Has anyone moved to Maine to follow your dreams? (Portland: wood floors, for sale)

[Msp079]

I second a lot on the job situation. My wife and go anywhere due to work from home, but its me that needs to find work...And its hard to convince her that $17 an hour in Maine is above standard or so I have seen. I have stated this before, if I could find something $20-25 an hour Id be gone in a second. Those jobs are few and far between unless you have an in and most go to locals anyways.

[OpinionExperience]

I lived in Maine for 14 years and moved back to NJ a few years ago which is where I am originally from. Maine is a great state and has a lot to offer. I have several friends that I keep in touch with and invited to weddings and encourage me to move back.

I learned the hard way about the "Two Maines". "A firm hand shake and a look in the eye is how we do business here" until the economy takes a dive and then its every man for himself.

I still have land there and may build and be a snow bird.

Maine is a great place but no different than any other so don't let your guard down.

Read some of the comments on my other posts and you will see the true colors. The grass is not always greener but it is a beautiful state and a slower pace of life.

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by OpinionExperience

I lived in Maine for 14 years and moved back to NJ a few years ago which is where I am originally from. Maine is a great state and has a lot to offer. I have several friends that I keep in touch with and invited to weddings and encourage me to move back.

I learned the hard way about the "Two Maines". "A firm hand shake and a look in the eye is how we do business here" until the economy takes a dive and then its every man for himself.

I still have land there and may build and be a snow bird.

Maine is a great place but no different than any other so don't let your guard down.

Read some of the comments on my other posts and you will see the true colors. The grass is not always greener but it is a beautiful state and a slower pace of life.

I don't think that Maine is like any other place, at least once you get away from Massachusetts North.

[maineborzoi]

I do not see that I have posted here, so I will re-share out story.

My husband was stationed in Maine many years ago, and always told me how he wanted to return to Maine after he retired.
In July of 2014 retirement came, and on his deep desire, we started looking for homes in Maine. I had lived most of my life in Virginia, with some of those years stay in NJ and Pa. To me- Maine had a mystic about it, and was open to what his heart and desire was to move to Maine.

Being a 12 hour drive to visit Maine to look, he came up here to find us a house for a week. He saw Many places, but Princeton took his idea of what retirement should be. Living at the time outside of Northern Virginia, we were shocked how low the housing prices were- seemed almost unbelievable to us. Even more so how low the taxes were on homes, cost of living, and even insurance took a massive nose dive.

The area we live has everything you would wanted as younger person- the fishing, the scenery, but MOST of all- That " down home, Easy going life" one remembers when a child growing up. Princeton was all that but also removed weather worries as shopping is in walking distance ( food, hardware store), as well as the post office etc.

I must admit- I only had a few short visits to Maine under my belt at the time- and even those were related to dog shows etc- and very short and brief.

I am THRILLED we made this decission !! Never in my life have a met a more friendly, warm, caring people- and it is not just Princeton- it is alll OVER Maine. We were received as a member of this area right from the "get-go" and completely treated as we would treat anyone- with warmth and kindness.
It started the very first day here- with our neighbors loaning us a table as we waited for the moving company to bring us our furniture. No matter where you go in this Fabulous state- we meet the same thing- warm, friendly, caring, and poliet people.
To us- Maine TRULY, HONESTLY is " The Way Life Should Be".

We feel rejuvenated, restored, with each day almost an adventure in and of itself- if you wish it to be. Or - just relax, grab a fishing pole- and go down to the lake to watch the loons. And, one must admit, it is a total trip to watch even a moose show up one day in town .
I am THRILLED we followed this dream, though originally my husbands dream, it Surely has become My dream fullfilled as well. !!!

