Polio plus Rotary International program and Maine.
The World wide efforts to eradicate polio continue. The polio plus push to rid the planet of the crippling disease started in 1985.
In the US, in 1975, almost 6,000 cases of paralyzing polio were reported. By 1994, the US was the first world country to report no new cases of polio.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are currently the only two countries with cases of wild type 1 polio.
In 1952, polio in the US peaked at over 20,000 cases. Hospital wards in this country were full of respirators to help paralyzed people’s breathing. Back in the 1980’s my local Houlton Maine Rotary club stepped up donations to polio plus.
This past week, the Temple Cinema movie theatre splashed a special free showing of the movie “Breathe” on the silver screen.
Free popcorn, soda and with a polio plus donation, movie goers also received a purple pinkie roll in the ink.
All to increase awareness. To show others you care about the polio plus program. and increase awareness.
Do you know anyone in Maine affected by the polio virus? Our past polio chairman felt strongly about polio plus because his brother in law contracted it. More to explore on ending polio.
Are we all clear for polio outbreak cases in the US?
Sadly No. In 2022 in New York’s Rockland County an unvaccinated man contracted the paralyzing polio virus infection. Children under 5 years of age one of polio’s biggest targets. Vaccination is the best way to protect again contracting polio.
Frequent handwashing, especially after bathroom visits and after changing diapers is key too. Children receive does of the polio vaccine by mouth.
More on ending polio and how you can help donate and become better informed about the paralyzing disease.
End Polio, Rotary Polio Plus Prevention Education
What are other countries doing to increase polio plus awareness? Lots. The link.
Are you member of your local Rotary club? I know the clubs in my Rotary district do an awfully lot of good locally, Worldwide too. When I look around the local Northern Maine area I can see so many things that would never have happened without Rotarians joining forces to get it down collectively. One person can do a lot but many people can get even more down working together.
It’s not the Maine potato farmer or organic grower making a killing. Not just inflation. All the middle men is where the extra grocery food costs come into play. Your household family food budget. There is no way anyone pushing the wire cart with the one squeaky wheel in their local Piggly Wiggly has not noticed. Grocery store checkout sticker shock. Higher prices and getting less for more. Not the other way around.
When you live in a built up city landscape, you are beat. No matter which market the wholesale food supplier is pulling from in the country, the cost is higher on both ends. Wholesale to retail to the consumer is concerning. And not just the high cost of food but what you are actually buying.
Where did it come from, what was it sprayed with and food safety.
Lots to consider before preparing a meal to put on your family supper table.
All Ages Picked Maine Potatoes In The Farm Field.
When you are raised in rural Maine, frugal simple meals are the norm.
Easy does it applies. But meat and potatoes simple does not mean the taste needs to be forgotten. The way the food is put together with love and attention and a creative spirit and the seasoning can all transform the simplest of meals. Welcome to the Maine country kitchen. Here’s an apron to tie on.
Fresh produce out of your Maine garden or farm field to can, preserve and stored to be drawn from your root cellar or food pantry.
That is the corner stone of wholesome, healthy and tasty. But what if you have no garden, do not have local farm producers to buy your home grown food to place on the family table? Then eating right when it’s from a grocery store outlet is going to be even more expensive these days.
This image from potato picking in Northern Maine over the weekend.
Picking Maine Potatoes, Using Local Kids To Hand Pick The Spud Crop!
Potato harvesters on Maine farms leave a lot of spuds behind.
I grew up and own the Maine potato farm where my youth was spent. Potato harvesters cover a lot of acreage in a short period of time. But they leave a lot of spuds behind. All the wind rowers and mechanical handling can also ding or dent the delicate skin of a Maine potato. Some potato varieties more susceptible to abrasion than others and tender skinned.
Hand picked potato field workers do the best job leaving nothing behind on the Maine farm.
Maine Potato Farm Field Pickers Do Better Job Than Mechanical Harvesters!
Less handling or bruising or scrapes! It is all about The Maine potato farm fields that are harvest mean let’s go gleaning!
More on that a little later in this blog post. First things first. Back to high food costs and trips in and out of the automatic doors at your local Maine grocery. Convenience items, time saving but they have always been expensive.
Reaching for that five pound lasagna pan in the cooler case does not come cheap. Loaded with sodium but voila, quick and easy. Once warmed up, dinner is served.
So Many Varieties Of Maine Potatoes. Like Pinto Golds Washed, Sliced Up And Ready To Put Into The Meal Plan.
Time.
It seems regardless of grocery store prices high low or in the middle, you have to plan your week’s meals. Searching for simple, delicious, affordable recipes starts with your family members. My mom had lots of cookbooks. Some of the best ones in print were from church groups where many cooks submit their collective piece de resistance.
