MeInMaine Blog

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  • (Replacing Item On Shelf) Dad, That Is Not Worth Six Barrels Of ME Potatoes.

    Sixty Cents A Barrel The Going Rate For Filling A Basket Of Maine Potatoes On A Local Aroostook County Spud Farm.
    Potato Picking In Maine, Not Child Abuse But An Entry Level Job You Learn Much From.

    The real value of a dollar is learned at an early age in Maine when kids pick potatoes to earn that money with hard manual labor.

    Something just handed over, given to you or that falls in your lap does not have the same meaning, value as anything purchased with money you worked hard to get. My oldest of four children, Elizabeth made a classic remark, observation in an aisle of Walmart at nine and a half years of age on one Maine fall Saturday night. After week three of getting up in the dark, transported in the wee hours of a fall havest morning in Maine with lunch, snacks, water jug, she was a seasoned field worker. Money she earned, sixty cents a barrel for each 165 pound round cylinder she filled with golden Maine spuds was too precious to fritter.

    It was not that she could not bring herself to spend potato picking money.

    She had zeroed in on an item for $3.60 she wanted. Just not enough to part with the six barrels of potatoes she struggled with to earn it. The value, the exchange was not on par, not a fair trade in her opinion. She knew what effort, sacrifice $3.60 took to make. Toiling in the hot afternoon sun, running out of barrels, it beginning to rain, enjoy lunch sitting in your “section”. Working with other kids the Maine potato farmer needed to get the crop to storage, out of the field.

    In agricultural Maine families the number of kids numbering nine, ten or more were common in the late 1800’s, earlier part of this century.

    The siblings were close, not spoiled when they were nine months, twenty minutes apart in age.

    If they were this many in number, surrounding a long kitchen harvest table. Kitchens were a buzz with family. The spark, special nature of each child made the family unique, complete. Like distinct musical notes making the music. Each personality shaped the flavor, essence of the family with their contribution on the farm. All were needed. All had chores, a role to play. And the effort was worth it and not debateable. Defining that child who grew up to be pretty self sufficient, tightly connected to the rest of the lineage, his or her community, church, school, etc.

    Grandparents in this same Walton like image too. Open porches used in season to sip something cold in the evening. Something hot mornings as the sun rose. As the day was planned, usually around the weather patterns of the next 24 or 48 hours. You learned about other family members, history during the porch talks, the labor on the farm. Families were together. Some in the back forty acres. Others in the barn. All working.

    Being needed. Very much loved and appreciated. Money was not in big supply, and it was used carefully. Not spent without thought. And other things figured in to the day to day above and beyond money. Work, services, produce or critters traded, exchanged for something of equal or greater value if possible. I was proud of my daughter’s wisdom to grasp at an early age the value of hard work, sweat and the exchange rate, correlation of what value is. The price you pay before you do for anything is an awareness, respect for a resource. Knowing the score, being a business person. Maine, simple life, not simple people. Wake up, start your dream. Own some.
    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • A Simple Walk Around A Maine Town Is Always An Experience.

    Maine Small Towns, Growing Up In One Is A Healthy, Rewarding Experience.
    MeInMaine Blog Author Andrew Mooers..The Youngest In This 4 Brother Photo.

    Nothing rejuvenates like walking around a Maine town.

    And it does not have to be a sea coast town dripping with clever tourist charm, all the extra presentation effort to lure you in to a shop.To cause you to open up your wallet or purse.And leave a few Benjamins behind to support the local Maine community coffers either.

    A simple walk around a town makes you think about earlier days. The men, women who laid out the streets. Gathered along a river intially to set up the early grid work of that Maine town. Clearing what was total woods to make home sites, fields, roads, streets was hard in early days without motorized equipment.

    Folks worked hard and died early.

    In the early 1900’s the life expectancy in America was around 47 years of age.

    As you walk you see neighborhoods of say all cape style homes. Built after World War Two. Solid, real wood boards, materials, craftmanship enriched. Like kind in a row like soldiers and constructed before the late 1960’s. When suddenly cheaper half windows, masonite glorified cardboard siding replaced asbestos home exteriors. You notice large maple shade trees and if familiar with the town, remember larger stately elms before them. Now long gone due to Dutch Elm disease. So tall, protecting the street to allow walks in the rain without getting wet from the canopy, the over story. Back when children walked to neighborhood schools and were not bused to large educational factories, stockyards many miles away.

