Tag: maine blogging posts

Making Progress, Coming Together In A Small Maine Town.

The Essentials For A Healthy, Happy Life Taught In A Maine Home, Household Growing Up In Rural Vacationland, The Pine Tree State.

There is a reason rear view mirrors are so small, the windshield in front so big.

And all that wrap around glass to see what’s going on from the sides. Looking back too much takes your eyes off the road. You miss what is happening now around you when traveling.

When you stop moving, you stop growing. And hindsight helps for perspective. But it is not the driver of the car now. Because everything does not stay the same. Some wished it did because it is easier when you’ve seen the movie, know the words to the song. Have danced the steps before. Or that is just a cruel habit that keeps you from realizing how good something you never try on your plate really is. No thank you helpings can lead to seconds, thirds and life long habits of new varied dining fare experiences right?

What are you afraid of in the unknown?

Loss of control, fear of a mistake in unchartered waters? Needing the safety of let’s do nothing and see what happens? When a small group in a Maine town together focus on solutions to tough situations, amazing things unfold. Good and bad until kinks found, removed. Until everyone agrees to disagree. Becomes proactive instead of reactive, roller derby happens. Here (motioning) put on these elbow and knee protectors. Make sure that helmet is strapped on extra tight. It’s going to get rough. Someone is going to get bloodied if it becomes a civil war of contention, finger pointing, back biting.

The frustration is not the other person. It is the quandary, quagmire we find ourselves in. Unhappiness goes down harder with a person that has lead a charmed, okay borderline spoiled life of privilege. The “work with what you have, make the most of it and just be glad for small improvement” is not enough gain. Sometimes too little too late. But right now, fix it for good, throw any amount of money at it and let’s move on. To more fun endeavors is not how life in a small rural Maine town works. Smaller, simpler, survival nut to crack daily strips away the non essentials.

Why Maine Happened, How So Important A Place Like Vacationland Is.

Economics, harder when they are not just local fun and games.

Because on the local level if everyone bought and sold, traded within your zip code, the closed circuit could thrive. With good service, competitive prices and having more of a selection than the other guy. But when Interstates, shopping malls, Amazon and a person not batting an eye to travel hundreds of miles to save ten, rut ro. Problems up on the bridge of that small Maine town.

And when a governor wannabe figures the little small towns that made the state great are not pulling their weight. Not holding their own. That kind of saber rattling, poison pen journalism makes you nervous. Or why not dig in, look within and remind all in the huddle this game is far from over boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen. We can win, and by a large margin if we work together. We’re Mainers remember?

To work toward improving the local economy starts with accessing, arranging what face cards you hold as a Maine town.

Inventory of what we have that some other places do not. Our strengths, talents, natural resources are the kitchen ingredients for something good to serve. But beefing up areas of the pantry that are low on supplies needed. To know where the money and time should be spent to have ammo for what we need to keep shooting, growing. Protecting the economy of that small Maine town. Preserve the existing Maine businesses before chasing new ones should happen too. Interview those already here and learn their challenges.

Help them, all local Maine businesses before they close their doors because of a blind eye, deaf ear.

Next, throwing out the “but but but we have always done it this way before” logic which is using that rear view or side mount mirrors exclusively. We may need to back up if on the wrong rabbit trail. But these new and improved west coast mirrors like the RV and big rig professionals drive with should help. Look ahead in the here and now. Read, watch, learn that the landscape has changed. While you and I have been enjoying sips of coffee, under the stars, strumming a guitar, after a bean dinner by the camp fire.

There is work to do, roll up that blanket, tighten the girth on your painted pony.

We are staring down the barrel of some hard charging, fast riding and neck reining barrel racing maneuvers. Because gotta stay awake, or at least snooze with one eye left propted open. Much to do before we fall sleep again.

Maybe have been snoozing and loosing, napping too much to see what is happening for economic and social erosion. Keep an open mind. Conflict resolution in a small town, in a partnership from marriage is an art. Nothing personal taken, happens when brainstorming to cause the blood to boil right? Frustration with the problem does not mean attack the players that are all in this together. Solutions, not negativity should be served up during work sessions. Unity is hard but no other option. Less people, plenty of decisions and hard work means gotta get along. More than ever.

Maine, big state, less people, a tad insulated, not isolated. Which can be good and bad. Serving up a challenge. Volume is important in sales. Because the profit is smaller. The income is in the expenses and way you run a tight ship. Cruising the facility looking for slack constantly. Our local government, schools, population in small Maine towns have to hunker down. But our history shows we are highly resourceful if Augusta, Washington goes easy on its regulation, restrictive demands. Anything that constrains, adds to the financial drain.

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

March 15, 2013
Maine …. Living In Gentile Poverty, Being Highly Creative.

Living Simple, Happy, In Gentile Poverty In Maine.

Back in 2001, a Maine farm property we had listed was not selling.

So because the rear portion of this rectangular parcel of Maine land bordered another year round roadway, the back 20 acres was sold off. The couple who bought it were not flush with cash. Did not have highly lucrative weekly income streaming into a bank savings account.

Eleven years later, I get a call about listing the land in Maine.

