Difference Between "Camps" and "Houses"? (Augusta: insurance, tax)

[bangorme]

Houses are what you live in. Camps are something that almost all Maine families used to own, that have now placed out of reach by out-of-state buyers. So, the best place to post this question is in the Massachusetts forum... they would know more about camps.

[Westernfrog45]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Houses are what you live in. Camps are something that almost all Maine families used to own, that have now placed out of reach by out-of-state buyers. So, the best place to post this question is in the Massachusetts forum... they would know more about camps.

Agree with the addition on NY,CT,RI,NJ buyers, northern waterfront land and camps used to be financially feasible for Mainers. Now it seems that out of staters have fallen in love with the LL Bean image and drove the prices up excluding most modest folks from owning a camp. I don't entirely blame the buyers, as much as I blame the realtors who market and convince the sellers that their land is worth a fortune. I also blame LL bean and the like for even selling this "lifestyle" that isn't what Maine really is but attracts the type to come up here and try and change it.

Then again it's not all bad, I would rather see vineyards than scrap yards.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by The-Raven

Agree with the addition on NY,CT,RI,NJ buyers, northern waterfront land and camps used to be financially feasible for Mainers. Now it seems that out of staters have fallen in love with the LL Bean image and drove the prices up excluding most modest folks from owning a camp. I don't entirely blame the buyers, as much as I blame the realtors who market and convince the sellers that their land is worth a fortune. I also blame LL bean and the like for even selling this "lifestyle" that isn't what Maine really is but attracts the type to come up here and try and change it.

Then again it's not all bad, I would rather see vineyards than scrap yards.

I don't blame it on LL Bean, but on the popularity of the mechanized "outdoor" activities: snowmobiling, ATV'ing. These have allowed a lot of flatlanders to drive their Cadillac Escalades up to Maine with their toys in a trailer behind them. They buy a camp in Maine for peanuts (comparatively), then come up every year for a couple weeks to ride around the countryside on our groomed trail network designed for them. Unfortunately, these lazy-man's wilderness activities foster city people, with six figure salaries (each), coming up here and pricing our decent property WAY out of reach of normal Mainers.

This isn't new. Southern Maine has been going through this for 50 years. I grew up within a mile of the ocean and couldn't ever actually get to it unless I drove to a state park somewhere.

[mainegrl2011]

Many camps have the bigger windows and the nice screened in "front" porches so you can sit out there protected from bugs ...and it makes more sense for the view to be of the lake than the backyard...well, I would rather be viewing the lake. I guess you could build a screened in back porch and still sit out there and view the lake. Add a deck if you like...

My dad (now my brother) had a hunting camp in the woods (no lake) left unlocked for others (hunters, hikers, snowmobilers) to use--build a fire in the woodstove, warm up, rest... Sometime over the years, there developed a lack of respect for the property of others and people started trashing the place.

Out-of-staters can't buy unless the owners are willing to sell. The-Raven: You might want to include PA as well as some other states...You talk about blaming the realtors who convince the sellers their land is worth a fortune. If the out-of-staters are willing to pay a fortune to buy it, doesn't really matter whether it is worth it or not. It must have been worth it to the person who bought it or they wouldn't have bought it, right? ... and now you're going to blame L. L. Bean for their marketing/advertising that helps them sell their products and hopefully, keep some Mainers employed. Isn't most marketing/advertising about selling something other than the actual product? I agree with you on a lack of appreciation for those who come to Maine and try to change it...especially to make it like the place they left. I think assimilation is key when moving to Maine and being accepted. Of course, if you don't want to be accepted, you can choose not to assimilate....

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

"Camp: a place usually away from urban areas where tents or simple buildings (as cabins) are erected for shelter or for temporary residence."

My sister and BIL used to have a camp on the lake. Over the years they have had a frost wall put in, insulated, put in propane heat, thermal pane windows throughout, new bathroom (better than their home's) and crown moulding in the bedrooms.

Soooo, when does a camp turn into a second home?