Early Maine Farm Life At The Homestead, Surrounded With All The Land. Pot Luck Suppers At The Grange Hall.
Enjoying the home cooked meals that you had a hand in creating helps the Maine household meal time creativity.
This blogger does live in Maine and has access to farm to table locally grown produce, Locals can glean farm fields and harvest the bounty of what is left by potato harvesters.
Maine Potato Farm Field Workers Hard At It! Working Around The Weather.
On a Maine farm I own Russian banana, French fingerlings, amarosa, all blue and more potato varieties are free for the taking.
Russian Banana, French Fingerlings, Other Potato Varieties Grown On The Maine Farm!
It’s help yourself but be aware as temperatures dip and exposure to the sun will only lessen the quality of your farm field gleaning.
Being out in the fall air surrounded by tree leaf explosion of colors only adds to the joy of farm vegetable gleaning. Stay tuned because red and golden beets, turnips and rutabaga are next up. Looking up recipes on all the ways to create tasty low cost fresh not heated up frozen meals. Maine potato picking … wonderful experience, totally awesome taste, a lesson in working outdoors doing manual labor.
High grocery store prices have stirred a desire to find healthy alternatives and people are discovering the joy of cooking in Maine.
Kids Learn Work Ethic In The Maine Potato Field! On Your Knees Or Bent Over Standing Up. This Is An Entry Level Job!
Field gleaning these organic vegetables creates a small window of opportunity to help yourself.
Whatever you do glean is served up hot and ready fresh for the family table. But canning, preserving, freezing for future meals has to happen to extend the good tasting food budget savings. No grocery October is practiced by many in Maine agriculture regions. Those lucky enough to live near farms take a break from the automatic doors and Muzak up and down the store aisles.
Instead, gleaning fields, collecting apples, hunting for game. Pheasant, deer, black bear, moose gets to play along in the grocery cost meal planning savings. Making cider, apple sauce, pies and milling grain to weave into baked goods. It’s all around you in rural Maine. And those lucky enough to live close to the sea, hoist up other local, close to home meal time savings.
Fish, clams, mussels, lobster all get to take a turn being the star of the Maine family meal table.
Clams, Seafood, Outdoor Dining At Street & Company, Old Port Maine.
So ho hum about what gets served at your house at meal time?
Want to ease away from $200 plus weekly grocery store bills? Local farm to table in Maine locations offers many advantages. Plus you know what you are eating, where it came from and the peace of mind that no chemicals were used.
Where I live, there is a local dairy too, a vibrant farmers market to shop. We Mainers tackle the high cost of fossil fuels by heading to the woodlot. Heating our homes with hardwood cords of fuel is good exercise. Are these options for simpler living available where you live?
Used to be go in three weeks early. Then three weeks off from school to pick Maine potatoes.
Everyone took part in the Maine potato harvest whether you grew up on a family farm or not. The smallest child just as important as the oldest in the potato picking fall harvest tradition. Getting up early, going to bed early and wearing layers of clothes. Because there might have been a frost this morning. But by noon time, stripped to your t-shirt and the sun hot overhead as you pick baskets of potatoes. To pour into the cedar or plywood barrels.
Maine Youth Working The Maine Potato Harvest. Did Not Hurt Their Work Ethic!
Four baskets per barrel that weigh 165 pounds.
The pickers take a section, a length of potato field that is your job to keep picked up as the digger pulled by a farm tractor squeaks by row by row. You don’t want to be “caught up” and waiting for the digger to unearth more spuds. But you are out here to make some money and stay productive. The trick is to take a section from here to there that you can complete just as the digger makes another pass.
Getting behind, row by row happens in the Maine potato farm field.
Too big a section, or ran out of barrels to fill to stay caught up. No one leaves the field until everyone is picked up, all the potato sections in the field are caught up and ready for the next day.
No one will be left in the field when it’s pitch black still picking.
No one can head for home until every potato picker is caught up. Here’s a video of what happens on the other end… when the potatoes leave the Maine farm field and get deposited in the potato house.
Your lunch prepared in the early morning with lots of energy snacks.
Fresh air, hard physical labor as the leaves change color to red, orange, yellow, brown and a million shades of green. Food takes extra good. Hunger improves the taste. When you do run out of barrels and as you slowly get behind, that’s the time to pivot. To make good use of your time.
Head to the woods to go to the bathroom. Time to have an early or late lunch. Or pick the potato tops off your section so when you do get barrels, you can fill those baskets quicker.
Your full barrel of potatoes marked with a numbered ticket.
Maine Potato Picking. Passing On The Tradition Of Filling Up Potato Barrels.
To show this is my barrel, I earned the money for this one. A Maine potato farm truck with flat staked body on the back cruises the field picking up full barrels. Taking full trucks of 50 or more barrels to the potato storage facility.