    Main Street with the earliest Maine Victorians loaded with Queen Anne turrets, picturesque bay windows, carriage house additional buildings. Three stories of go on and on living space. Servants quarters and extra areas for in laws, extended family that lived under the same roof. Or students doing errands, house duties and working their room and board to stay there.

    Often times three generations packed in homes like the Waltons.

    Sharing, growing up and old in one residence. Where the open front porch becomes the living room in summer. People talked over joys and set backs with families out in the open. Not in 55 minute paid for private inside sessions with a stranger like folks do now. Dwellings loaded with ornamental curlicues, inside pattern floors, frosted etched glass, slate sinks and plenty of wainscoting, raised panel original woodwork, and multiple fireplaces.

    You notice on your walk who likes to garden. Who has an aversion to mowing lawns on a timely basis. In Maine, rarely any home owners association so no citations from the lawn police chiding you for being lax in clipping grass that surrounds your castle. Your Maine home, the place where you raise a family. Or retire to from working in a city many states away earlier decades of your life. Or invest in to rent out apartments cut out of that yesteryear over sized home when families were nine, eleven kids large. Not 1.6 sized.

    On certain days during your walk you see garbage put out for the next day or later that day pick up. Boxes that show side walk gawkers who got a new television, how big hints on the screen size from the shipping packaging remains. Or what type of exercise machine, new computer arrived earlier in the week.

    Garbage day, sort of a public confessional.

    Evidence of a kitchen renovation from demolition debris that waits to be jettisoned from the home taxpayers yard. Respectfully delivered to a transfer station, a land fill far away, out of sight. A pile of thick shag harvest gold rugging the wife said was time to go. The kind that was “groomed” with a small toy looking rug rake you intially thought was a kid’s toy. Discovered after the installers got up from their hands and knees, squealed out of the yard and nascared back to the shop.

    Some owners busy bees with their homes you admire along your routine walk. Others with over flowing job jars. On a slow glide path of destruction from lack of attention, absense of love, attention, money to correct the situation. New owners mean energetic projects, restorations. On your walk, the famly recreation from youngster swing sets to teenage basketball hoops show plainly the progresson of the kid’s age who live inside each home. Walks around a Maine town. Knowing you and I are just passing through, not here for long and aware of those that came before us. Others that move in when we are gone from this earth. Walking the same circles, zig zags around a small Maine town they grow to love, cherish, respect, learn from.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Snow In Maine…It Was Made To Play On.

    Fresh Maine powder, newly fallen snow to ski.

    Because everyone who’s been to Maine, or is from Maine knows winter is not a dirty hush hush word. Maine winter recreational is out in the open, comes up in conversations a lot. Winter, it’s one of the four seasons that means more outdoor fun. Down hill or cross country ski trips, snowsledding, ice skating or fishing, hockey. Filling your lungs with fresh Maine air. Discovering new corduroy groomed ski trails on the side of one of Vacationland’s many mountains. Maybe your need some video inspiration, to get you to put down that clicker, hop up and off that couch.

    Maine, and you still need reasons to visit?

    This is one of hundreds. Really. Wake up, start living your dream. Follow our other Maine blog posts. Down hill and cross country skiing in Maine is one of many outdoor recreation options you’ll discover but you gotta get here quick as you can. The way life should be. That’s what being in Maine makes you feel, realize.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com

  • Zip Up, Buckle Tight Your Maine White Water Rafting Vest Okay?

    Maine is not just lobster, lighthouses, islands, cruise ships and downeast humor.

    Last time I checked, Maine is one big state..so far north it could be in Canada. Protected from the crowds. Preserved by four season natural beauty insulated in the right hand corner of the nation.

    If you have never white water rafted in Maine, you need to make plans with loved ones, friends to do so. The rush, excitement of shooting down a rock gorge, river cut out with the volume of rushing water pushing you through chutes, slides is something you will not forget. The intial water CFM volume propels, hurls and shoots you quickly down the Kennebec, Dead, Penobscot Rivers in Maine. Then, change the outdoor HBO channel to a casual, lazy glide down the same river as it tames. Makes you aware of the surroundings Maine is famous for.