When I turn signal into the 550′ long driveway I am impressed with what I see. The drive in shows flowers beds, landscaped grounds. Neat as a pin. As my jeep arrives in the main dooryard, an antique barn appears to the south of the Maine land. The couple had bought an old barn in Amity Maine for $500. Carefully dismantled it, reassembled the hand hewn beams with considerable patience, pride, love and respect.

The barn had been used for horses with two box stalls years before my visit to list the property. But now the second floor hay loft instead of housing tidy rows of square bales, was a place to make music. To relax in the loft with friends who also played, were musicians of sorts too. Warm, comfortable colored lighting, the upper level of the gable roof line making this “space” inviting. I could mentally hear the jam sessions, laughter, time spent on a Saturday night socializing in the barn loft.

Outside the wife had been very industrious, on her knees creating perennial flower gardens of all sorts.

Placed in just the right spots. The perfect size for balance and placement to add to the setting. The couple had started with just Maine land. And cleared sections with a chainsaw together and not modern expensive woods machinery. You get an idea of what this couple is capable of together with creativity, patience but not flush with cash. And grateful, rich in gratitude, joy, a sense of inner peace radiating from both.

Demonstrating living in “Maine gentile poverty” and smiling ear to ear in their day to day life. Not in a hurry or seemingly ham stringed by lack of funds, resources. Creating their own pathway of building a neat, hidden farmette country setting in the Northern Maine, Aroostook County outside Houlton Maine.

The garage was moved in from another location a few towns away.

Like the Maine barn, it came with next to nothing for cost in dead Presidents, sawbucks. But sweat equity, putting their back in to making the relocation move from where it was to the new spot on the Maine land the “expense”. I toured the inside and everything had a place. A a once basket case 18 year old Harley black motorcyle parked gleaming. A source of deep pride with the Maine bike owner. An addition for winter heating wood stacked, filled and awaiting snow flakes in the weather forecast attached to this garage / heated workshop.

The cost for the modern septic system, drilled well, bringing power in 550′ feet, adding the multiple loads of gravel for a driveway, parking lot, base for the Maine house all done for $8000. Selecting a low low budget local earth contractor. Who lived down the road, a neighbor with zero overhead picked for the frugal operation. Everything for contracting machinery around him long long paid for and who still charged contracting prices based on a twenty years ago payment schedule.

Because money was not readily available, highly resourceful methods and thinking came into play to create the Maine country home and land development.

I am impressed with this couple and their quiet yet successful approach to create a loving Maine farm property from scratch. Using what they had to work with “reallocated” around them. Items some would classify basket case, trash not treasure.

The Maine home is a classic. Two identical 1969 New Yorker mobile home trailers lived in by a mother and an Aunt that never had wild parties. Where lights were out by nine pm. Scripture verses quoted, hung through out the cared for homes as reminders on how to live life cleanly, simply, Godly.

The Pennsylvania made homes were bought singularly and spent most of their life alone.

But now joined together in marriage as one with the help of a bulldozer. That hooked a cable to one frame. To snug it tightly, get it up close and personal to the other. While down below the owner added ready rod to the two frames. Then tightening the bolts to complete the cinching together operation on the lower end of things. The cherry on top? The new metal roof added to shed snow over both now Siamese twin units. To prohibit leaking that flat roof mobile homes of that vintage are famous for in Maine snow country.

Inside the Noah’s ark of “two of everything” inventory of rooms meant deciding which kitchen is best. How to reconfigure two Maine homes into one and all the renovations, removal, put back in construction. Again with the materials they can afford, have on hand and lots of time to think the new floor plan out. Planning together. Sharing a common vision the husband and wife craft, create and dream about together.

Maine, money is not the end all and hard work, challenging yourself and enjoying the four season outdoor natural beauty is.

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

September 6, 2012
Hiding Under The Desk, Saying The Dog Ate Your Home Work.

Small Town Maine Living, Everyone Is Connected, Close, Special.

Maine is a state that folks are not afraid to speak up. History shows the long felt need to stand for issues, appeal to common sense.

“As Maine goes, so goes the nation” may still apply. In a rural state, not flush with money but long on hard work, family values, maybe the sparsely spaced populace is in the real world. And cringe on spin from media beamed in, remotely fed from outside state lines.

In my job as a Maine real estate broker, it is hard to see market events in California, Florida, Michigan, Vegas and have the population think it is that same market in Vacationland. Maine is 46th lowest for FSSR.

We work hard to buy lower priced Maine houses and we don’t like debt. We double up to not have payments, to own the Maine home free and clear.

Maine home sales are up and it’s not just houses we list, market, peddle. Land, waterfront real estate in Maine are a popular attraction. So low cost and big sized. Maine, a place you can dream in blue and green, unspoiled and natural. Here when you are ready.

But it’s not all work, no play.

The folks in Maine are friendly and you better learn how to wave if you plan to pass through, spend time here. In Maine, we are responsible, don’t pass the buck when the time to step up happens. No one ate our home work on the local community volunteer events. No one hides under the desk when something needs doing on the local level.

Maybe being less populated, sitting on smaller wallets means hiring everything done is not an option. So we are more involved, personally, financially with the way we use our time to make the small town life vibrant, unique, special.

Bold, fresh, raw honesty, outdoors and not polished, commercial store brought rhetoric. That’s the Maine I live in, enjoy, and the place to raise a family. Or own a piece of for vacations, investment. Maine, what’s holding you up, keeping you away?

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

October 30, 2011