Watch the video on Maine potato picking in Sherman.
Work ethic, responsibility to show up, to work around the weather that you can not control. Earning the money to buy school clothes, to save for college, to buy something you really want that Mom and Dad encourage you to go for it. Work hard, save and don’t let the money sift through your fingers. And take better care of whatever you do buy.
Years ago, when you moved out of state, and raised your hand when asked “who is from Maine?”
There is healthy discrimination. The good kind where you hail from Maine, picking potatoes as a kid growing up in rural areas of the state. You are hired because you knew how to work, like to do a good job without complaining. You show up and pitch in, are dependable. Pride in your labor and enjoyment from the outdoor work in the potato field all absorb in your entry level job learning curve.
No matter how old or young, everyone picked in the potato field.
All were needed to get the crop out and into potato house storage. To load up and ship down the road to out of state markets. Skills were learned in the potato field and lazy was not one of them. Work hard, pick them clean and don’t miss any.
The more you pick, the more you make and it becomes a field competition.
My personal best was 88 barrels and was paid 25 cents for each with my ticket slid in the crack on the top.
Those barrels in every other row for the truck to hoist and deliver to the dark potato bin miles away.
My four kids all picked potatoes and it was by far the best experience any of them ever had.
Your first job, your development of work ethic and gotta have a system out in the field was invaluable. My kids learned you don’t buy it if it is not worth it.
They know how hard a dollar is to earn and make sure to get value or wait. Keeping looking until you find some worth four, six or more barrels of potatoes that took to earn it.
Local Maine apples are ripe, ready and all they need is you to pick them.
Beat the high cost of Maine grocery store food items!
Make into apple cider that is freshly squeezed. Instead of reaching for a quart of orange juice from concentrate for $7.99. Make the effort. The fruits of your labor can be fun and tasty and wholesome.
Switch it up from OJ to Johnny Appleseed nutritious Maine wild fruit of all kinds when you are lucky enough to live, work, play in Maine.
Maine real estate market. How’s the market today in Maine?
Buying, selling, trading Maine real estate is a fast paced process. Knowing what is going on in the market when it comes time to buy or sell a Maine home, any property listing is critical. So what’s the temperature of the Maine real estate market?
Maine Is One Big Beautiful State. Real Estate Prices Across It Vary Greatly.
This blog post zeroes in on today’s real estate listing sales activity in the great state of Maine.
To sum it up, too many buyers, not enough real estate listings. Prices up due to the shortage and house sales down a tad because of no inventory. Supply and demand keeps everything high and tight. Rental apartment units are hard to come by as well. Community leaders statewide are scrambling to figure out ways to create more affordable housing options quick like a bunny.
Every time the national media spreads the word of a Federal Reserve Bank interest rate hike, wishful thinking Maine house buyers think here it comes.
Finally. A flood of new Maine housing inventory to consider buying to stop renting.
Search For Maine Homes For Sale, Other Property Listings Here.
Or it’s now the right time to move up to something bigger and better or to downsize to housing that is smaller, more economical and say on one floor. But when the housing level cupboard is so bare and new listings across the board for size, location and price range are so scarce.
That’s the sad reality of how the market for real estate property listings in Maine works.
The shift from a seller’s to a buyer’s Maine real estate market will take a long time to happen when the inventory is missing.
Like a well that runs out of water, it takes time to recharge and refresh. The Fed’s latest benchmark interest rate brings it into a range of 5.25% to 5.50%. Since March 2022, the interest rates cost of lending increase 11 times. For buyers in the Maine real estate audience, it was wishful thinking. That higher interest rates would instantly create as endless supply of house listings to consider.
I just back from this year’s Maine REALTOR Association annual meeting in Rockland ME.
Northern Maine REALTOR Andy Mooers
Had a chance for more than continuing education credits for my Maine real estate license renewal in two years. Networking with other Maine agents and brokers in different real estate markets.
The try to sum up the Maine real estate market for statewide to apply to every nook, corner, cranny of Vacationland is impossible.
Because being an hour away from Boston, is a different real estate dynamic than up in Northern Maine. Or to the east or west section of Maine where everything rock and rolls differently.
And in Maine, it is not just homes, houses, condos we are analyzing up to the moment.
Land, just land listing sales happen in rural areas of Maine especially. So the price of what is listed and selling varies greatly. So does the type of real estate being peddled and purchased.
So how is the current Maine real estate market?
In a nutshell “demand for housing of all types in Maine remains strong. Real estate estate prices are up 9.41 percent and housing sales slowed 18.77 percent over the last August to August time period.
The Maine Association of REALTORS latest numbers reveal 1,510 Maine homes changed hands across the sixteen counties. The median sale price was $372,0oo indicates half the homes sold for more, the other half sold for less.
