Ellsworth, Howland, Franklin, Pembroke, Eastport?? (Bangor, Naples: house, neighborhood, to buy)

[Abbymoulton]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

Thanks guys. We definitely want to be 'out of the way' - rural really. I could be happy never seeing another Escalade with some little gang-banger wanna be with his windows down and bass thumping.

AMEN to that. We are in Florida now and will be going back to Maine in the Spring. I also will be happy never hearing bass thumping. You will find that in Maine even if you are not miles from the next house.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Abbymoulton

AMEN to that. We are in Florida now and will be going back to Maine in the Spring. I also will be happy never hearing bass thumping. You will find that in Maine even if you are not miles from the next house.

I remember that junk, LOL

Wow, I could have easily forgotten, the windows rattling, the foundation shaking, from bone-heads with HUGE speaker systems in back of their cars, driving around slowly up and down each little side street. Who knows what they are trolling for.

Up he-ah we are close to the freeway. So when walking around outside we can hear the trucks opening up on I-95. That sound travels for miles either side of the freeway. I don't mind it though.

[bignhfamily]

Originally Posted by Mainer61

I am trying to sell a home on the water in Pembroke...it's new and a beautiful spot. I can't find a job so we need to sell it.

We too looked at properties Down East but the reason we decided against it was the economy of the area and the lack of jobs available. What kind of work are you looking for? Best of luck!

[mrs1885]

We're moving once we're retired, or at least semi-retired. We'll just be there for the summer months.

[Submariner]

We moved here after I retired.

This area is great for retirees.

[spaige]

I find Maine is a great place to retire to. I can find what I want and not bump into my neighbors. I live in a small town till summer, then we are over loaded with the summer people who live up here for the warmer months. But we have made some remarkable friendships with those from out of state. I love it
sue from Maine

[maine4.us]

When I visited Eastport in the 1980's, it was a booming town. I visited again this past summer, and it had was quiet.

It is on the water, so to speak, and you do have to decide to go there. It is at the end of a 10 or so mile causeway, on Moose Island. The federal government had an idea to generate power by tides in the 1930's and a causeway was built. The idea never materialized, but the island was connected by land from then on.

In the week I spent there, I met so many wonderful townspeople that I knew I had found a home. Everywhere I went, people were talkative, and interesting. Yes, it is not an economic mecca, yes it doesn't have a lot of what most people call basic services, but its people is it greatest asset.

I met Bud, the town manager, and a boat school instructor, and Greg a B
&B owner. I met Samra, the realtor who sold me a home in Eastport. I met the head of the Chamber of Commerce. Everyone had one thing in mind, to make a better (not necessarily larger) Eastport. I met a Passamaquoddy indian who will be my neighbor (I didn't know I would be her neighbor at that time.)

I am sold on downeast Maine. Yes, it is out of the way. Yes it is small. Yes the people probably know too much about each other, but it certainly is an improvement over where I live now in Florida.

My wife and I have been looking for a town to retire to for 5 years, we finally realized it was Eastport. The house we bought, we never set foot in. The realtor showed us the house, but it was out of our price range. Two weeks later, the realtor called and said the owner dropped the price 59K, and we bought the home. The owner was more than happy to share what he did to the house. It was totally remodeled. New roof, plumbing, electrical, insulation, heating system, windows and drywall. I have talked with him several times. Pat of Housecheckers of Maine is another jewel. She takes care of our house in Eastport. She is the eyes and ears of our home.

If you love to shop in a mall, Eastport is not your cup of tea. If you want lots of amenities, Eastport isn't right for you. If you don't mind driving 20+ miles to a regular, not a SuperWalmart, Eastport is for you. If driving 90 miles to the nearest airport is a hardship, Eastport is not for you.

Eastport is for you if, you love small towns, are not a shopaholic, and don't mind driving a few miles to buy more than the basic necessities of life.

