Well, here goes. The start to our trek North to Maine, our new home-state. (Wiscasset: buyers, property taxes) - (ME) - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

carnivalday · 01-01-2019, 08:49 AM

That sounds like a realistic estimate. Good luck!

carnivalday · 02-11-2019, 09:36 AM

Are you on the market yet?

Cuffler · 02-18-2019, 08:06 AM

Well, we're well into the renovations to "modernize" our venerable old Victorian so that the millennial crowd will give us a second look. After living with wall paper for 36 years, it's difficult to accept the painted walls we now have in the major rooms although it is a lot brighter. I sure hope this realtor and her stager buddy know what their talking about. We'll know soon enough when we finally formally list. Also we've sent to auction probably 75% of what we owned because it's all way too old to leave up and probably won't fit into our new digs. Rather than incurring storage fees for months on end while we're prepping a new home, we decided to sell them at auction. So we are really walking the plank on this project and burning some bridges. I know that many others out there in our age bracket (mid to late 60s) are probably dealing with the same quandary are wondering what to do with their "things". The kids don't want them and they have little market value. The local Goodwill shops around here are bursting at the seams with the items we found so beautiful or useful to us for decades but now have zero interest from the newest generation. Go figure. IF I were forward thinking enough, I would rent a big storehouse and buy all these pieces of furniture and things up and wait for the inevitable change in the wind for furniture and stuff that's now out of vogue. It may take 25 years but it'll happen and someone will get wealthy.

Anyway we've spent the budget and are now just finishing up. I'll post a before and after photo when we're done so you can get the jist of just how radical this is becoming. More soon! Got to go and shovel the 5" of snow we got last night.

carnivalday · 02-18-2019, 12:05 PM

I did see the before pictures, and what a project that had to be, taking down that wallpaper and painting. I cant even imagine. That being said, I think it will make all the difference in you selling quickly.

southernlady5464 · 02-18-2019, 06:03 PM

I hope you get it sold quickly this time. And can get settled in Maine.

Right now, we are full timing in an RV but with an eye on where to land when the time comes to come off the road. We’ve settled on Maine even if everyone we know think we are crazy.

We have visited in Jan for about a week and enjoyed it even then.

But this isn’t about us....this is your thread. I’m just glad to see there are others like us who prefer a northern climate in a beautiful state.

Cuffler · 02-20-2019, 02:02 PM

Feel free to share your info anytime. I just love having this place I can vent from time to time. We've been in Maine in the winter as well and it's just like any other winter here in CT for the most part.....maybe a bit longer but I'm not rushing the seasons. For me it comes down to the incredible scent of the fir forests in the crisp air. It's heady.

Our household items/collectibles are now up for auction. It's weird seeing items that you've share space with for 36 years listed on line at someone's website. There's no turning back now, however. The realtor will be calling over the weekend for a visit so we can finalize our plans and get her photog in here and we can finally get relisted. All of this has been weighing heavily on both of us but especially my wife. I'm retired but she's holding out until the house is sold. Fingers crossed!

britt_brt · 02-20-2019, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuffler

We've been in Maine in the winter as well and it's just like any other winter here in CT for the most part.....maybe a bit longer but I'm not rushing the seasons. For me it comes down to the incredible scent of the fir forests in the crisp air. It's heady.

I agree. I’m from the Danbury area, and I lived in the Hartford and New London areas. Interior CT winters are similar to coastal Maine. I’ve noticed it is about 5-10 degrees cooler in here (Blue Hill), we definitely get more snow, and it doesn’t melt the next day. I love it. While CT looks dead, dreary in the winter, Maine looks vibrant and alive. Groton/ coastal CT winters are milder than anywhere in Maine, and not as dreary.

Best of luck with the auction and listing.

southernlady5464 · 02-20-2019, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuffler

Our household items/collectibles are now up for auction. It's weird seeing items that you've share space with for 36 years listed on line at someone's website. There's no turning back now, however. The realtor will be calling over the weekend for a visit so we can finalize our plans and get her photog in here and we can finally get relisted. All of this has been weighing heavily on both of us but especially my wife. I'm retired but she's holding out until the house is sold. Fingers crossed!

We downsized about this same time frame 2 years ago. Getting rid of so much to move to a 430sq ft RV. We kept some stuff and put it in storage knowing that what we kept could not be replaced for any where close to the quality. But going thru it is very emotional. First pass was the hardest. Fifth pass wasn’t too terrible. Hubby had a really hard time with his tools.

It’s liberating in a sense to get shed of so much. Even if you do keep stuff.

I hope your house sells quickly.

carnivalday · 02-21-2019, 05:55 AM

Since you have done such a radical change to the look of your house, do you consider that maybe your former real estate agent just couldnt get the interest to get the house shown the way it looked before? A house can be posted all over the internet with lots of views, but if theres no interest in the house, an agent cant get showings. They cant force people to look at it, no matter how good they are. Now with it "modernized" it will likely generate the interest you need to sell it.

Cuffler · 02-21-2019, 08:51 AM

I was slack jawed when the "stager" came with my new realtor and began by suggesting.......actually insisting upon the radical changes to our decore. I resisted to every cell in my body but, after she left and my wife and I have a chance to recover, we decided that this realtor had an excellent track record and that we had to put faith into someone who has a vested interest in selling our home. If we ignored the suggestions we'd be left repeating what we had already done and that didn't work out well. We decided that we would simply bite the bullet and spend the time and money to get to where we thought she would be happy. She didn't expect we would follow her info 100% and she did give us some latitude in that regard. But.....that's all behind us. We've begun to button up the remaining items and we are both looking forward to the conclusion of this long journey. Neither of had an inkling about what has happened so far. It has been a huge learning experience and I know that many many other baby-boomers are experiencing a similar situation. Who knew??