The problem with a short and street Maine real estate housing market report statement like above is the values across a state as large as Maine.
No, the median sale price of a typical home in say Aroostook, Washington or Piscataquis counties is not that $372,000. Depending on the region of Maine you are search for current accurate numbers, the figures vary greatly.
Maine Looks Pretty Affordable, The Simple Life Style Approach Highly Attractive.
Nationwide, the National Associaton of REALTORS is reporting house sale volume was 15.3 percent lower for the same time period.
Prices across the USA climbed 3.7 percent for a national MSP of $413,500 during the period. Sales in the Northeast section of the country slowed 22.6%. Read more about the latest Maine real estate market housing market number statistics.
Which segment, what area of Maine and the supply and demand dictate price increases and declines.
So do interest rates but not as much as the media leads you to believe when the price is so low cash is used, not credit to purchase. Rural Maine small town real estate markets are so different than something for sale in a city market location.
This week at the latest Maine REALTOR Association convention at Rockland Maine’s Samoset Resort. You get a true sense how wide and diverse the real estate market really is.
The 2023 Maine REALTORS State Convention Was At The Samoset In Rockland ME this year.
I’m at a dinner table or leaning on the railing at an after class hospitality suite talking with other Maine REALTORS.
This agent or broker lists property on Ocean Avenue in Kennbunkport Maine. The number of listing sales that agent has and the price point is so different than my real estate area of expertise in Aroostook County. Get closer to the ocean front and to a population center like Boston. Find more expensive happens. Remember, the closer to urban area, t6he higher the number of property sale price zero places.
The online marketing an area of Maine does can help the flow of tourists to a region big time.
Not just the lower priced property listings are the honey to use attract folks to consider why not take a trip to my corner of the big state of Maine. The friendly, hardworking, helpful nature of true Mainers who welcome you to their region of the state is well known around the World.
Dining Out, The Old Port Area Of Maine Prices A Tad Higher Than Northern Maine Eateries. The Further Up Into Maine You Venture, The Lower Priced Everything Becomes.
Remember, the higher the price, the thinner the buyers applies to Maine real estate property listing sales.
And when you hear real estate sales are down, it does not mean there are lots available and the market has cooled. Inventory is very tight, a new listing does not stay active long in the strong Maine
Swapping Loonies And Dollar Living In A Border Town Happens A Lot.real estate sellers market.
Building starts are up and if a piece of Maine land acreage already has a water well, septic, power and driveway or building pad all established, that is a buyer bonus.
Getting a Maine home framed in and weather tight for the winter is what some local real estate buyers are scrambling to do.
Where I live, the strong US vs Canadian dollar also spurs cross border trade of building materials.
Lumber especially to build the new Maine home is in strong demand. Maine itself is 91 percent wooded so this fact coupled with lower cost of living in Vacationland is a big shot in the wallet or purse.
Lucky to live in Maine where simple living is the way we all roll. With all this natural beauty, with less population and more wildlife and low crime, no traffic, Maine is the way life should be.
This section of Maine has a major pull for instate and out of state residents alike. Over the weekend, headed out Friday night from “The County” to zip to Wells Beach, Maine. Then get up early to beeline to Pease Air Force Base For an airshow.
Love To Fly And It Shows? Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show This Past Weekend!
Have been to smaller Maine airport fly ins and posted photos, videos, details before on this Maine blog.
Fly Over, Pease Air Force Base New Hampshire B-52H Display. Part Of Food, Fun, Flight, Force At Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show.
So back to Thunder Over New Hampshire highlights. The Saturday weather was perfect, hot and clear to see the aviation acrobats overhead. I wondered about Sunday being cloudy and cooler if that impacted the overhead oohs and ahhs.
Seeing a B-52H up close and using the 185′ wingspan as shade overhead while munching on cheeseburgers and cheese nachos. My first big airshow and everything unfolded overhead in front of us.
Air Plane Jet 5-52 Specs At Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show.
Families with connections to the military and lots of younger cadets starting their service careers helping out running the event. It was neat to see all ages, their t-shirts to give you a hint of why they came to the air show event at Pease Air Force Base.
I wondered if the particular B-52H sitting next to the runway might have been stationed years ago at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone Maine.
The placard spelled out the B-52’s entered service of the skies around 1961 while Loring AFB was in full swing as a SAC base. Loring was 9472 acres of military secrets that closed September 1994.This B-52H pictured is stationed in Louisiana and on loan like the helicopters, other aircraft on display. Or put to the test in the air over Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire this past weekend.
The Loring AFB closure hit the economy of Northern Maine very hard and in some respects, Aroostook County is still recovering for the population loss.
F 35 Jet Fighter Parked At Pease Air Force Base At This Past Weekend’s Air Show.
