Can it be done in Maine? (Portland, Lewiston: apartments, rentals, movers)

[TheCaptain]

Hello!

Fairly new to the forum, and I've a few questions I'm hoping you guys can help me with.

I've noticed this forum is a wealth of information on utilities, housing costs, etc. for families (i.e. more than one person and larger homes). But I didn't notice many posts gearing towards the single life (in other words, one person curling up in much smaller square footage! ) So here's my situation:

I am considering a move to Maine. It will be "just me," and I currently make about $26k (take home) as an administrative assistant. I'm considering the following areas:

Camden
Rockport
Rockland

So my questions are, is it a good possibility that I'll be able to financially maintain a little 1 bedroom or studio? How are "secreterial" positions in these areas? (And/or similar positions.)

One of the reasons I'm asking is because your heating cost posts scare the bejeesus out of me! But you're usually referencing 1500+ sq ft homes, heating an entire family...I'm talking a one-person apartment here. Are the utilities sustainable for the salary range I'm looking for?

Thanks guys - I do hope to become a resident within the year!

TheCaptain

[ljotis]

Those places are a little pricey, only for the fact that some of them are tourist towns if I remember correctly? Its been a while, but I know the farther north you go, the cheaper it gets. If you look closely you can find what your looking for, but it'll probably be a lil out in the country, and if you want, you can always heat with wood instead of oil, keeps the bills down a bit but it was always a PITA.

Good Luck
Otis

[MsJL]

Apartments usually have the heat included with the rent.

I don't know about positions for an Administrative Assistant, but there are always opportunities in pretty much anything you want to do - check schools, hospitals, maybe branch out into something a little different?

If you buy a house, ljotis said it right: get one with a wood-burning heat source. That will cut your bills way down.

Good luck! Hope you make it here.

[Coaster]

You'll find rental prices kinder to your wallet in Rockland (and surrounding Thomaston, Cushing, Owls Head) than in Rockport/Camden. Those towns are pricey, and many of the rentals are seasonal -- relatively cheap Oct-May, then they kick you out for the tourists June-Sept.

FWIW, the sort of admin assistant jobs you mention are farily common. Not sure what they pay. Check out the classified ads in the Courier Gazette (Rockland): http://www.mainecoastnow.com/

[mainebrokerman]

for 26k take home, you should have no problem whatsoever finding a rental you can afford.. primary or direct waterfront. ocean view ,,is of course, in a much higher price brackett,,,it would be good to visit these towns,,and go to the towns,behind the waterfront towns,,
camden for instance,, the next town close to camden (inland) is lincolnville, and im sure some rentals would be half the costs,,than camden,,yet you are only a couple/few minutes away from mainstreet camden and the ocean,,,lincolnville (just west.north of camden, actually has its own beach,,,and ferry terminal,,)

it may be a good idea, to call a "property management" company ,,,around these towns,,they deal directly with rental properties,,and have a direct pulse on what rentals are available.

[TheCaptain]

LOL, I think you guys have just eased a big worry-weight off my chest. Thanks!

In response to mainebrokerman, believe me, I'd love to come up and visit first, but financially I'm going to have to do this "blindly," so to speak. I figure in six months, I'll have enough saved to pack everything I own into a small truck, pay some movers an exorbitant fare to drive it up here, and have just enough left over to put down first and last month's rent on an apartment. (With maybe a "touch" extra for in case of emergencies. )

So I expect I'll be applying for jobs about a week before I move up, and continue to do so the very moment I'm settled in until I can find something. But so far, you guys have made me feel like the cards aren't quite so stacked against me as I'd thought.

[parasol]

TheCaptain, can I ask where you're currently residing? And, how did you narrow down the cities in Maine to the three you've listed above? I'm considering a move to Portland (perhaps the surrounding towns) within the next two years but am starting to look into other areas as well. There's so many places I want to see in Maine but my first trip will be this summer to Portland and I can't wait to get a feel for the area.

[TheCaptain]

Originally Posted by parasol

TheCaptain, can I ask where you're currently residing? And, how did you narrow down the cities in Maine to the three you've listed above? I'm considering a move to Portland (perhaps the surrounding towns) within the next two years but am starting to look into other areas as well. There's so many places I want to see in Maine but my first trip will be this summer to Portland and I can't wait to get a feel for the area.

