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I just got off the phone with a real-estate agent who seemed to have been honest with me but some questions come to mind and I'd like more opinions. Advertised for sale in Stockholm ME was a house (in need of work) with eight acres and bordered by two rivers (one a seasonal brook)
Although the property is still being advertised the realtor made me aware that it was under contract and there was another available in stockholm for a VERY low price on one acre with no water on land BUT within five minutes walk of river.
The house needs to be replaced but had been vandalized so apparently the water is no longer hooked up to the well??
My question: Do ANY of you all live around these small town areas near the coast or on the rivers and has the population all been replaced with gangsters as it has here in FL or would I get what I am after which would be a lovely small town atmosphere at an excellent price, a jump to the border and a nice place for my children to live.
I love Maine and am ready to move but I'd like some honest input on how the ME. population is currently in the small towns. I drove through maine and loved it and the people but I DID see some problems among the coastal areas closer to acadia as though the areas' hotels and such were contolled by a 'bad' element.
Is a Maine small town (under 300 population or under 2500) a good place for a family and if there is a town that stands out in your mind, close to the border which you would love to live in and the prices are right ... what IS that town??
Thank you for your time. Great people on here !!
Welcome. I don't think the town I hope to move to is close enough to where you need to be...but just in case..Eastport and the small towns around it are awesome. Just ask Mollysmiles.
I'm sorry I guess it would have been nice if I had taken a moment to say hello. I read so fast and read so much before I made a member name I felt ready to go.
I appreciate your answer dramamama and hope for some luck for you. I checked out eastport. Looks awesome. Easternmost point.
lol- I wouldn't say Maine is anywhere close to being taken over by gangs.. gun-toting rednecks, maybe, but not gun-toting gangs (and the rednecks are pretty much what Maine is all about anyway..) Unless you include the lobster gangs, but that doesn't bother the common (non-lobstering) Mainer anyway.
Not sure what you saw as a "bad element" in hotels along the coast- I live in Hancock county and can't think of any icky hotels (except one in Ellsworth known for an incident of bedbugs- and that incident was 10 years ago...) around. Please elaborate if you would..
I have never been as far north as Stockholm- I would guess it would be about 6 hours from where I am (4 hours north of Bangor, I am guessing- anyone correct me if that's wrong), so I can't speak to the culture of Aroostook, or the smaller towns there, but I love living where I am (Deer Isle). But small town living is very hard to adjust to if you are coming from a city- suddenly everyone knows who you arare, where you were last Saturday, and if you get UPS deliveries on a regular basis.. (and also feel free to ask you about everything listed above..). But I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Are you a "MainERwannabe" or a "MainewannabeIN"? That may sound like an insignificant difference, but for those of us in the know, it can indicate two very different approaches in trying to help you with your question.
hiya maine,,if i remember correctly, stockholm is between caribou, and eagle lake,,i drove thru there a couple weeks ago,,i personally love it up there!! wide open spaces, the air is clean and crisp, and all the people ive met in aroostook county,,,,are very nice!!
id highly recommend the area.
as far as gangs and "bad" people,,, ive been here all my life,,,dealt with many business owners all over the state, and have yet to witness a gang or any sort of bad business groups,,,
maine has one of the lowest crime rates of the country,,
and the area you are speaking of, like i said,,its a beautiful area!!
you should check out many areas,,,sherman/island falls area,,id recommend also,,cheap land/property, and probly the same real estate agent can assist you in showing properties...
look at many regions, dont be afraid to call many realtors,,and ask them to "auto-email" properties, that fit your criteria
good luck, any questions, feel free to ask,,
good luck, and let me be the first to welcome you to maine!
LOL !! I'm really glad. What I noticed was this: Along the route of 95 I guess the hoteliers probably come from all over the place ?? Assuming. We stopped at a very nice B/B lodge almost to acadia and were rebuffed by the owner very impolitely. For a tired traveler, you know .. the only reason that resonated with me so much is that this 'unfriendliness' is the same method those who do this stuff have employed to chase people away from the good lifelong haunts in Florida where I currently live (and more or less LOATHE).
We went back a bit and found a lesser place with nicer people and a bonus of a store across the street.
Yes, I'm already wondering about how it will feel to go back to 'small town' life. That's how my area used to be. Thanks so much for your honesty, deerislesmile. It's a pretty big jump for me but I feel very ready.
Along with that small town knoweverything about ya-ness, I assume comes the inherent charm of a neighbor actually helping a neighbor??
And decent friends for children and parents?
Thanks for your reply. I'm checking out your area, too. I knew nothing when I started, the property and price just caught my eye.
Quote:
Originally Posted by deerislesmile
lol- I wouldn't say Maine is anywhere close to being taken over by gangs.. gun-toting rednecks, maybe, but not gun-toting gangs (and the rednecks are pretty much what Maine is all about anyway..) Unless you include the lobster gangs, but that doesn't bother the common (non-lobstering) Mainer anyway.
