Downeast or The County? (Bangor, Houlton: house, buy, school)

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess things are leaning towards Houlton/Aroostook County, although I do I have to say that I love the coastal scenery/general feel of the Calais area and other personal circumstances might lead me there in the end.

Just a question, how has the new border crossing really affected the town? It certainly didn't look any worse than 10-15 years ago (possibly better even).

It didn't seem to affect it at all. The tourists didn't stop in Calais anyway. Taxes are really high in Calais, by the way.

[Maine Writer]

I live between both towns and am familiar with them. I would choose Houlton. Calais wouldn't be one of my options.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

I live between both towns and am familiar with them. I would choose Houlton. Calais wouldn't be one of my options.

Calais isn't anything to write home about. They could take over the vacant building festival from Eastport now. Course, in the winter, you really don't have to worry about getting hit by a car in the middle of main street in either town.

[kellysmith]

Originally Posted by AustinB

Course, in the winter, you really don't have to worry about getting hit by a car in the middle of main street in either town.

I've lived in Houlton for just over 40 years and don't quite understand your point. Are you trying to be funny? It's not Portland, but lay off dissing us who live in Washington and Aroostook County. Trying crossing North Street just about any time during daylight hours, my friend. You better be agile. Houlton is a great place to live. We are up to six traffic lights! And the people of the County are what make it special in my opinion. I don't know about Calais, but have friends who live there and they seem to like it as well. I think the Houlton job market is a little better than Calais. We are a magnet for those seeking social services however.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by kellysmith

I've lived in Houlton for just over 40 years and don't quite understand your point. Are you trying to be funny? It's not Portland, but lay off dissing us who live in Washington and Aroostook County. Trying crossing North Street just about any time during daylight hours, my friend. You better be agile. Houlton is a great place to live. We are up to six traffic lights! And the people of the County are what make it special in my opinion. I don't know about Calais, but have friends who live there and they seem to like it as well. I think the Houlton job market is a little better than Calais. We are a magnet for those seeking social services however.

Well, for one, I wasn't referring to Houlton. The comment was about Eastport and Calais. For another, North street isn't Main Street in Calais. Lunch time by the McDonalds and Subway is a dangerous place to be. We have camps near Eastport and Calais. It will probably be our retirement location. I've watched Calais in a slow decline for over the last decade. If the mill expands in Bailyville, then Calais will do better. The downtown buildings need some work, but there doesn't seem to be the business to justify putting the money into the empty shopfronts.

[Brodels]

I am familiar with both Calais and Houlton and like them both, but I'm curious about your reasons for narrowing your search to these two communities, especially considering that future economic stability seems to be of some interest. If economic stability is a primary concern, I would think that going down the coast some, perhaps all the way to Ellsworth, might be an option. In Aroostook County, Presque Isle is probably a slightly better bet in the long term. Just wondering why you are deciding between Calais and Houlton.

[FlowerPower00]

Presque Isle isn't bad the same goes for Van Buren. The point about The County is you get a real sense of community. Plus the four wheeling in The County can't be beat.

[roundscomplete]

After all of my browsing, reading, and brainstorming, I've decided to make the county home in 2017 after I get my BSN.
You see listings of property 650+ acres for 300\350k, with cleared and forest land as well as a water source like a creek or such. All of that natural beauty coupled with a great price, is hard to beat for me. Being a registered nurse once I get my BSN, and a combat vet w\disability income shouldn't be an issue.
The biggest downside to me, is I am severely limited to what fruit and nut trees I can grow on my property up there. Im an avid gardener and I can't wait to get into farming.

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by roundscomplete

After all of my browsing, reading, and brainstorming, I've decided to make the county home in 2017 after I get my BSN.
You see listings of property 650+ acres for 300\350k, with cleared and forest land as well as a water source like a creek or such. All of that natural beauty coupled with a great price, is hard to beat for me. Being a registered nurse once I get my BSN, and a combat vet w\disability income shouldn't be an issue.
The biggest downside to me, is I am severely limited to what fruit and nut trees I can grow on my property up there. Im an avid gardener and I can't wait to get into farming.

I read some of the old farming reports from 100 years ago in the County. And I have learned that they grew more variety of fruits/trees than they do now. I think part of it is that people just stopped growing some things because they fell out of popularity. But I do believe that more things can be grown here than currently are being done.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by roundscomplete

After all of my browsing, reading, and brainstorming, I've decided to make the county home in 2017 after I get my BSN.
You see listings of property 650+ acres for 300\350k, with cleared and forest land as well as a water source like a creek or such. All of that natural beauty coupled with a great price, is hard to beat for me. Being a registered nurse once I get my BSN, and a combat vet w\disability income shouldn't be an issue.

There is an adjoining property next to use that is listed at $300/acre. He has been trying to sell that place for 10 years. I think it is around 345 acres.

We bought two parcels, one for $350/acre, the other is river frontage for $900/acre.

... The biggest downside to me, is I am severely limited to what fruit and nut trees I can grow on my property up there. Im an avid gardener and I can't wait to get into farming.

We have 16 apple trees. A Black Walnut, a Pecan, Ginkgo, 2 Cherries, Witch Hazel, Chestnut, pears, 8 Plum, a half-dozen Fig, Mulberry, Hazelnut / Filbert, apricot, 6 Elderberry, grapes, tea,

The figs and lemons are in containers. They go outside in summer and indoors for winter. I have figs and one lemon awaiting to be harvested now.