    Eddying out for a cooked river side meal of BBQ something, home made potato salad, Spanish rice. Water fights with multiple boating parties, with buckets before landing to dine riverside. Later, smiling. Studying your river image brought home, framed in the living room.

    The one with your look of terror, on a Maine river.

    Hollering, hanging on. Up front, drenched by a wave in the raft just before Widow Maker, Black Hole or whatever name they give that dip. Turned sideways, a wall of water crashing down after you disappear for moments on a Maine river. Causing one memorable, exciting spot on the river that you made it through.

    Maine is 6000 lakes, thousands of islands and lots of water to enjoy. Maine rivers one more opportunity to spend the day in Vacationland far from an office setting. Away from that big desk cutting off your air. Pinning you to the wall, suffocating you in the concrete jungle you call home. Maine, try a river ride and you’ll never be the same. One more way to experience life the way it should be, in Maine.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers


    Watch Our Maine Videos.
    207.532.6573
     info@mooersrealty.com.

  • Buying Maine Land, How Owner Financing Works.

    Maine Is Open Space, Lots Of Low Cost Land For Sale
    Grow Your Own Food On Land In Maine.

    To own some property in Maine.

    Lots of folks have the itch to have their name on the deed to some real estate in Maine.

    But banks are a little more rugged when it comes to setting up terms, conditions for a real estate loan in Maine on just land. Why? They can not sell the mortgage. Make some money going in and dump it on the secondary mortgage market.

    So, instead of larger down payments, higher interest rates and bank closing costs added on to the fun and games of owning some Maine real estate, just land, consider owner financing.

    Sometimes when listing Maine land, the owner of it is CPA like and can spit out figures on how much down, what monthly interest rate, payment they are thinking about collecting with a seller financed sale.

    But usually, just getting them to consider owner financing the Maine land is as far as we get. A third down payment of the Maine land price tag is a standard. The installment amount is up to you and the seller with a good Maine real estate agent, broker to help hammer out, structure. To make it work. Before you know it, the land in Maine is yours free and clear.

    Instead of how much the seller, owner of Maine land wants for terms on the financing though, it is more important that you the buyer sit down with pencil and paper. Calculate what you can handle for a down payment, a monthly payment that fits your budget. Because if this owner financing Maine land arrangement is not set up right, you will struggle with payments. The seller will wonder where the monthly installment is, foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure can happen. Not a happy ending to your desire to own property, land in Maine. Follow our other Maine blog posts.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers
    207.532.6573
    info@mooersrealty.com.

  • Moving, Relocating, Retiring To Maine…Like Changing The TV Channel.

    QR Code For Maine Real Estate Broker, MeInMaine Author Andrew Mooers
    Scanning Maine Real Estate Broker QR Codes Like A Property Checkout

    The logic expression “you are what you eat” also spills over in to “you are where you live” here in Maine.

    Your day to day surroundings have a total impact on your joy and success in your life. And how much difference you make in the lives of others. Maine is a neat backdrop to “be all you can be” because much of the way we live is simple, easy, healthy.

    For example, if you live in a concrete urban jungle, much of your energy spent with concern, worries involving personal safety and making ends meet with high over head cost of living. That makes you old, sour, tired. In Maine, we are the 4th lowest crime state. There are no gangs, no bad neighborhoods to steer around or stop signs to roll through in areas riddled with crime. Remove one major stressor, worry when you move, relocate, retire to Maine.

    Second, the bluer than blue clean skies, the wide open space and not feeling hemmed in, jammed bumper to bumper helps you be able to relax. To be aware of the four seasons, the outdoor beauty around you here in Maine. The natural resources, 6000 lakes and unspoiled waterways for example are here to enjoy.

    Maine, Not crowed, not noisy, not commercial. Unspoiled, no cost four season recreation.

    Like being on vacation everyday. Maybe that is one reason our Maine license plates have “Vacationland” stamped on them. As a reminder of how lucky we are, what it is like to be right in the middle of the way life should be here in Maine.

    I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers
    207.532.6573