Moving to Maine (Portland, Bangor: for sale, apartment, houses) - (ME) - City-Data Forum

psyche_ache · 06-21-2009, 07:48 PM

My family and I are planning to re-locate to our favorite state, Maine. It has natural beauty, down-to-earth folk, and selections at the supermarkets indicate a mindfulness of healthy eating. Most importantly: It's not the west coast. We won't move to Portland because it's over-priced. We're thinking Bangor. Opinions are welcomed, facts are encouraged. Thank you for participating.

Submariner · 06-21-2009, 07:51 PM

Welcome to the forum.

Bangor is nice!

What is your profession?

How familiar are you with the area?

psyche_ache · 06-21-2009, 10:19 PM

We've been told by folk in Portland, ME that the more north you go, the more down home the people are. I was and still am landscaping and the wife is managerial. We'll know the satellite view of the city via mapquest not before too long. The pics we've seen are breathtaking. 'Curious to know how the consensual psyche is balancing itself there, so-to-speak...

Northern Maine Land Man · 06-22-2009, 03:49 AM

There are not many "new age" folks here and most will not have any idea what "consensual psyche" is.

Acadianlion · 06-22-2009, 04:42 AM

Let's see now. You are a landscaper and your wife manages something. I wonder what you expect to landscape, and what your wife will think she will walk in to to manage?

If you have sufficient resources to support yourselves for one or two years without outside or additional income, you may find living in Maine to be ideal.

The "consensual psyche" in Maine almost anywhere is that it gets very cold in the winter, the economy is very, very small, and in a serious recession, and it is very hard to eek out a living. There will be ten applicants for every "managerial" job and landscapers number in the hundreds for every plant that there is to be planted and every rock that needs to be placed. Those landscapers are the carpenters, electricians, automechanics, lumberjacks and high school teachers who no longer have work here because of the economy or the contraction of school districts and other reasons.

From your post, it sounds to me like you need a good long visit before you even BEGIN to think about moving here.

retiredtinbender · 06-22-2009, 05:15 AM

Good points as usual. People NEED to visit here for more than the 1-2 weeks in July/August and see what life in Maine is really like. Best advice on this forum: Visit and sometime besides summer.

elston · 06-22-2009, 05:30 AM

The recommendation of friends, that the further north you go.....the more "down home" the people are, just might be misleading. Of course it is up to your definition of "down home".....that can take in a wide spectrum of meaning....and can be positive or negative accordingly. The validity of the generalization is questionable. Your use of the term "consensual psyche" makes me smile and wonder if perhaps you might not be as "down home" as you think you are.

I got some geographic/demographic advice about tolerance and acceptance when I was moving to Maine....which may or may not be true. IMHO "Folks is folks".....some communities may or may not be more politically and socially conservative or liberal and that may or may not plot out on a map.....but that has little to do with being "down home".

I settled in the area around Portland.....I am happy that I did. I find it to be a solid community with good values and a welcoming accepting attitude. I would suggest that you shouldn't rule out any area in your search for community. "Mayberry RFD" or "Cabot Cove".....isnt here, but there are many wonderful and lovely communities.....with good folks.....struggling to make a living, raise and educate their kids and find their own version of happiness.

The economy is tough all over Maine....but there are more oppurtunities in the area your friends steered you away from.

Submariner · 06-22-2009, 08:02 AM

You do not know until you try.

KAF posts here at times, her Dh is a landscaper. He is very good, been doing it for years, and recently got his 'Master Gardeners' certification along with Starwalker.

There are many nurseries around.

'Maine Writer' has greenhouses and makes a living from them.

There are commercial interests in the area that do require landscaping, though it is competitive.

There might be residential landscape needs too. We have been looking at apartment buildings for sale in the Bangor area, many only have a small amount of land. So having a mower, etc, is often beyond what the landlords want to do. [because the strips of lawn are so tiny].

'Landscaping' here is very seasonal and in the winter commonly includes snow plowing.

fxtrader · 06-22-2009, 10:17 AM

We had friends come up from CT. and visit us at camp and they could not believe how friendly people where. They stopped in Bangor to get gas and had three people start conversations with them or say hi. They didn't know what to think!

msina · 06-22-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fxtrader

We had friends come up from CT. and visit us at camp and they could not believe how friendly people where. They stopped in Bangor to get gas and had three people start conversations with them or say hi. They didn't know what to think!

That is one of the things that makes life pleasant here. I am so thankful that people are kind and patient.