Food at Street & Company finished off the down and back weekend when lucky enough to live in Maine.
Clams, Seafood, Outdoor Dining At Street & Company, Old Port Maine.
To be able to zip to corners of Vacationland to sample other parts of Maine. Dining outside on the sidewalk and watching party goers ply up and down the narrow cobblestone side streets around the Old Port helps enhance the experience. Maine seafood is always a tasty menu selection when you are in the Old Port region of Portland ME.
Old Port Maine Dining Options, There Are Many To Consider.
Been to Maine for a quick or three day, maybe a week’s vacation?
Are you over due and looking for suggestions? Thank you for follow our Me In Maine blog posts. Trying to hit lots of areas of Maine to show you this is worth your time and consideration. Welcome to Maine. The way life should be.
Where To Dine, What Number Of Places To Hit On Your Weekend Outing In The Old Port Maine?
Have suggestions for Me In Maine blog post topics?
All ears and here to help hunt and peck with photos and videos places in Maine to explore. Lucky to live in Maine and proud of the state where folks are friendlier, neighborly, more helpful in part due to lower population and tighter connections. Maine small towns are really like large families. Get to Maine. Feel up close and personal and where you belong up in Maine!
The state of Maine is cited in lots of surveys as the top place to consider in relocation, to make the move to Maine.
This blog post outlines the reasons that motivate folks to make the move to the great state of Maine.
The urge fueled by many factors. Space is one of the biggest ones. To own and enjoy acreage, lots of Maine land is a major part of the dream. Life not lived shoulder to shoulder and where you actually have a back yard. Clean water, clear blue skies, look at all those stars because no pollution from factory smoke stacks.
Welcome to Maine.
The best kept secret are the rural areas deeper up into Maine.
The Moving To Maine Relocation. Often Starts With Renting A Maine Waterfront Property.
Space is freedom, elbow room is plentiful in Maine.
Maine is a sparsely populated state with 450 small towns and villages but only a handful of cities. 91 percent of Maine is wooded, miles and miles of trees and trails to explore. Maine is not just more roomy, less people but there is good stewardship practiced in small Maine towns. Maine is 450 small communities, only a handful of cities.
Your elders teach you how to respect the natural setting around and to never ever take it for granted. Don’t mess it up for the next generation and tread lightly is the ingrained approach to living in Maine. That’s just how we roll and it is way easier when over commercialization or sprawl population pressure is none existent!
Collect Maine Lighthouse Experiences. Visit, Re-Visit. One Fun Thing To Do In Maine. Lighthouses, Coastal Settings Help Folks Think About Moving To Maine Or Investing Here!
So Maine space is abundant, a given and not an expensive luxury like many areas around the country.
What happens to people used to being penned in and caged, herded? When they cross the big green bridge on Maine’s southern tip, the traffic thins. They begin to loosen up and it’s easier to relax.
What else happens when you relocate, move to Maine?
A more relaxed version of you develops. The Maine added space, reduced traffic, lower crime combination works its magic. Suddenly you are freed up to fill your life with more of what matters. Four season outdoor recreation is one of the major reasons to relocate, move to Maine.
For many, it starts as a simple vacation and like any addiction, grows from there. Before you know it, the yearly trek to Maine turns into more trips back and forth across that big Green Bridge. And instead of spending the long dollar staying at a motel, lodge or cabin, it’s time to buy your own piece of ME.
Hitting The Rec Trails In Maine All Four Seasons. That Is What It Is Like In Maine. Vacations In Maine Lead To More.
The transition from where you lived before to Maine can be bittersweet.
There are trade offs and mostly involving further away from family members left behind. But often, friends and family learn from your move to Maine. Their visits to see you can cause relocation for them too.
The fun in Maine is low or no cost.
We have so many opportunities to pitch in and get involved in community events. You don’t need lots of money to enjoy Maine the further you go to get away from the coastal tourist traps. Those areas near the shopping outlets are not rural Maine at its finest.
The friendly, down to Earth helpful people who live in small towns are the best. Hardworking, family oriented, ready to help you out when you need it the most.
Vacations In Maine Lead To More. The Relocation, Move To Maine Start Because Of Great ME Vacations! Clean Water, Fresh Air, Less People, No Traffic.
You have to have less people around you to get more from your Maine location. Go further north, east and west up into Maine to see what I mean. Small towns are like big families. Lower population areas of Maine show less wear and tear. Way way less commercial development and regulations.
That’s another carrot dangled to attract property owners to sell high and buy low. Cashing in the value of their higher priced property and taking the chips. Investing them with money left over purchasing something in Maine. For many, no mortgage is needed to buy the Maine property.
A family starting out looking for wholesome small Maine town values weighs the pros and cons.
Moving to Maine for less expensive everything.
