Quick questions about Maine (Portland, Presque Isle: for sale by owner, real estate, houses)

[futuremainer]

Hello all! Tremendous appreciation for any constructive responses as this is a very challenging phase of my life.

After researching our wants and needs for the last 4 years, my wife and I have decided to move to Maine. After weighing all of the pros and cons, it is the best fit for us. I am just now trying to secure some information that has been difficult to come by using conventional internet surfing means.

If anyone can answer these questions I would be very grateful: (save any negative comments or complaints-I have seen all of the bad stuff that people have reported and frankly am not concerned about them in the grand scheme of things.)

Does anyone have a reliable website to search for houses other than Trulia or Zillow? They are terrible at locating properties.

If roads are icy/snowed over/etc how do children get to school? Are there bus routes for all rural kids or are parents expected to drive them?

Are snow tire/summer tire sets really mandatory? Chains too?

What are the organic food selections like in Maine? We are trying to avoid heavily populated areas but we currently need Costco and Whole Foods Market for organic goods. Since those are not very prevalent in Maine, how would one procure these items? (95%+ of our grocery budget.)

What are average utility rates? We are hoping to be a mix of gas/electric (gas for hot water and stove) as well as wood burning fireplace/stove for winter. The one thing we are terribly naive about are those wall heaters every house seems to have up there. Are those electric or run like a radiator system on a different power source? I am trying to make sure we are never in any danger if the power goes out for any length of time.

We still have about 3-4 months of research to do but any insight you could offer would be immensely helpful!

Thank you so much!!!!

[svband76]

Well, I would search www.realtor.com as well as www.zillow.com, as Realtor doesn't list properties for sale by owner (I'm pretty sure). I'm a vegetarian, organic kinda guy and I found Hannaford's grocery stores more than adequate to fill my needs. They also sell local produce as well. Then you have you farmer's markets to supplement that.

There have been lots of discussions here about snow tires and utility rates so just do a search. Good luck. What are areas you considering? The natives on here are of course way more knowledgeable than I. I'm hoping to be leavin' on a jet plane for Maine in a few years..

[Fern435]

Not sure if mentioning realtor websites is permitted here, but realtor.com is a good one. Also, different real estate companies have their own websites with listings. And there's always Craigslist.

When there has been snow or roads are icy, school is delayed for an hour or cancelled for the day. Transportation is provided in rural areas. Most towns do an excellent job keeping the roads clear. We have a Subaru with all season tires and do fine, but we're retired and the kids are grown so we don't have to go out if it's not clear. Some people have winter tires. It depends on what part of Maine you're in.

Whole Foods and Trader Joes have stores in Portland. They are within walking distance of each other. Hannafords and Shaws are two of the biggest grocery stores in Maine, and they seem to have very nice produce selections. But there are many farmers markets and road side stands around as well. Some of the most delicious produce I have had anywhere is from the farm on the main road in my town.

Hope that helps! (edited to say: zalewskimm posted at nearly the same time with similar answers!)

[MCringle]

Organic food is easier to find locally in Northern Maine than where I am from in central NYS. There, supermarkets were your only option, here, there is some in Hannafords but a great deal to be found at local farms that are certified organic but perhaps don't advertise much. Word of mouth is the key to all doors here.

Also, please don't rule out non-certified farms that are nonetheless high quality and natural. After all, Maine had MOFGA long before organic became a 'thing.'

Good luck. The community, climate, and beauty of Maine have been great blessings to our family.

[roadrat]

Originally Posted by futuremainer

Hello all! Tremendous appreciation for any constructive responses as this is a very challenging phase of my life.

After researching our wants and needs for the last 4 years, my wife and I have decided to move to Maine. After weighing all of the pros and cons, it is the best fit for us. I am just now trying to secure some information that has been difficult to come by using conventional internet surfing means.

If anyone can answer these questions I would be very grateful: (save any negative comments or complaints-I have seen all of the bad stuff that people have reported and frankly am not concerned about them in the grand scheme of things.)

Does anyone have a reliable website to search for houses other than Trulia or Zillow? They are terrible at locating properties.

