Thinking about moving to Maine (Ellsworth, Eastport: best neighborhood, houses, neighborhood)

[Seaglass]

Originally Posted by pixieshmoo

I hope that I am not being a nuisance, however, I have another question...In this forum, as well as some other places, I have heard that "Maine in general is an expensive place to live". What I am wondering is, what is this in comparison to? I live in New Jersey and cannot imagine that other than summer homes, Maine is more expensive than NJ. I actually find it nearly impossible to believe. In addition, I thought it was inexpensive compared to even some other New England states.

Hi--
Maine is, unfortunately, a very expensive place to live year-round if you are of average-to-higher income. We have the dubious distinction of having some of the highest utilities in the country, often the very highest income taxes, some of the highest medical expenses, and food can be eye-openingly high due to being trucked in. Gas is a killer too due to our long driving distances point-to-point. Oh, and I almost forgot enormous heating expenses in the winter. We also are one of the poorest states per-capita.
My husband and I adore Maine (we live in the Mid-Coast area) and have stayed here for over 25 years after college while we raised our children, now in their late teens. Maine is relatively clean, the coast is gorgeous, crime is almost non-existent, schools are generally good, and yet...we're so tired of lack of basics (good luck finding DSL in most of the state), the expenses, and now even the fact that Maine has the most elderly population in the US ("Maine's number one export? Its young people.") that we're renting our home out and moving out-of-state.
Other N.E. states like NH and MA are expensive as well, but at least NH is income-tax-free, and both states have much better infrastructures than Maine...
Maine will always be home for us, but the grinding costs of living here are a definite negative. The license plates say "Vacationland"--and that's what it's about to become for us.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Seaglass

Hi--
Maine is, unfortunately, a very expensive place to live year-round if you are of average-to-higher income. ....

Than I guess I am glad that I choose to retire and be on a lower income level for a while.

Just so that I am not experiencing that expensive place that you have found.

[Seaglass]

Hi, Forest--
Trust me--we've found it, for sure. Husband works overseas, I'm in health care, we own on the coast. Tax burden? Check!!!
--
Best,
Paige

[yellowdaisy]

Being raised in MA on a small farm and having childhood friends still living in ME, MA, NH & CT has made the idea of moving back to New England an easy jump for me. My husband was born and raised in South Florida and this is where we have raised our kids thus far, not ideal by any means. Our kids are begging us to move even with our son going into 11th grade and our daughter into 9th. Ever since the kids were introduced to snow and skiing a few years ago - they've had their bags packed.

Maybe someone can offer some help in where to begin looking for a place to call home. What we would like to find is a place with some acreage - at least 10 - 20 acres would be good. We are looking to have a barn w/horses, chickens etc.., with some kind of water feature; river, stream, pond, lake. The house can be big & old as long as it's not ready to fall down around us.
Our price range is low 300's or below. Location wise we would like to be on the outskirts of town - close enough to everything we need without living in the middle of it all. A good High School is important as well.

We will be flying in and renting a car the last week of August to start looking, if anyone can give us a place to start that would be nice.

[Elcarim]

Try north of Bangor around Old Town area. You'll get some better feedback on that from this board and the people who live in that area. Sounds just like what you're looking for.

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Than I guess I am glad that I choose to retire and be on a lower income level for a while.

Just so that I am not experiencing that expensive place that you have found.

I'm with you forest....and we just seem to keep going around and around on this board about "expensive", "taxes".....all I can say is I must be doing something right, and you too, because I don't agree!
(and we're not retired, work in health care, own on the coast, and another home here in Calais....)

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by yellowdaisy

...
Maybe someone can offer some help in where to begin looking for a place to call home. What we would like to find is a place with some acreage - at least 10 - 20 acres would be good. We are looking to have a barn w/horses, chickens etc.., with some kind of water feature; river, stream, pond, lake. The house can be big & old as long as it's not ready to fall down around us.
Our price range is low 300's or below. Location wise we would like to be on the outskirts of town - close enough to everything we need without living in the middle of it all. A good High School is important as well.

20 acres, part woodlot / part pasture, a farm house, a barn, with waterfrontage for $300k?

You should easily find that.

[dramamama6685]

By and large, folks will treat you like a mirror. If you are not friendly, then they will mirror your coldness back at you.[/quote]

Agreed!

[mollysmiles]

I've been reading back through some posts, primarily negative....

I don't think that Mainers are hypersensitive to criticism about their state. I think it's that we just don't agree with most of the negative statements made--at all. The bottom line is this, you make your own happiness. No one else is responsible for that. If you're not happy here, get out... and make room for people like dramamama and elcarim who appreciate what Maine offers.

[dlevenson]

I'm also considering a move to Maine. My husband and I are looking at either Portland or a close-by town with good schools. Which towns are known to have the best schools? And within Portland, which schools are good?