I'm currently residing in Florida. <-- Don't let the state fool you, I'm originally from Pennsylvania and moved to Florida for the job market.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to leaving this state behind. Yes, the job market is good. But everything else...

I've always loved New England, so I got online and researched until my eyes crossed, and narrowed it down to New Hampshire. It seemed perfect, but the more I read about the job market, the more wary I became. I kept hearing over and over that it was a mixture of two things: Small, and hard to get into.

Oddly enough, Maine came up on a cross-post in the NH forum. I was curious, so I went over to look, and now I don't think I could imagine myself anywhere else!

And yes, Portland was one of the first places I looked. But to be honest I want away from the city life. (Granted, Portland is much smaller in terms of population density than most anywhere in Florida, but if I can help it, I've had enough!)

Camden and Rockport I narrowed down due to the beautiful photographs and positive comments made on this forum. As for Rockland, I saw many posts saying it was a cheaper (and still very, very nice) alternative. So that's how I came to those three.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

Hello!

Fairly new to the forum, and I've a few questions I'm hoping you guys can help me with.

I've noticed this forum is a wealth of information on utilities, housing costs, etc. for families (i.e. more than one person and larger homes). But I didn't notice many posts gearing towards the single life (in other words, one person curling up in much smaller square footage! ) So here's my situation:

I am considering a move to Maine. It will be "just me," and I currently make about $26k (take home) as an administrative assistant. I'm considering the following areas:

Camden
Rockport
Rockland

So my questions are, is it a good possibility that I'll be able to financially maintain a little 1 bedroom or studio? How are "secreterial" positions in these areas? (And/or similar positions.)

One of the reasons I'm asking is because your heating cost posts scare the bejeesus out of me! But you're usually referencing 1500+ sq ft homes, heating an entire family...I'm talking a one-person apartment here. Are the utilities sustainable for the salary range I'm looking for?

Thanks guys - I do hope to become a resident within the year!

TheCaptain

Camden, Rockport, Rockland. As an administrative assistant you might find work in the medical community in these areas if you have experience working in the medical community. Industry is very scarce in these areas, and most of the employers are small businesses.

Living in Rockland means that your job search will extend all the way to Wiscasset...another small town with high seasonal population flux. It also means that your job search will extend fifty miles in the other direction to Belfast. Employment possibilities are limited, but Belfast does have the former MBNA facility which is now a call center operation of Bank of America. Not a lot else.

I think you should consider looking in Portland, Lewiston and Bangor FIRST. That is where the majority of the "administrative assistant" positions will be found. The coastal cities may well feed your soul better but whether or not they will be able to feed your corporeal being is another matter. I doubt that there are a lot of Admin positions such as you have described that will yield 26k take home.

Time of arrival may well mean something to you as well. If you land here in Maine during the summer and try to locate in the "mid coast" area, you will come bump up against all the good folks from everywhere who are here on vacation. Accomodations will be very tough. Finding a place to live in the fall will be easier...seasonal rental...but then the job search may be more difficult.

Best of luck! YOu may be in for quite an adventure!

[parasol]

Originally Posted by TheCaptain

I'm currently residing in Florida. <-- Don't let the state fool you, I'm originally from Pennsylvania and moved to Florida for the job market.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to leaving this state behind. Yes, the job market is good. But everything else...

I've always loved New England, so I got online and researched until my eyes crossed, and narrowed it down to New Hampshire. It seemed perfect, but the more I read about the job market, the more wary I became. I kept hearing over and over that it was a mixture of two things: Small, and hard to get into.

Oddly enough, Maine came up on a cross-post in the NH forum. I was curious, so I went over to look, and now I don't think I could imagine myself anywhere else!

I'm in FL also. Why is it that I always get the impression that Floridians are desperate to escape?? No explanation needed on that front though; I've lived here for 27 years and am ready to be gone like yesterday.

There are a couple other states I did extensive research on and found a lot positives but I really just have my heart set on southern Maine.