Running water and electricity...

[Westernfrog45]

Maine Grl,
some choose not to assimilate, case in point a guy on Lake St George who flys his 100k+ seaplane up from NH to his island camp and avoids the locals. Then there is the guy on Moosehead who flys his 500k+ private plane up to his own IFR equipped landing strip where he also keeps a "beater" 150k plane to bomb around in while in the area.
I also love the developers who buy all around a lake, only to exclude locals from getting to it by making a gated community. There is one of those in Swanville.

Yes, LLbean employs Mainers, and NH, and MA. They also employ chinese as evident by the Made in China label on my underwear. . Yeah, I'll blame LLbean, never seen a part of Maine, or any true maine resident they way they portray it/them.

[halfabuck]

Ha, ha that's all so funny and correct I guess depending on how you look at it. The tax man did recently show up and the taxes doubled. That shook me a little.

As far as the back/front door is concerned the builder put in a regular door on the lake side and not a double or slider, so now I feel like I'm going into another house . The builder, who is also my neighbor and a very experienced older Mainer, built it slightly different from the plans. He said it was a "better" way. The house is solid and beautiful and we still love it although not everything was in the same order as we pictured it. Nothing bad, just a little different. We were in Massachusetts and couldn't be there all the time so we trusted him to do what he thought was best. He did.

I guess living in the city all my life I can't get used to the back door being the front. But that doesn't matter as long as I get there and get a chance to be part of Maine.

[Westernfrog45]

Yup, maine taxes....don't even get me started on those. 80% going to schools....when the administrators let the old ones go to pot, just so they can get a new one. Really sad, and seen it dozens of times. Not to mention the kids these days...not sure what they are being taught, or if they are worth the expenditure.

The best thing to do, is keep your mouth shut, not let an assessor in, and NEVER fill out the little card the towns hand out to update your property tax info. If you do anything like that your taxes WILL go up.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

"Camp: a place usually away from urban areas where tents or simple buildings (as cabins) are erected for shelter or for temporary residence."

My sister and BIL used to have a camp on the lake. Over the years they have had a frost wall put in, insulated, put in propane heat, thermal pane windows throughout, new bathroom (better than their home's) and crown moulding in the bedrooms.

Soooo, when does a camp turn into a second home?

any time you wish- call it whatever you want

- however, a plumbing design/plan needs to be intact, with all the setback requirements,(if close to water) to become a "home" (and insulation) to market it as a year-round home, not a seasonal camp
the roads to the "camp" also must allow for emergency vehicles - to become a "home" (electricity/power, is also a consideration, along with heating)
so if you see a three season "home" or seasonal "camp" it usually doesnt have the requirements stated above
if you see a "year-round" home, then most of these requirements are in place

if you see a "primitive" camp, this can be a tent

plumbing can be a challenge around water- well, septic tanks and leachfields can be a big challenge/ also the drainage aspect of building roads- this is often overlooked in any new development- "where is the runoff going, and if you flood a neighbor you can be sue'd
Many camps pump in water from the lake.

chemical toilets have grown in popularity-
something about the word "outhouse" makes most woman say "next" when looking at camps

[halfabuck]

I read a while ago where the state would be increasing their share of money to the schools. Since then the mil rate just keeps going up and maybe the agreement wasn't explained to the new governor. The town did build a new school and let the other one go for about 200k along with an huge amount of land.

I agree, the kids today are certainly much different. I think it has really become a "me society". I was reading an old Maine town report from the 1800's and in it it said that the teacher had to use the rod more than expected that year. Ha! imagine?

I think I qualify as a "home" as I will have plumbing, electric, insulation, a heating system, where I am 175 feet from the water and the road does allow for emergency vehicles although it is a private road. The well and septic are in and the lines already into the basement. The lakefront is all still forest and that's where it gets tough. There are new rules about cutting down trees and vegetation near the lake. I am thinking of a pathway that must "meander" down to the lake of about 100 feet.