florida to maine (Portland, Benton, Eastport: employment, schools, property taxes)

[Submariner]

October is too late.

You must be here during the period 21 September to 23 September, to spend a day in Unity at the Common Grounds fair. It is not like any other fair anywhere.

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

October is too late.

You must be here during the period 21 September to 23 September, to spend a day in Unity at the Common Grounds fair. It is not like any other fair anywhere.

I'll never forget the look on my daughter's face when she was 4, and we saw the man on the stilts! Talk about priceless!!

[FLtoMaine]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

October is too late.

You must be here during the period 21 September to 23 September, to spend a day in Unity at the Common Grounds fair. It is not like any other fair anywhere.

You are so right. We really need to try to make that happen. I checked it out on line and it sounds fabulous. I have always been interested in organic/community farming - the fair seems to be the perfect place to learn about it and make conacts.
My husband and I are up there already in out hearts....I find I'm getting impatient with the rest of the stuff that needs to fall in place before we get there. Place to live, a job..UGH! We are ready to buy now if we can find that special place (2-10 acreas on water) for 100K or less. I guess we have more homework to do!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by FLtoMaine

You are so right. We really need to try to make that happen. I checked it out on line and it sounds fabulous. I have always been interested in organic/community farming - the fair seems to be the perfect place to learn about it and make conacts.
My husband and I are up there already in out hearts....I find I'm getting impatient with the rest of the stuff that needs to fall in place before we get there. Place to live, a job..UGH! We are ready to buy now if we can find that special place (2-10 acreas on water) for 100K or less. I guess we have more homework to do!

Folks are crazy with land prices.

I spoke with one neighbor last night, who is selling two acres of forest with a well and septic, and he wants $44k. While a mile away land is going for $350/acre. But he had spoken with a realtor, who had convinced him that if only he keeps raising his prices, eventually some tourist will buy it.

[FLtoMaine]

[quote=forest beekeeper;1258373]Folks are crazy with land prices.

Exactly. We fell in love with a 1+ acre lot on the Union river (price 145K!). I could have lived there, a bald eagle flew by, earlier a neighbor had seen a seal on the river rocks. There were deer tracks. BUT...A few streets down a similar lot went for 129K, and we really were looking for bit more land.
Same with the lakes too. 2 parcels (3+ acres each) on Branch lake 147K and 125K. These lots were almost identical. Then I read about your place. We don't want quite so much acreage...but I need some space to just take long walks and appreciate nature. So we may look a little more north, hopefully prices will be better. It's just really hard to know what a fair price is.
We have a nice piece of land here in FL, but it took some scouting to find it, and we had every realtor tell us we would never find what we wanted for the price we were quoting. Looks like we may have to do the same in Maine.

[Submariner]

You do have to hunt for it.

Stay away from those idiot realtors, as they run up the prices and do tend to be greedy.

Far more properties are transferred up here directly between parties without a realtor's involvement. And it keeps the land prices down.

[clf71]

I lived in Fl. for a bit a few years ago and it is much different than ME. The crime was certainly an eye opener, it is definately lower here. I have to say that I found the people there more welcoming and friendly. I moved from eastern me to southern me and did not have that experience even though I grew up in this state. I think the cost of living is different, the pay is higher here but so is just about everything else. Buy yourself some good fleece clothing and you will be okay. And remember..we don't have the dangerous creepy crawlies found in Fl. Good luck

[FLtoMaine]

Originally Posted by clf71

I lived in Fl. for a bit a few years ago and it is much different than ME. The crime was certainly an eye opener, it is definately lower here. I have to say that I found the people there more welcoming and friendly. I moved from eastern me to southern me and did not have that experience even though I grew up in this state. I think the cost of living is different, the pay is higher here but so is just about everything else. Buy yourself some good fleece clothing and you will be okay. And remember..we don't have the dangerous creepy crawlies found in Fl. Good luck

Thanks. The whole crime thing really is upsetting. I recently found that Ft. Myers had a higher crime rating than NY City. Yikes! On our visits to ME we have found the people to be very friendly - and your drivers are sooo much more polite. But one of the thing I will miss - I have wonderful neighbors here (the kind that drop in and you don't need to straghten your house up for ) My husband insists we will find the same up there. As for the creepy crawlies - that's a definite plus for my husband. I once had to save a snake that got into our house (I favor catch and release whenever possible).

[julz]

We bought just over 6 acres in Waldoboro for under 30k.We love the area.It's not on the water but it's close to Camden, Rockland,Boothbay.We will begin building a summer home there,hopefully,next year.

[bucsgirl]

Originally Posted by clf71

And remember..we don't have the dangerous creepy crawlies found in Fl.

do you mean the bugs or the people???