New guy wants to move to Maine (Lewiston, Auburn: insurance, property tax)

[Valley Living]

I've lived in Rural Maine all of my life (33 years) and have made a pretty great life here. Taxes are high, but nomatter where I lived taxes are always too high. I am not stressed here and I can enjoy the many outdoor activities that I love. Money does motivate me somewhat, but I only need enough to get by anyway. I have been making $40,000 plus for more than 5 years and I graduated from the University in 1998. Do what you love to do and the money will come. I have decided a long time ago that I would not maintain a job I dislike simply for "more money". It is not the answer. Lots of people try to put Maine down, however they still live here. Do not spend 90% of your time on 10% of the unhappy population.

Good Luck!!!

[Let's tell the truth]

If you move here (which I hope for your sake you don"t but make up your own mind) Make sure you keep enough money set aside to leave if you want to. That"s why alot of people stay here because Maine suck"s all the money out of them before they realize what has happened!!! Then moving is not a option especially if you have a family!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Valley Living

I've lived in Rural Maine all of my life (33 years) and have made a pretty great life here. Taxes are high, but no matter where I lived taxes are always too high. I am not stressed here and I can enjoy the many outdoor activities that I love. Money does motivate me somewhat, but I only need enough to get by anyway. I have been making $40,000 plus for more than 5 years and I graduated from the University in 1998. Do what you love to do and the money will come. I have decided a long time ago that I would not maintain a job I dislike simply for "more money". It is not the answer. Lots of people try to put Maine down, however they still live here. Do not spend 90% of your time on 10% of the unhappy population.

Good Luck!!!

Well said.

I am from away.

I retired from the Navy, and decided to make to Maine sight unseen. Largely as we had always heard that it was nice, and due to the taxes.

We can live here on my pension and simply keep more of it in me pocket for us.

So many other places we would need twice the income to 'make it'. But not here in Maine

Bless you.

[mollysmiles]

Valley Living nice post....it's all about a choice of attitude isn't it??

[399083453]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

We can live here on my pension and simply keep more of it in me pocket for us.

Pension? Whats that? People in my younger generation have never heard that word before? (wink)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by 399083453

Pension? Whats that? People in my younger generation have never heard that word before? (wink)

LOL

I have been on pension for six years so far, I am 48.

Had I worked in the career continuously I would have retired at 38 like everyone else. But I got out and went to college, then went back to work. So that set back my pension four years.

[doozer]

Al I can say is WOW! I just love reading all these back and forth posts on the good and the bad. It is quality entertainment!

I currently live in Florida, one of the "least expensive" places to live. We are looking into maoving to Maine soon.

Some of you have complained about a housing bubble up there that has popped and property tax increases...well I have my own scenario to share.
I bought a brand new house (had it built) in a nice unincorporated part of the county, paid 130,000 for it. Property taxes were about 900.00 a year. Insurance was about 500.00 a year.

1.5 years later the housing market skyrocketed here, my house was worth 300,000 at the peak. The county property appraiser started taxing at the "new" value. Florida does have what they call a "homestead exemption" and a "save our homes" program that doesnt let them raise your taxes more than 3% a year. However I was only a few months shy of being able to apply for it, as you have to live in the property a year, and than you can get it the following tax year, somehow we and all of our nighbors just missed it.

My taxes instantly went up to 3000.00 a year, and just as this happened along comes all those hurricanes we had a few years back, you may have heard about them. Frances, Gene, Charley..etc..

Well, you guessed it. Most insurance companies pulled out of Florida all together. The ones that stayed raised thier rates 100 fold in some cases. My insurance went up to almost 2000.00 a year. And that was to insure the original purchase price value of 130,000 dollars, not the new value of 300,000 dollars.

So, since our mortgage payment includes PITI (prnciple, interest, tax and insurance) what do you think that did to my mortgage payment....

Bought house with a total monthly payment of 906.00 a month.

Payment after all that mess went to 1700.00 a month.

So wanting to do whatever we could to stay in the house, we took out an equity loan to pay off the car we purchased, (right before all this happened) and payy off other credit debt to lower our total monthly outgo.

Tried to make ends meet for a couple years, but consistanlty found ourselves pulling money from our equity line.

Meantime, the housing bubble busted, now every other house in our area was fore sale, no one was buying, values were dropping drastically, before we knew it our house was probably worth 205-225,000 and dropping. We had no choice but to try and sell, but could not afford the payments anymore. I had to make a hard decision. We found a house to rent for less money, and put our house up for sale. House sat on the market for almost 1 year.

We just lost it last month. Back to the lender.

So many other people have had the same thing happen to them. Also the whole "trickle down" economics is in full effect. Since the housing bubble busted, there is no more new construction... people have tightened up and are not spending money, they are not fixing cars, )which is what I do) so my average pay is about 30% less than it was 4 years ago.

I know I made some financial mistakes, I could have planned better, handled it different, but hind sight is always 20/20. I have to try and move forward.

I could go on and on, but thats my story. sad but true.

[doozer]

Oh, something else I was going to add..

We are looking to move for several reasons, we hate the hot weather, no seasons...all the same reasons others want to leave Florida. But most of all I want to start over. We are young enough to bounce back, but I want to try to do it in a place I have always dreamed of living. I know it "costs more" up there, but I dont care about having the nicest house, nicest car.etc.. I have learned a valuable lesson in all this. I want to be happy with my family. I will probably be making 60-70,000 dolars a year in Maine. So I think We can get by on that. Even if we have to struggle a little.

I have heard this said before on here, but its true:

I would rather struggle to live in Maine than struggle to live where I am not happy.

[399083453]

Originally Posted by doozer

So, since our mortgage payment includes PITI (prnciple, interest, tax and insurance) what do you think that did to my mortgage payment....

Wow, great story Doozer. Thanks for sharing.

I never thought of that scenerio. I will keep that in the back of my mind next time I buy.

[Valley Living]

Molloysmiles, you are absolutely right. Your attitude in life is what decides where you're going! I myself have had some negative feelings about Maine, especially during this most recent Governor, however I will keep my chin up and continue to move on. I've got many relative throughout the U.S. and they all wish to move back here in Maine. I've also got friends who sold everything and moved away to Loveland Colorado and within 6 months returned to Maine with their heads hung low realizing that it is not even better in Colorado. It would be really nice if the people who do not wish to contribute to Maine living and consistently attempt to damage Maine with vulgar lies would move to another state so they could be happier. I for one love it here and will retire here. When I need a reminder I will go on vacation to Florida and remember why I live here.