Suggestions for considering move to Maine? (Portland, Bangor: for sale by owner, loan, motel)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Maineah;

Maine is not a good place to move to. Housing is expensive, the economy is terrible, the roads are in disrepair, the government is inept, the weather is terrible,the bugs are horrendous,the taxes are high, there are NO jobs what-so-ever,heating will break you, stay where you are.

Wow that is harsh.

It is greatly up to the individual and his personal experiences though.

In our case, Maine has been a great place to move to.

We enjoyed the move, and we have enjoyed the process of establishing ourselves in Maine.



Housing is very reasonable.



"the economy is terrible" which means that prices are very low.



"the roads are in disrepair, the government is inept, the weather is terrible, the bugs are horrendous" and teens have acne, and automobile consumes fuel, and life requires breathing, and the list goes on. big deal.



"the taxes are high" This is simply not true. We have debated it before. Maine once had the highest 'tax burden' but no more, it no longer applies. In direct comparison to most other states Maine's taxes are fairly low. In my personal experiences, from living in California, Virginia, Connecticut, Washington, Scotland and Italy; Maine's taxes are extremely low.



"there are NO jobs what-so-ever" I think you already said that the economy is poor.

Hey does anyone want to stock shelves at the grocery store where I have been stocking part-time? I have asked before. Does anyone want to? they have been looking to fill openings since January.



"heating will break you" yes the 3 1/2 cords we burned last winter just about killed us. [Not]



"stay where you are." Or not, you could move to Maine and enjoy life.

[bigounets]

Hehehe, Maineah, you really don't want anyone to move to Maine don't you? You're funny!

[bigounets]

Forest, I really like your positive outlook.

[moughie]

Hey, I believe that Maineah's intentions are quite good!
He does not want someone to move to Maine, especially one who has never visited Maine before, and not find what they wanted. Especially someone with a medical condition that may or may not be exacerbated by the 4 seasons and cooler winter temps than Texas or OK have.

[Submariner]

I do think that folks moving to Maine should come here first for a visit or three, look around and explore the regions of Maine first.

... I suggest that you come visit. Tour the state, and see which region of Maine you like the best. Then look closer

Rather than moving here blindly.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by OklahomaMom

Hi. We are contemplating a move to Maine. I've always wanted to live somewhere on the East Coast, and a friend has been telling me how great Maine is.

What is the Cost of living like? Employment market? housing?

My husband is the Camp Manager (and Education Manager) at a wildlife preserve in Texas.

Are there any camps or wildlife preserves with education programs in Maine?

It's just too HOT for us to stay in Texas. We need to move somewhere with a cooler climate. I have MS, and I can handle the cold but not the heat.

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks
OklahomaMom (who lives in Texas but is considering a move to Maine!)

If you read through the answers to your questions that have been posted so far, you will have a pretty good picture of the way life in Maine really is. For some it is great, for many it is just life and among them, some like it and some don't.

There is one important statistic that you need to know, and then study a bit to understand what it means. That statistic is really important because it shapes everything else in our lives, for good and for bad. Here are the numbers that are singularly MOST important:

1. There are barely 1.3 million people in the entire state of Maine.

That is the most important number because that indicates the size of the economy and the size of the economy dictates the amount of social services, commercial services, and availability of EVERYTHING else that is considered either essential or desirable for life as most Americans know it.

It means that there is less and less of everything for anyone, and what IS there is more expensive or more difficult to get. Add in to that small population number the fact that Maine is the largest state in the northeast corner by a lot, and that the majority of the population live in the southwestern corner where housing prices are highest, and you can begin to see that living in Maine can be a very difficult choice for most people to make.

A lot of people like to talk a lot about the winter. The worst part of the winter here is that it can be very long. It sometimes can be very cold, and there can be a terrific amount of snow. But the worst winters in my opinion is the kind that has a little snow, a lot of rain, and ice and that stays dark with heavy brooding clouds for days and days with little else. I have been here through winters where we had little to no snow, and relatively little severe cold: just endless depression. If you are having a hard time making a living in those conditions, life can be very hard indeed.

It is true that we do not have the degree of crime and other social issues that plague many of the more populous states. But make no mistake: we have ALL of the same problems, but with a low density population of only 1.3 million people, the problems are not as evident.

I think it was Forest who suggested that you come up to Maine and travel around a LOT. He is absolutely right: and your trip should be in February, not in July or August. Come and explore the entire state. You will find warm and welcoming people everywhere in Maine, especially the further from the southwest corner that you go. And if you give yourself enough time to explore and learn about the state, you may well find the one place that will be right for you.

At the end of the days exploring around Maine, that one place that will be right for you may well be someplace in Oklahoma not far from where you are now.

[woolwiTch]

My cousin has MS and spends as much time up here in Maine with us as she can. It's so much easier on her condition being up here. She hopes to move up here in four or five years when her family situation permits.

[Maineah]

I have never lived anywhere else and I don't really want to. I'm used to the bugs, the long winters, the short summers, heating costs, lack of jobs, high prices for housing, crappy roads, endless taxes, far too many legislators, State workers and handouts,tourists,and the rest. That said Maine is a nice place to live and raise a family but it is not the only nice place on earth to live and raise a family either. The Finger Lakes region of Western New York state is gorgeous and less expensive to buy real estate in.
Vermont is very pretty and less expensive away from Lake Champlain. New Hampshire has a good government, no sales tax and the lowest crime rate of the area. The problem with this forum is that it paints a far rosier picture than you will ever find in reality. Yes we are for the most part a contented bunch as we expect little more than what we already have. That lifestyle will suit few in this day and age. Visit in the late Fall or Winter to see if you will like Maine. Everyone loves Maine in the Summer though summer is a fleeting season here and you still have to put up with the rest of the year!

[msina]

I have relapsing-remitting MS. I have been on Novantrone and Avonex (beta therapy). I haven't used any steroidal meds in four years, I am currently taking a low dosage of klonopin for muscle stiffness and spasms. The cold is much easier for me than the heat. Getting around in winter (for me) can be tricky. My balance isn't what it used to be and I have fallen once or twice getting in or out of the car. If you use good sense, you'll be fine. I tend to try to do more than I should without thinking at times and I can be stubborn as a stump. I have beaten this topic to death but,........ a pair of Nordic Walking Poles may be just the ticket for getting around more confidently and comfortably for people that happen to have MS.
One thing you do need to keep in mind is that those with MS often suffer from depression. If you have a tendency towards SAD you should make an effort to get as much sun as you can in winter and make sure you discuss it with your Dr. A sublingual vitamin B helps. Between MS and hot flashes,........... I Love Winter.

[dramamama6685]

MS is so different for each person. My Dad has been living with MS since the summer of '68(I was only 18 months old) and he claims the heat is easier on him. He made the move over 2 decades ago to Clearwater from Ohio and thinks we're insane to want to move to Maine.