A simpler life style that is healthier for their kids.
Your Signs, The Hiking Trail Blue Dash Marking. You Are On A Baxter State Park, Mt Katahdin Trail!
And with high speed internet, their old job becomes their new one. Packed along with their personal belongings for the new life in Maine. Telecommuting, working remotely is easy when a small Maine town or region has beefed up a strong IT infrastructure in place.
In small Maine towns, you don’t just buy a ticket and attend an event. You are somehow connected to the folks putting on the event year after year. Working behind the scenes, sponsoring some part of it. Home grown and the grass roots approach to building a Maine community is deeply satisfying.
The wildlife, the waterfront, the woods trails and farm fields in the great state of Maine.
Maine is lots of things that are all natural. Have you been to Maine and where? How was your experience? Visit Maine and see for yourself. Meet the friendly, neighborly, truly helpful people who call Maine their home. Thinking of Maine? Why relocate, move to Maine? Lots of reasons and most of them are found outdoors all four seasons in Maine.
Grab A Partner To Canoe River Race In Maine. Kayaks, Paddle Boards Welcome Too!
Everyone wants to come to Maine for outdoor recreation fun. But how does the state of Maine revenue tax folks look at your AirBnB, Vrbo or Craigslist etc vacation rental income.? Toying with renting out your private Maine vacation property?
This blog post about owner rules and regulations renting out Maine vacation property.
Not using your Maine lake cottage or downhill ski chalet and thinking why not rent it out for a few weeks? Sure would help pay the property taxes, the cost of insurance, maintenance and mortgage payments right?
Allowing others to stay, rent your cottage in Maine?
Casual Maine vacation rentals, what’s involved tax wise ? As a property owner you are in this group if letting other Maine vacationers stay at your place for 15 days a year or less.
What To Do For Fun Up In Maine On Your Short Term Rental Vacation?
You need to register, pay into the Maine revenue service . It amounts to 9% of the combined listing rental price and the on top cleaning and any guest fees.
Short term vacation renters are under fifteen days, long stays rentals considered 28 a days a year or more.
The words “Maine” and “Vacationland” are interchangeable but the state only has a handful of cities, 450 small town communities or plantations.
The major tourist traps, er I mean venues have local requirements. The bulk of the state’s lesser known tapped into vacation hot spots do not. The rental lone arranger operator has to get a permit too for your AirBnB, Vrbo, Craiglist property listing.
Agriculture, Farm Food Grown Close To Home, Locally Sourced Is The Best Tasting. Want To Homestead In Maine?
So moving on to what other tips to share in whatever length vacation rental in Maine, here are some top considerations.
Like any vacation rental property, you need money in advance to assure payment for the stay and a security deposit to cover damages. Standard cleaning fees can be added on to the vacation stay charge.
Clear as a bell, spelled out conditions of the stay help misunderstanding or legal remedies from happening.
Check out time is noon on Saturday at the Maine vacation rental property for example.
Small Town Living In Maine. Means Trail Rides With Your Family And Friends. Want To Vacation In Maine?
Much like the way a cruise ship whisks you off the floating vacation experience with steady pressure and amazing efficiency, your little one, two or more bedroom private hotel needs a procedure.
Check in time is 4PM in large bold print in several places avoids the needless calls asking when it is over and over. Also avoids chance of guests arriving and interfering with other happy camper stays or the housekeeping staff doing their tasks.
It’s like after last call and the bright lights come on and someone says “We don’t care where you go but you can’t stay here no more no more no more”. You the property rental owner want a good review to help attract more happy campers. Their friends on social media see and reach out because of what they like shared around the channels everyone haunts.
What you See On Maine Winter Recreation Trails. Wildlife, Scenery, A Bald Eagle, Moose. Like To Rent Out Your Maine Rec Camp Or Cottage Or Home?
Maine is a returnable bottle state but where does the property owner want those containers put? Bins for bottles and cans can generate funding raising help for a local Maine small town cause. Where do you want the vacationer to stash their beer suitcases, wine or pizza boxes?
Renting out your property for someone’s vacation use? Makes you nervous?
What to do for fun on vacation in Maine?
As a local insider who knows your way around the lay of the land “inn keeper”, put the suggestions in a loose leave binder. Have the tourist information brochures in a rack, local eatery lists with their menus.
River Rafting In Maine. Hang On, Paddle Hard, You Will Get Wet. Vacations In Maine Might Involve A Watery River Raft Ride.
Farmer’s markets, musical events, museums, rec trails to hike and bike, public landing waterways to access.
The what to expect for costs to activities all part of the neighborly hospitality.
Make your short term rental property user feel like they are getting more than just lodging accommodations and all the fringe benefits. Where the locals go for this and that.
