being developed to build executive estates. That's because there is a large influx of retirees from out of state who can afford $400,000 and up for a home.

At the same time, local salaries have NOT kept up with the rising cost of housing. The majority of advertised positions (I realize many jobs are not advertised, and that I am generalizing) on JobsInME.com, Monster.com, EmploymentTimesOnline.com pay $10-$12 an hour. Salaried positions advertised pay mostly up to $28,000. Obviously, this is not enough to own a $230,000 home (and anything decent that doesn't say "as is" or "handyman's dream!" starts at that price.) New condos are being built downtown with a sticker price of $500,000.

There have been articles written about the fact that those that keep infrastructures going- teachers, police, nurses, service workers, etc- they are being priced out. It's harder for existing tourist businesses to find employees.

Portland is becoming a retirement community for the well to do. (Old money is nothing new here). The working middle class is being priced out.

I would love to hear from other people living here. What are your experiences? I also am posting this to offer one gal's perspective.

By the way, this forum is great! I've been lurking for some time.

Hi All About Me..welcome to the forum
I just found this board afew weeks ago, love it, great place to share info.
You mentioned all the things we have been warned about in Mid Coast Maine. Alot of the natives don't think it is possible for our small town on the midcoast to turn into Condo's and 400,000 homes.
I belong to the gateway committee in a small coastal town and the State projected scenerios are scary.
The Maine we know is slipping away. You can't stop change, retiree's will come. Alot of them will look down thier noses at the native Mainers. This is already the case in the Belfast Condo's. A nice gentlemen I spoke with this summer left his condo and bought a home because he didn't fit in with the CEO's. He is an accomplished wildlife carver.
Bangor is still a nice place to live, but I wonder for how long..

[AllAboutME]

Originally Posted by patsfan

Hi All About Me..welcome to the forum
I just found this board afew weeks ago, love it, great place to share info.
You mentioned all the things we have been warned about in Mid Coast Maine. Alot of the natives don't think it is possible for our small town on the midcoast to turn into Condo's and 400,000 homes.
I belong to the gateway committee in a small coastal town and the State projected scenerios are scary.
The Maine we know is slipping away. You can't stop change, retiree's will come. Alot of them will look down thier noses at the native Mainers. This is already the case in the Belfast Condo's. A nice gentlemen I spoke with this summer left his condo and bought a home because he didn't fit in with the CEO's. He is an accomplished wildlife carver.
Bangor is still a nice place to live, but I wonder for how long..

Hi! And thanks!

We looked into Bangor. I love that you can buy a Victorian for $150,000 - $180,000, but the pay is even lower there...not enough to make up the difference. We're still open to it, though, if something comes up.

I wish there was something that could be done to preserve this wonderful way of life that is slipping away. I don't mind retirees as long as each town is planning to factor in an economy that can support them and the natives.

[mainebrokerman]

this thread hits a nerve with me, you cant talk about income, without also including spending, when i earned a small salary, i was frugal, i didnt live beyond my means, i didnt drive a new car, because of vanity, i didnt go to restaurants, or smoke a pack a day, or waste my money on beer. it amazes me, that on a weekend night, you go to portland, augusta, bangor, waterville,
people are waiting in long lines to drop 50-80$ a meal, drive off in a new or newer car and whine that they dont have any money (saved) and choked by credit card debt. also, i've never understood, why folks waste money on drugs,(especially, the so-called poor)
i also find it very sad and disturbing, how there is so much fraud in our welfare system, that the folks that really need it,,,have little.
from the many middle-class friends i have ....i see in credit card hell,,,
NOT because, they cant buy the needs, its because they think they are entitled to the "wants" in life(immediately, without saving)

[AllAboutME]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

this thread hits a nerve with me, you cant talk about income, without also including spending, when i earned a small salary, i was frugal, i didnt live beyond my means, i didnt drive a new car, because of vanity, i didnt go to restaurants, or smoke a pack a day, or waste my money on beer. it amazes me, that on a weekend night, you go to portland, augusta, bangor, waterville,
people are waiting in long lines to drop 50-80$ a meal, drive off in a new or newer car and whine that they dont have any money (saved) and choked by credit card debt. also, i've never understood, why folks waste money on drugs,(especially, the so-called poor)
i also find it very sad and disturbing, how there is so much fraud in our welfare system, that the folks that really need it,,,have little.
from the many middle-class friends i have ....i see in credit card hell,,,
NOT because, they cant buy the needs, its because they think they are entitled to the "wants" in life(immediately, without saving)

You don't describe me at all. I pay my credit card off every month, we live frugally, we don't smoke, we drive old cars, we don't drink; we have a budget and live within it. There are many good hard-working people just trying to make ends meet.

[MsJL]

Originally Posted by AllAboutME

I am originally from NYC but moved to Maine for college in '86. I loved Maine so much I decided to make it home. I did leave for a few years for graduate school in Vermont, and also when I married my husband he was in the military so I lived in the south for a few years.

I have always loved Portland...until recently. Up until seven years ago:

You would not see graffiti downtown- Now it's a big problem.

There were no gangs- Now there are some nationally recognized street gangs here.

The Old Port was full of locally owned shops- Now many have had to close shop due to high rents and are either vacant, replaced with chains or selling even more made in China baubles for tourists.

You could find many antique and flea markets- The flea markets are gone, and many antique shops have closed.

You could stay at beautiful seaside rooms at the historic Black Point Inn (pricey during the season but great deals off-season!)- This winter they are knocking down all of the seaside buildings and half of the old building itself to turn them into condos. A small B & B will remain.

Armed robbery was rare- You regularly read about these crimes due to an increase in drug use.

These are a few quality of life issues, but to the point of the title of this post: Seven years ago, you could buy a house in this area for $120,00 and under. Those same houses have doubled in price. Wooded areas are being developed to build executive estates. That's because there is a large influx of retirees from out of state who can afford $400,000 and up for a home.

At the same time, local salaries have NOT kept up with the rising cost of housing. The majority of advertised positions (I realize many jobs are not advertised, and that I am generalizing) on JobsInME.com, Monster.com, EmploymentTimesOnline.com pay $10-$12 an hour. Salaried positions advertised pay mostly up to $28,000. Obviously, this is not enough to own a $230,000 home (and anything decent that doesn't say "as is" or "handyman's dream!" starts at that price.) New condos are being built downtown with a sticker price of $500,000.

There have been articles written about the fact that those that keep infrastructures going- teachers, police, nurses, service workers, etc- they are being priced out. It's harder for existing tourist businesses to find employees.

Portland is becoming a retirement community for the well to do. (Old money is nothing new here). The working middle class is being priced out.

I would love to hear from other people living here. What are your experiences? I also am posting this to offer one gal's perspective.

By the way, this forum is great! I've been lurking for some time.

Hi. Welcome.

So, when I look at Realtor.com, and I see older houses that look nice for around $180K (in the city of Portland), am I looking at houses in high-crime areas?

[AllAboutME]

Originally Posted by MsJL

Hi. Welcome.

So, when I look at Realtor.com, and I see older houses that look nice for around $180K (in the city of Portland), am I looking at houses in high-crime areas?

I don't know. It's possible. Or maybe the house needs a lot of work that would make it cost substantially more. Or maybe it's a good deal!