Eastport and Washington county are very poor areas of Maine, but what they lack in money, they more than make up being just wonderful, helpful people.

Eastport is at the dead end of the eastern part of the US, but it is the beginning of a wonderful way of life.

[mollysmiles]

very nice post!

I will warn you though--there is no such thing as a quick trip to the grocery store! Someone will find you there, or you will find them, you'll begin talking, then someone else will come by, you may know them, but if not, you'll be introduced. If introduced you'll be expected to share how you found Eastport (we're always amazed that people find us at the end of the US!).....and it goes on and on

I'd plan on at least 30 minutes to get milk


oh, in addition to that--if you or Janice walk for exercise, and end up out on County Road or Clark Street, and especially out by Shackford's Head: until people learn that you do this for exercise they will stop and offer you a ride....you have to do it pretty regularly for about a week for the word to get out

[maine4.us]

sounds like where I lived in rural Florida. I was a teacher, and I always had my parent-teacher conferences in the supermarket. It was neutral turf for everyone concerned, and non-threatening.

We drove all over Eastport, and we are familiar with Shackford head. We looked at a house in the bend of the road across from the boat school. It was more of a camp than a house. The view, spectacular! The price wasn't too bad, but what we needed was a place ready to move in - remodeling not necessary.

My wife MenME and I have been looking for a retirement home for the last 6-7 years. We knew when we found "the place" our hearts would know. So, in the dead of 98 degree summer here in Florida, we flew to Manchester NH, rented a car and drove to Eastport. The drive up was nice, although a bit long. We checked in to the Kilby House B&B and went house hunting the next morning. Most everything we checked already had a contract on it, so we branched out of Eastport and into Lubec. Found a beatifully remodeled cottage in Whiting, but they accepted another offer. Lubec, while a wonderful town, isn't really a city. We found a wonderful house on Washington Street in Lubec, but it had too much going against it. Two ramshackled houses in the immediate area, and a kennel behind the house. While I am an animal lover, that is too much big loud barking dog for me, actually bunches of big loud barking dogs. The house is still for sale, and is a bit overpriced. So, it was back to Eastport, with long sad faces. Our realtor called two weeks later with a huge price reduction on a house we had looked at. Bang, we are homeowners in Eastport. We had looked inside the house we bought through the windows, but didn't go in because is was too pricey at that time. So, we bought a house without ever stepping foot in it. That is a real leap of faith, but as each day pases, it wasn't a leap at all, just the next natural step in our lives.

I know Eastport isn't perfect, no place is, but it reminds me so much of where I grew up thateel already feel right at home. You will never hear me say, well "we did it that way in Florida." I like Forest, find it hard to believe, that with the number of people I met in Eastport, every last one was wonderful. Leading me to wonder if Eastport ships all the grouches out for the summer.

[Eastport4me]

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

very nice post!

I will warn you though--there is no such thing as a quick trip to the grocery store! Someone will find you there, or you will find them, you'll begin talking, then someone else will come by, you may know them, but if not, you'll be introduced. If introduced you'll be expected to share how you found Eastport (we're always amazed that people find us at the end of the US!).....and it goes on and on

I'd plan on at least 30 minutes to get milk


oh, in addition to that--if you or Janice walk for exercise, and end up out on County Road or Clark Street, and especially out by Shackford's Head: until people learn that you do this for exercise they will stop and offer you a ride....you have to do it pretty regularly for about a week for the word to get out

Molly...lol...now as it is when I send him out for milk (5 minutes away) it takes 30 minutes because of traffic, traffic lights and we have a convenience store about a mile from the house and a chain supermarket about 3 miles. When he meets a friend or neighbor...you can add an additional 15-30 mins unless I add..."honey I need this item right away to fix dinner".

Thanks for the "FYI"...lol...I will be out there walking. It is good to know that if someone stops.. it is not because I am going to receive bodily harm. Here I don't walk after dark outside our subdivision.