Making the move to Maine. Seeking advice! (Bangor, Skowhegan: fit in, homes)

[Emilyy172]

Hello all! We are a young couple with 2 kids and one on the way living in rural Alabama. We have some family in New Hampshire and Vermont. We have visited a few times and been to old orchard beach ME. We have fallen in love with the Northeast and are throwing around the idea of moving up there. I am a teacher and my husband works on light signals and does welding. He also has experience in water and sewer and also runs a landscaping business. He is very handy and loves to work. We are comparing these three states trying to find which is the best fit for us and our growing family. We want to live in a rural area, as we have a farm and plan to have a farm up there. We like community and do not want to be in or near a big city. We would like to be close to a decent town , especially for work. Again, we want a small farm(30+ acres at least, would like more) so property and property taxes is a big deal for us. Is Maine a good fit for us? What are some areas close to what we are looking for ? We also love to be outdoors, mountains, and kid friendly things to do. But want to live comfortably and not have to work multiple jobs to survive.

Also how well would we fit in? We are Christians and have more conservative views. We are open minded and love people in general but also don't want to be pushed around. I know someone mentioned some nasty things about Vermont people which turned us away from it, saying I may be fired or treated awful at my job because I don't have liberal views like most Vermont teachers. I hate to think people are like that. Please give us any raw and honest advice.

[LarryLogger]

I came back to Maine after 40 years in the South, retiring from a job in South Carolina. There, I considered myself pretty much "middle of the road" (mostly fiscally conservative), though friends thought I had some liberal leanings.

Now, living on the mid-Coast, some neighbors would probably consider me horribly ultra conservative.

I didn't change my beliefs or opinions, just location. I wasn't born in Maine so I know I'm just a $#@@# OuttaStater. But I do have a degree from UMO and did appear on Dick Stacey's Country Jamboree TV Show, way back,

I tend to keep my views to myself unless I know with whom I'm speaking. There are issues I don't agree with but I wouldn't vandalize the bumper stickers on someone's Subaru. I won't put a MAGA sticker on my car because I am absolutely convinced the sticker and maybe the car would be damaged.

You'll never hear me say "back in SC, we did it this way" or ".... it was better in SC" I just have to adjust myself to fit in (which probably starts with keeping my big mouth closed and two ears open)

I am overjoyed to finally be back in Maine.

Just my opinion

[OutdoorLover]

Northern Maine tends to be more conservative, and it will also be easier to buy acreage. Unorganized territory will have very low taxes to boot.

[jdhpa]

Originally Posted by Emilyy172

Hello all! We are a young couple with 2 kids and one on the way living in rural Alabama. We have some family in New Hampshire and Vermont. We have visited a few times and been to old orchard beach ME. We have fallen in love with the Northeast and are throwing around the idea of moving up there. I am a teacher and my husband works on light signals and does welding. He also has experience in water and sewer and also runs a landscaping business. He is very handy and loves to work. We are comparing these three states trying to find which is the best fit for us and our growing family. We want to live in a rural area, as we have a farm and plan to have a farm up there. We like community and do not want to be in or near a big city. We would like to be close to a decent town , especially for work. Again, we want a small farm(30+ acres at least, would like more) so property and property taxes is a big deal for us. Is Maine a good fit for us? What are some areas close to what we are looking for ? We also love to be outdoors, mountains, and kid friendly things to do. But want to live comfortably and not have to work multiple jobs to survive.

Also how well would we fit in? We are Christians and have more conservative views. We are open minded and love people in general but also don't want to be pushed around. I know someone mentioned some nasty things about Vermont people which turned us away from it, saying I may be fired or treated awful at my job because I don't have liberal views like most Vermont teachers. I hate to think people are like that. Please give us any raw and honest advice.

For Maine, I would say prioritize where you can find jobs. Maine is a beautiful state, with very friendly people. If you can get good jobs lined up I think you'll be happy.

I will second the advice about Vermont.