If roads are icy/snowed over/etc how do children get to school? Are there bus routes for all rural kids or are parents expected to drive them?

Are snow tire/summer tire sets really mandatory? Chains too?

What are the organic food selections like in Maine? We are trying to avoid heavily populated areas but we currently need Costco and Whole Foods Market for organic goods. Since those are not very prevalent in Maine, how would one procure these items? (95%+ of our grocery budget.)

What are average utility rates? We are hoping to be a mix of gas/electric (gas for hot water and stove) as well as wood burning fireplace/stove for winter. The one thing we are terribly naive about are those wall heaters every house seems to have up there. Are those electric or run like a radiator system on a different power source? I am trying to make sure we are never in any danger if the power goes out for any length of time.

We still have about 3-4 months of research to do but any insight you could offer would be immensely helpful!

Thank you so much!!!!

I"ll do my best,

1. Maine listings is the best realtor site IMHO
https://www.mainelistings.com/

2. Most school districts in Maine will close for the day if the roads are bad and just about every district has bus service.

3. Snow/Winter tires, tire chains are not mandatory anywhere in Maine that I know of.

4. The big two grocery chains in Maine (Hannaford and Shaw's) carry a petty good assortment of Organic foods depending on your location, obviously the larger city's and towns will have a better selection.
There are also plenty of farmers markets in the summer.

5. Utility rates vary but are not unreasonable anywhere in Maine.

6. I'm not sure what a wall heater is. (pretty sure someone will chime in here soon about them though).

RR

[jsonlong]

The first website mentioned by zalewskimm is good to look up how to get to a property if you want to see it in person.

[futuremainer]

Thank you all sooo much for all of the responses! So much helpful information!

By wall heaters, I was referring to these heaters that seem to run along the walls on the baseboards in the house ads i see online. We don't have those down here and was curious how they worked.

Thank you all so much, again! I hope more will add info!

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by futuremainer

Thank you all sooo much for all of the responses! So much helpful information!

By wall heaters, I was referring to these heaters that seem to run along the walls on the baseboards in the house ads i see online. We don't have those down here and was curious how they worked.

Thank you all so much, again! I hope more will add info!

Behind those covers on the baseboard units can be:

1. Copper lines with heat exchangers fed by a central heating system with circulating hot water heated by a boiler in the basement (more expensive system but cheaper to operate)

2. Electric resistive heating elements (less expensive system, but likely less powerful too and more expensive to operate)

[221B]

Originally Posted by roadrat

I"ll do my best,

1. Maine listings is the best realtor site IMHO
https://www.mainelistings.com/

2. Most school districts in Maine will close for the day if the roads are bad and just about every district has bus service.

3. Snow/Winter tires, tire chains are not mandatory anywhere in Maine that I know of.

4. The big two grocery chains in Maine (Hannaford and Shaw's) carry a petty good assortment of Organic foods depending on your location, obviously the larger city's and towns will have a better selection.
There are also plenty of farmers markets in the summer.

5. Utility rates vary but are not unreasonable anywhere in Maine.

6. I'm not sure what a wall heater is. (pretty sure someone will chime in here soon about them though).

RR

I second all of roadrat's answers! We had some of the same questions when we were looking to relocate to Maine from SoCal.
The only additions I would make are that the roads are cleared pretty quick… just be sure that you have a plan to clear your own drive; including the large mound of ice and snow that the hard-working snow plow drivers tend to push up against the end of your driveway. If you are shoveling or snow-blowing yourself, that mound can quickly turn into a large block of ice, depending on the temps and conditions. That can then make it 10x harder to clear. So we get out there and clear that mound (as well as our driveway) soon after the snow storm!

[FlowerPower00]

A great thing about Maine: the powers that be know how to plow, and keep plowing. In Caribou, Maine there is a nifty little machine that cleans walks ways.

Now my mom, who lives in Rhode Island, walk ways are the responsibility of the home owner. If it's not cleared one faces a $50. fine. One of the many reasons I left southern New England.



No chains on cars, as for education, you will find school is a "go" most of the times.

I don't know, perhaps you would like Presque Isle, Maine. Check it out. Another town Fort Kent, Maine.