Moving to Maine? How many homes do you have saved? (Brunswick: for rent, mobile home)

[Elcarim]

When we do choose to buy, we hope to find an old house in good condition. Not looking for a money sieve, but we are dedicated fixer-uppers, so we want something with great character that just needs a gentle touch and personalization.

As most of you guys who have been around the forum longer that 2 minutes know about us, we've been researching and studying the state of Maine for 7 years now prior to making this move. I'd venture to say our next home purchase will be approached just as carefully, but hopefully won't take as long!

[BacktoNE]

Originally Posted by BoundtofindME

Be careful, it becomes additive to look. We had looked so long before we finally found our place here, that we ended up getting our RE license ... LOL!!

Oh I know, I've been a looker for years. And I already had my RE license once-upon-a-time. Due to a life threatening allergy to cats, it isn't something that I can actually work at. I never realized how many people had cats!

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by BacktoNE

Oh I know, I've been a looker for years. And I already had my RE license once-upon-a-time. Due to a life threatening allergy to cats, it isn't something that I can actually work at. I never realized how many people had cats!

Wow! That's something I'd never think of. I guess you're exposed to all sorts of hazzards as a RE agent. Interesting!

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

I was just playing on realtor dot com and realized I've got tons of pages of saved homes in the Eastport area, which we've decided to focus on. I've seen tons of pictures, read about the area, read the threads here. I was up that way a very long time ago and thought it was just the most gorgeous place ever. We're hoping that come the spring thaw we can get up there for a week or so to actually look together!!

I just wondered though if anyone else has set up an account on a realtor web site and saved tons of homes. I find myself looking at the photos of the house inside and outside and deciding what I can do. Looking at the land and outbuildings and deciding what I can do there. I'm already moved in my brain!

I can't be the only one this desperate....... right??

LOL, by the time we finally bought *our* house, we had a stack of printouts 16 inches high, amounting to several reams of paper...and those were just the ones we actually went to see. That doesn't include all of the bookmarked web pages and discards that we saved, then decided not to look at for one reason or another.

We spent more than a year, putting 10s of 1,000s of miles on the vehicles looking at hundreds of houses from the Volvo Line to Ft. Kent.

[reindeerlady]

Hi Mrs1885, Nope, I just found and joined this forum hoping to glean more information about way Northern Maine's water, soil type, etc. and have been busily looking up and saving all the listings that I can within our (pitifully tiny) budget. We are looking for around 5+ acres, but may have to settle for less - I could make us pretty much self-sufficient on 2, but would love to have an orchard and a grainfield or two... I'm a Vermonter, but Vermont is changing SO much - it will be sad to leave, but it's painful to stay! So far, I have contacted two chambers of commerce (only heard back from one) and have about 8 listings saved. DH is planning on making a trip up there very soon to gather more information for us. Would love to hear from others already up there.

[QuinnsBestDad]

Generally, if a home is languishing on Realtor, it is over priced. Valuable acquisitions occur within hours, a few days, but rarely more than a week. After that time, you would be sifting through dregs. The key is to find a savvy connection to keep you informed of current happenings and be able to move quickly when something meeting your criteria pops up.

[reindeerlady]

Darn it, I was hoping it was just the lousy economy, but I have the feeling that probably you're right. We are going on the idea that if it's supposed to happen, and we do the footwork, the doors will open. Or something like that

[mollysmiles]

welcome reindeer lady! maybe if you narrow down your area and make your connections there for "up to date" information it will be easier At the very least I'm sure you'll see some beautiful places! Good luck and happy hunting!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by reindeerlady

Hi Mrs1885, Nope, I just found and joined this forum hoping to glean more information about way Northern Maine's water, soil type, etc. and have been busily looking up and saving all the listings that I can within our (pitifully tiny) budget. We are looking for around 5+ acres, but may have to settle for less - I could make us pretty much self-sufficient on 2, but would love to have an orchard and a grainfield or two... I'm a Vermonter, but Vermont is changing SO much - it will be sad to leave, but it's painful to stay! So far, I have contacted two chambers of commerce (only heard back from one) and have about 8 listings saved. DH is planning on making a trip up there very soon to gather more information for us. Would love to hear from others already up there.

Welcome!

You really should make a few trips up and just drive around.

In my experience there are a LOT of properties in Maine, that just never get listed on the MLS. And often when they do get listed their asking prices shoots up a great deal.

Come on up, enjoy yourself and drive around

[Sunday1]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Yep! We're giving our house away, but we're at the point where that is preferable to keeping it and staying here. We're coming out more ahead this way than we'd ever do riding out the market, waiting for the upswing. It's time to get out, so we're getting!

I can't even allow myself to look at "For Sale" homes online. I know I'll fall in love with a house, regardless of location and don't trust myself!

I've noticed that in Maine, the realtor sites don't list rentals. Here in the Chicago area, we found a great rental home (new construction, even!) through a realtor's web site. Realtors offer rentals I guess for transition people like us - and they take a percentage of the first year's lease as a commission. I don't think it works like that in Maine - at least I'm not seeing anything that indicates that realtors are involved with the rental home market. I think Craigslist is going to be our best online resource for rentals - although it sure isn't as much fun as using the more typical realtor sites with lots of photos, etc. This house we have now was for sale for a long time (over-priced) before the builder decided to offer it for lease and so we even saw a virtual tour before we looked at it.