Good luck

[phoebesmom]

I say up around Bangor and Ellsworth might be great. Don't know much about north of there or inland, but if you want 30 acres, you are going to have to go north, and it sounds like you'd be really happy in the Northern Maine culture, and it sounds like you both have really marketable skills. I don't Vermont would be quite as good a fit for the reasons you mention. But there are many places in Vermont where you'd fit in socially and be real happy.

We're moving to Maine because most of my family ended up there and need our help. It seems wonderful, but yeah, I gotta admit, my heart is still in South Carolina, but then I am not a winter person. But from what I have seen, Maine is beautiful, the people are wonderful and kind, and it is a great place to raise a family.

(I just miss sandy beaches, heat, and palm trees, but that's because I was born there.)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Emilyy172

... we want a small farm(30+ acres at least, would like more) so property and property taxes is a big deal for us. Is Maine a good fit for us?

That sounds ideal to me.

... What are some areas close to what we are looking for ? We also love to be outdoors, mountains, and kid friendly things to do. But want to live comfortably and not have to work multiple jobs to survive.

Draw a circle around Bangor, say 40-mile radius. Within that circle you should be able to find exactly what you are looking for.

... Also how well would we fit in?

We host a monthly potluck/workshop for off-grid homesteaders in Penobscot County. I think that you would fit in well.

The next time that you travel to Maine contact me, and we will gladly serve you supper.

[jonesg]

Originally Posted by Emilyy172

Hello all! We are a young couple with 2 kids and one on the way living in rural Alabama. We have some family in New Hampshire and Vermont. We have visited a few times and been to old orchard beach ME. We have fallen in love with the Northeast and are throwing around the idea of moving up there. I am a teacher and my husband works on light signals and does welding. He also has experience in water and sewer and also runs a landscaping business. He is very handy and loves to work. We are comparing these three states trying to find which is the best fit for us and our growing family. We want to live in a rural area, as we have a farm and plan to have a farm up there. We like community and do not want to be in or near a big city. We would like to be close to a decent town , especially for work. Again, we want a small farm(30+ acres at least, would like more) so property and property taxes is a big deal for us. Is Maine a good fit for us? What are some areas close to what we are looking for ? We also love to be outdoors, mountains, and kid friendly things to do. But want to live comfortably and not have to work multiple jobs to survive.

Also how well would we fit in? We are Christians and have more conservative views. We are open minded and love people in general but also don't want to be pushed around. I know someone mentioned some nasty things about Vermont people which turned us away from it, saying I may be fired or treated awful at my job because I don't have liberal views like most Vermont teachers. I hate to think people are like that. Please give us any raw and honest advice.

the further north you come the better the fit, its just a matter of finding work.
life is compromise. We decided what was important and what to leave behind.

[nm9stheham]

As noted, you are going to have to be located in 'Unorganized Territory' in Maine to have low property taxes. The general property tax numbers in Maine are gonna be 2-3 times what you are used to rural AL if you do not locate far enough out. If you get north or far enough out of the towns, then the acreage is doable.



As for mountains, you are going to have to go north. That conflicts with the desire for not being rural and perhaps needing to work multiple jobs, like you husband does now.


So it sounds like some level of compromise for all the things listed as desirable. Maybe a 'halfway area' between the rural mountains and the I-95 corridor where the large towns and cities tend to be located? I'd suggest looking along US 2, like from Wilton over through Skowhegan and points further northeast of Skowhegan, towards Dover-Foxcroft and also east towards Bangor. That is an older farming region.

[Emilyy172]

Thank yall so much for the advice. We have narrowed down to a few counties and towns and are looking and continuing research.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by nm9stheham

As noted, you are going to have to be located in 'Unorganized Territory' in Maine to have low property taxes. The general property tax numbers in Maine are gonna be 2-3 times what you are used to rural AL if you do not locate far enough out. If you get north or far enough out of the towns, then the acreage is doable.

The majority of Maine is UTs. The organized towns in Maine are a minority of Maine. [ 56% to 44% ]

When you average out the mil-rates, I think the low taxes of the UTs will far over-ride the higher taxes of the organized towns.