Why is Maine a good place to move to? (Augusta: school, taxes)

[redgoast]

Originally Posted by WhereDoIBelong

Reading about available rental homes in some of the smaller towns in Maine, I see that several offer to include heat, hot water or both in the rent.

Is there any consensus as to the reason(s) why such places would offer this, when these costs aren't cheap?
It could be because the homes are of lesser quality, or are poorly located geographically as well as being in low quality of neighborhood (hence a lack of demand) or one of the most common reasons, just to be competitive with others in a not very high demand area (from what I can see)?

Any other thoughts as to why would be welcomed.

Heat has to be included by law if you are renting out units in a building. If it's a stand-alone building those utilities do not need to be included.

Almost all apartments and rental units will come with heat & Hot water included. It's just the standard practice...

I would never rent an apartment or home that didn't include heat & HW. It's very expensive no matter who pays for it.

I rented a 1bedroom apartment in Milford for a year for $675 H&HW... Also a two bedroom in Bangor for $650 H&HW for awhile...

Lessons to be learned: Apartments near the university of maine will cost you much more... However, with that said it was a nice apartment.. very modern... You'll look at a ton of crappy buildings in most areas if you're in the $650-700 range before finding one that is decent.

[WhereDoIBelong]

Originally Posted by redgoast

Heat has to be included by law if you are renting out units in a building. If it's a stand-alone building those utilities do not need to be included.

Almost all apartments and rental units will come with heat & Hot water included. It's just the standard practice...

I lived in an apartment (an arresting and horrible experience mostly and a foreign concept to me) for almost 4 years and hot water and heat were not included.
Perhaps then this aspect varies with each state?

[redgoast]

Yes, it is Maine state law, not federal law. Every state will vary but Maine requires landlords provide a habitable environment or human habitation. They can try to get you to sign a lease that says they won't provide heat, but almost no one will and other parts of Maine law requires the heating and water equipment to function at all times. If the renter can't afford to pay the heating bill, pipes can freeze and parts of the building can be damaged (such as water pipes) making the apartment no longer fit for human habitation which is in breech of the law.

landlords also still have to provide a temp of at least 68 degrees in the common areas of the building .. and any rental agreement that specifically states that heat isn't included has to also include a reduction in the cost of the rent in-line with the cost of that utility which is part of the provisions which define if a building in fit for human habitation....

So while not technically illegal to not provide heat, some of the other definitions and requirements sort of make it a moot point and most landlords will just provide heat in building apartments so as to avoid all the headaches that can occur.

I had to look into it once because of a crappy landlord who couldn't keep the heat working in my apartment.

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legi...14sec6021.html

[atrixwolfe]

Originally Posted by WhereDoIBelong

Thank you.
I note that LL Bean is located in Freeport and is a well known and highly regarded company. So perhaps I can work there and learn from them what makes them so great.

They aren't easy to get into, but I don't say that to deter you.. By all means I'm a firm believer in going for it! where there is a will there is a way. I just have a fair amount of IT experience but they wanted something very specific. They do take contractors though. IT is located in freeport, call centers are all over. There are a fair number of IT jobs around the Portland area and some in Lewiston and bangor too. Check out www.jobsinme.com don't be afraid to use a recruiter or do contract work, especially if your job shopping from NC.

[RMoore007]

Why is Maine a good place to move to? For me, in no particular order, it's family, CD friends, history, the ocean, exploring, outdoors, the sky, the woods, the air, the water, large lawns, no fences, old houses, brick buildings, falling down/old structures, picture taking, Portland, Bangor, the capitol building, memorials, old cemetaries, snowmobile trails, hunting, gun ownership, the Maine turnpike, mountains, state parks, a lake or pond in every town, mom and pop stores, atv's, gravel pits, the smell of pine, multi-animal sightings, cool neighbors like NH and Canada, the four seasons, specialy foods, lobster, whoopie pies, the Maine accent, people who take "from away' seriously, people who get insulted from the term "from away", people who think the term 'from away" is really important and think Mainer's are serious about it, cheap cars, cheap services and labor, cheap advice, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, waterfront parks, rivers, streams, colorful characters and CD friends.

[WhereDoIBelong]

Originally Posted by atrixwolfe

They aren't easy to get into, but I don't say that to deter you.. By all means I'm a firm believer in going for it! where there is a will there is a way. I just have a fair amount of IT experience but they wanted something very specific. They do take contractors though. IT is located in freeport, call centers are all over. There are a fair number of IT jobs around the Portland area and some in Lewiston and bangor too. Check out www.jobsinme.com don't be afraid to use a recruiter or do contract work, especially if your job shopping from NC.

Thank you for the above.
Unfortunately, I am not an IT person.

I have worked with computers for almost all of my working life but in non-technical roles, or roles that don't require technical/programming/coding/application support, etc.
I used to be able to write Supercalc macros, but that was a very long time ago.

I would probably be able to go for some of the data entry type jobs that I've seen posted up recently and which are well within my capability, or I would do anything else within my capability or with training/guidance.
I'm not picky about what I do - its the life that the work will give me that's important and that's how I would see it.

[WhereDoIBelong]

Originally Posted by RMoore007

Why is Maine a good place to move to? For me, in no particular order, it's family, CD friends, history, the ocean, exploring, outdoors, the sky, the woods, the air, the water, large lawns, no fences, old houses, brick buildings, falling down/old structures, picture taking, Portland, Bangor, the capitol building, memorials, old cemetaries, snowmobile trails, hunting, gun ownership, the Maine turnpike, mountains, state parks, a lake or pond in every town, mom and pop stores, atv's, gravel pits, the smell of pine, multi-animal sightings, cool neighbors like NH and Canada, the four seasons, specialy foods, lobster, whoopie pies, the Maine accent, people who take "from away' seriously, people who get insulted from the term "from away", people who think the term 'from away" is really important and think Mainer's are serious about it, cheap cars, cheap services and labor, cheap advice, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, waterfront parks, rivers, streams, colorful characters and CD friends.

Is that all???

[WhereDoIBelong]

So what is the Maine accent like?

And what is this "from away" thing?

[RMoore007]

Originally Posted by WhereDoIBelong

So what is the Maine accent like?

And what is this "from away" thing?

Can you say "Eastport Aaaaaaht Center"?


3 Words to a Downeast Maine Accent - YouTube

As far as this "from away" thing, you must be 'from away' then. If I have to explain it then you wouldn't understand.

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by WhereDoIBelong

So what is the Maine accent like?

And what is this "from away" thing?

Do you remember Murder She Wrote? Tom Bosley as the friendly, but inept, cop? Try to practice his accent. Many hours in front of the TV with a mirror to get the form of the words just right like his. He's a professional, you know. (kidding. don't do it)

And was that a shot at the Eastpohht Ahht Centahh, Mr Moore?