The best family day trips, go here for fishing and hunting spots, pizza, burgers, steaks, seafood, dairy and pub style bar lubrications and panoramic photo moments.
Small Town Living In Maine, What’s Like? Home Made, Local Talent, Volunteers Pitching In.
For a family with kids, cottages for rent near amusement parks, go carts, carnival rides could be attractive.
But for an older couple, you want the total opposite. Who is the target audience for renting your vacation property in Maine?
Invite your lodging guests to local venues they might not be aware of that locals enjoy. Check out the three golf courses or ski areas here on the map. Help yourself to the corn hole and board games. Try your hand tossing iron trying to get ringers down at the horseshoe pits.
Personal recommendations and tourist information goes a long ways in helping your vacationer or extended stay resident feel right at home.
There’s a rope swing on this lake the kids will like.
Use the kayaks and canoe down at the shore, the gas grill on the open deck. Everyone coming to Maine wants to see a moose. Hear a lake loon or two. Where are the best odds for that near your Maine rental property location?
What a great picnic locations to enjoy the natural beauty of Maine while you munch on a chicken salad sandwich or crunch cucumbers, an hand picked wild apple or raspberries, blueberries, field strawberries? Know of any local community potluck suppers tonight?
Traveling Instate Maine To Enjoy Mini Vacations. Easy When You Already Live In Maine.
Many in the Maine tourist crowd want lobster and fresh Maine seafood.
A slice of wild Maine blueberry pie or fresh picked dish of strawberries or raspberries.
The video and media displays to share on social media promotion for your “home away from home” must have digital links.
Tap Your Toe, Sing Along. Music Made Locally And Live Is Huge In Maine Communities.
Maps to help your short term property user get out, about, there and back with ease erases worry or confusion. To anything and everything about what to do for fun on vacation up in Maine. To this particular corner of Maine.
Post the snowmobile and four wheeler ATV maps on the wall with the circled “you are here” X marks the spot.
Three reasons for the give your guests fun tip suggestions in the area around the Maine vacation property rental.
One, you are an ambassador to your state of Maine, county and local community. You are proud of your piece of ME and don’t hesitate to toot the horn on what the vacation day trip options are.
The local history of your part of Maine. Share it and help promote the pride and excitement. Immerse your traveler into everything local. You don’t get the spirit of the area staying a few days at a franchise motel by an interstate truck stop.
Anything On The Maine Waterfront Is A Popular Real Estate Search. Hot Temps Help Fuel That Market Segment. Want To Rent One?
Make the overnight, multi day experience better for your guest vacation up in Maine.
Two, while your rental vacation guests are out of the property or out on the waterfront it might be parked next to, less wear and tear happens. The neat thing about rental properties is the folks who pay for their week of heaven up in Maine are moving around sampling it.
Help them know what there are for entertainment or dining options to enhance their stay at your Maine rental property.
In small rural Maine vacation destinations, not everything appears on a glossing four color tri fold tourist brochure.
Pot Luck Suppers In Maine, Using Natural Ingredients.
The social media splash for things to do for fun in small Maine towns is what is shared online for reviews.
The images and videos tourist in Maine on vacation post get a lot of eye ball and ear drum impressions on the social media grapevines.
Help feed those channels. Local merchants, non profit museums and clubs will thanks you for the media exposure too.
Every local Mainer tries to protect their community and regional economy. Each vacation tourist dollar in Maine turns over six to seven times and helps all of the locals living here in Vacationland year round.
The Bigger The Maine Home, The Greater The Cost Heating / Cooling It!
The third reason to share the fun around your neat Maine vacation rental is for repeat visits. The online reviews, photos, video clips. The same people rent the same week at the same vacation property. Why?
Whoever stays at your place leaves wonderful reviews or never returns for one or many reasons. They had fun thanks to your neat, clean, affordable accommodations. And your helpful showing them around to assure they have a memory making experience worth repeating.
Your board games, photo albums, maps, lists of locals to call for goods and services are valuable to your out of town or state or country house guests.
Or if no advance information or help to know what to do after they arrive on vacation is provided, the property renter’s expectations were not met. No one wants a lousy review about an AirBnB or Vrbo property in an area you are proud of right?
Maine, The Way Life Should Be! Welcome To Vacationland! Common Sense Still Used In Our Daily Life. Not Outdated.
It’s the little things in your hired out personal lodging to make some extra money and provide additional area Maine rental income housing.
Get your Maine vacation renter up to speed, feeling like they know a thing or two about your area. The more they feel like they right at home and things are familiar, more higher quality relaxation happens. Hey look, a bottle of Frank’s hot sauce. Don’t have to buy salt, pepper and there’s a Keurig coffee machine.
Blueberries For Sal, Don Fendler’s Lost On Mt Kathadin, local Maine eye candy photography surf and turf books.