Not sure what you saw as a "bad element" in hotels along the coast- I live in Hancock county and can't think of any icky hotels (except one in Ellsworth known for an incident of bedbugs- and that incident was 10 years ago...) around. Please elaborate if you would..
I have never been as far north as Stockholm- I would guess it would be about 6 hours from where I am (4 hours north of Bangor, I am guessing- anyone correct me if that's wrong), so I can't speak to the culture of Aroostook, or the smaller towns there, but I love living where I am (Deer Isle). But small town living is very hard to adjust to if you are coming from a city- suddenly everyone knows who you arare, where you were last Saturday, and if you get UPS deliveries on a regular basis.. (and also feel free to ask you about everything listed above..). But I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Are you a "MainERwannabe" or a "MainewannabeIN"? That may sound like an insignificant difference, but for those of us in the know, it can indicate two very different approaches in trying to help you with your question.
I didn't feel it was insignificant. I appreciate that you care to help, DavidoftheNorth! Here's me: Drove to meet my best friend who lives in Canada, just over the border. When I visited Maine and Acadia I experienced a comfort level even among strangers that I haven't felt in Florida for YEARS.
I'm just a bit scared. The property values are sooooo good that I assume that it's because people don't want to deal with snow, it truly IS a well-kept secret, or something is 'wrong'. Plus, I don't have the ability to keep driving up or coming up to check out different places. Renting might or might not work, it sounds so exhausting.
For instance I could have easily acquired both the properties I located in Stockholm. Then I began to think of the ways I could be miserable .... and THEN I found this place.
After I talked to the realtor. The realtor was very kind but did mention that the one house had been vandalized and in a town of so few people that was troubling.
Sometimes in small towns you get the feeling that someone has named themselves 'boss' and .... it's hard to know until you're living there.
I hope I'm not being too long-winded. Just concerns about a permanent move from a life-long Floridian.
Keep putting up with the ickiness HERE where they have stolen all of our coast or make the leap and possibly make a mistake or alternately find just what I think is there?
Nice people, good places, people enjoying life, etc......
Thanks so much. I feel better about stockholm now for sure. You can only pick up so much online about the areas so talking to people is best.
I don't seem like I want much according to a few realtors -- they didn't think my list was daunting.
Close to the border (few hours can be okay but shorter preferable) Ocean or river front. Water on the property kinda essential. Acreage -- doesn't have to be a ton. Liking privacy but have needs for social for the more social in the family.
At least two bedrooms and would like an older home with land. I have noticed that most of the older homes and even some newer ones are quite expanded. Most I have found are 3 or 4 bedrooms and would like more than one bath.
Thanks for the welcome to Maine. Working on it. I'm glad to hear that there is not the same element there as has found it's way to Florida. Things have gotten very bad here. They are building right up to the coast and ... it's just awful. Big icky box houses and the people are just not very nice people. While part of me knows this is purpose-driven, of course, because the property value where I live has skyrocketed ... and my own property is immensely valuable due to being located in the gambling district -- I don't want to move to another place and watch the same deterioration.
I read a great many newspapers and this is happening in PA. and other places besides Florida so I thought I'd bring it up right away. It's very unpleasant to watch your beloved home change into gang warfare.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mainebrokerman
hiya maine,,if i remember correctly, stockholm is between caribou, and eagle lake,,i drove thru there a couple weeks ago,,i personally love it up there!! wide open spaces, the air is clean and crisp, and all the people ive met in aroostook county,,,,are very nice!!
id highly recommend the area.
as far as gangs and "bad" people,,, ive been here all my life,,,dealt with many business owners all over the state, and have yet to witness a gang or any sort of bad business groups,,,
maine has one of the lowest crime rates of the country,,
and the area you are speaking of, like i said,,its a beautiful area!!
you should check out many areas,,,sherman/island falls area,,id recommend also,,cheap land/property, and probly the same real estate agent can assist you in showing properties...
look at many regions, dont be afraid to call many realtors,,and ask them to "auto-email" properties, that fit your criteria
good luck, any questions, feel free to ask,,
good luck, and let me be the first to welcome you to maine!
Because you mentioned the casino near your current home- be aware that Maine is starting to dip it's toe into the casino business. With a racino/slot facility with Bangor (Hollywood Slots), and repeated requests from the Passamaquoddy (Washington County) and Penobscot (Indian Island) tribes for on-reservation casinos, I think that it's possible that more gaming facilities could end up in Maine in the next 10 years. Baldacci has repeatedly vetoed it, but he won't be in Augusta forever, and who knows how the next govenor will feel about casinos and racinos.
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Thanks dramamama6685