[notaliberal]

You are 100% correct, maineguy8888, there is no other place like Maine. Period. And that is essentially why I have decided to retire there. I only know one Maine. The notion of "Two Maines" is utterly incomprehensible to me. I feel strongly there must be something more going on here. Maybe there is something in the water down in New Jersey. Or the air.

maineborzoi, I could not agree with you more. Maine is a fabulous state. I have invariably found the locals everywhere to be warm, friendly, welcoming, helpful and polite. I would add civility to the list. One thing that has always struck me, in all my travels through Maine, is the overall courtesy of drivers. No horns! No obscene gestures. None. Not even once. Pretty amazing for somebody with NY plates, as I have hesitated at many an intersection there. Try hesitating even briefly at an intersection here in SENY, especially with out of state plates, and you will be greeted immediately by a cacophony of horns and obscene gestures. Folks are more civilized in Maine; it is indeed a very special place.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by notaliberal

...

maineborzoi, I could not agree with you more. Maine is a fabulous state. I have invariably found the locals everywhere to be warm, friendly, welcoming, helpful and polite. I would add civility to the list. One thing that has always struck me, in all my travels through Maine, is the overall courtesy of drivers. No horns! No obscene gestures. None. Not even once. ..... Folks are more civilized in Maine; it is indeed a very special place.

Ya' know- never gave it any thought, but now that you have said it, you are Absolutely right !

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

I don't think that Maine is like any other place, at least once you get away from Massachusetts North.

I agree.

[TheKezarWoodsman]

Mass north is southern maine/portland right?

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by GreenGene

Has anyone moved to Maine to follow your dreams?

Not yet, but we're working on it.

I had forgotten about this thread.

It took us a year from the time that I posted the reply above, but we're here. And we love it (although where's the snow this year??)

Originally Posted by notaliberal

I only know one Maine. The notion of "Two Maines" is utterly incomprehensible to me. I feel strongly there must be something more going on here. Maybe there is something in the water down in New Jersey. Or the air.

I agree. There are people who favor the "two Maine" view of the state. And that's not uncommon for any state. We moved from northern VA, and that area was quite different from the rest of the state in many ways. Not better or worse, just different. Another example is NYC and upstate New York.

But to me, in Maine, it's an artificial distinction that's sometimes made by those in - or seeking - political power ... an attempt to divide and conquer, so to speak.

I only know one Maine, and it's the Maine I loved as a kid. It's different now, as an adult and as a permanent, year-round resident. It's better. I figured I would like it, and I hoped my wife would like it as well. But we both love it.

Originally Posted by notaliberal

One thing that has always struck me, in all my travels through Maine, is the overall courtesy of drivers. No horns! No obscene gestures. None. Not even once. Pretty amazing for somebody with NY plates, as I have hesitated at many an intersection there. Try hesitating even briefly at an intersection here in SENY, especially with out of state plates, and you will be greeted immediately by a cacophony of horns and obscene gestures. Folks are more civilized in Maine; it is indeed a very special place.

I agree with all the positive examples you give of Maine drivers. But there are a couple of things I've noticed fairly often. One is tailgating. I always drive over the speed limit (weather conditions permitting) - just ask my wife! Usually it's speed limit plus 5, sometimes plus 10. When I come up behind someone, I leave a sufficient gap between the other car and me, just in case we need to stop quickly. And sometimes I think I'm the only one in central Maine who does this. Even when there's a clear, safe place to pass, people opt to hang in where they are ... on my bumper.

The other thing is oncoming traffic wandering over into my lane. Head-on collisions happen with alarming regularity in Maine. What's up with that? Are drivers busy looking for moose, or yakking on their phones, and simply not keeping their eyes on the road?

I always had to pay very close attention to the traffic in northern VA (some of the worst traffic this side of LA), but driving in Maine is no picnic, either. I do take some comfort, though, in knowing that if I drive off the road in Maine, people will stop and check on me, and that's nice.

[Maineac]

Exactly - its a political distinction that people like to make to divide and (attempt) to conquer. It doesn't work, but it makes them feel like they have accomplished something by labeling everyone below the "Volvo Line" or the Mason/Augusta line as "different." It is 100% a fallacy, implanted in the minds of those that attempt to perpetuate it solely for political gain. It's actually rather funny that purportedly "independent" thinkers can be so easily led.