Splay them around the wire spool coffee table just so. Your wall art, magazines, loose leaf binders with how to have a super vacation in Maine.
How you decorate the simple or ooh la la vacation rental property in Maine considers someone brand new. Not as familiar with where everything is located around your local Maine community. Create the experience so they never forget what it was like up in Maine.
Tight Corners, Out On The Open Asphalt Go Cart Track. Welcome To Coastal Maine’s Attractions.
Give them something Maine four season outdoors or inspirational to remember their vacation.
Self help books and exercise healthier living in Maine equipment make your guest feel you do genuinely give a hoot about them. That they can help yourself because you trusted them with the key to a property you are proud to share.
Maine. Fresh air, clean water, no crowds, one of a kind all natural.
The Portland Seadogs Baseball Team Plays Home Games At Hacklock Field, Portland ME.
The vacation property can be an ideal extended stay, something besides a small same old local motel rental option when no vacancy happens.
Make sure your insurance policy covers vacation rentals and what inspections need in place to comply with the coverage rules, regulations, regulations. Safety first and last. Deck railing strong enough to protect your camper from leaning back and ending out in the pucker brush beside your lake property?
A visit to the local ER is not the recreational fun your Maine lodging guest signed up for right?
Have gas grills, kayaks, a couple bikes, binoculars or outdoor recreation tools and toys help your vacation renter enjoy added conveniences. And not need to pack a lot of extra bulky stuff on top of the Pinto or piled high on the trailer hitch tray on their old school International Scout.
The Coastal Fishing Zones That Slice & Dice Maine’s Craggy, Rock Bound Coastline.
Lastly, how many occupants in what you let the World consider renting for Maine vacations or extended stays? You don’t want three families horsing around and the added stress on your septic system. And using the place like Animal House community center.
I list, sell, manage and own waterfront properties and a rural farm rentals in Maine. The repeat, already know what you have property renters are trained and start to feel like your place is their own. It is or should feel like that if you go above and beyond to partner up to assure your property user you care about them.
The cottage, camp, timeshare vacation property renter appreciates the red carpet VIP local welcome to my hometown treatment.
The place to rent in Maine has to be clean, tidy and maybe run to a higher standard of housekeeping than where you call your real home.
Front Row, First Class Seating On The Maine Coast. Borders Little Machias Bay Downeast Maine.
If one burner only works on your cook stove. When the refrigerator spoils food due to can’t keep the temperature cool. Substandard conditions with real and personal property at your vacation property rental means bad reviews, no returns from the same lodging guests.
Same rules apply to rental properties in Maine that long term owners face.
Like an apartment house, what tenant are you after? One that trashes the place or treats it with pride and respect?
Do the neighboring owners thank or dislike you for all these crazy partying tenants?
More than the square footage or septic system was designed for chasing the almighty dollar? Was there value for the monetary exchange? What price point are you going after in your vacation property rental market? Does the place measure up as a value or someone feels short changed?
“The Starting Line Ups… For The Huskies, The ME Black Bears Tonight….”
Wouldn’t you want to return and spread the word back home about where you spend your Maine vacations if you have a great time?
Does the leave a comment or list some of your experiences on vacation book on the kitchen table show everyone had fun?
All people vacation differently due to interest, mobility, budget. Just sunrises, sunsets, a camp fire with a circle of lawn chairs. Gazing out over the wooded mountainside, rolling farm fields, the sparkling waterfront.
Paddling or swimming on a Maine lake or pond is enough for some.
Others want to know is there a casino, head to the water hole bars. Can you tell me Mister Host or Hostess is there an outdoor movie theatre, places with pulled pork and fish tacos or boiled lobster, maybe steamed clams, mussels or oysters.
Wildlife, Moose, Deer, Black Bear, Not People. What It’s Like Upta Camp In Maine.
Always what are we going to do for fun today depends on the weather forecast.
Your current guests in turn return the favor for the next ones. Everyone uses your what to do for fun in Maine vacation suggestions. And who knows, if they like it that much, let’s look over the vacation property listings and buy our own.
Who would you use for that search, comparison shopping to purchase a Maine real estate vacation property to enjoy and maybe rent out carefully?
Log Cabin, Cheap Maine Vacation. All You Need Is Your Own Place, A Camp.
Hope these blog tips on short term casual vacation rentals in Maine provided something you can use.
You probably have booked, stayed and enjoyed a few AirBnB or Vrbo rental properties to write down the list.
What did you like that your lodging guest would too? Questions? Thinking of investing in a vacation property in Maine of your own? To use a little until you retire but enjoy rental income to pay it off? Hardworking Maine real estate vacation properties from simple cabins to way way more plus everything in between.
Reach out, here to help find vacation rentals in Maine to lease out or even buy!
