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Survival Real Estate Market Update
Shopping for Retreat Property in Rural Western Maine - From Richard
Frost in Maine
I'm a survivalist Realtor in Western Maine. I will work with buyers on the
many retreat-type properties in the foothills of the northern Appalachians
generally
within 100
miles or so of the 100 year old agency I'm associated with.
However, there are many, many properties that I have access to which are further
away from me - at least 3/4 of the state has retreat-type properties - so can
travel further, or refer buyers to another broker. Maine is loaded with reasonably
priced (and going lower !) large lots with, or without buildings. Lots of grown
up old farmland from 5 - 500 acres - one remarkable 2 0,000 + acre parcel nearby
that I'm very familiar with !! Only about 1.3 million folks in this whole isolated
state, mostly large forested tracts owned by corporations far away, and we have
an excellent long seacoast for trading when perhaps it will be an autonomous
state. (or partnered w/free-state New Hampshire !?) Plenty of game from Moose & Deer
to Turkeys, Waterfowl, Fish, and tasty Partridge. One hour from our office to
the
closest stop-light!
Maine has low property taxes for these types of places and relaxed gun laws,
in fact it's a good place to buy guns without registration, as there's a statewide
weekly publication where people sell things, including lots of guns, directly,
not to mention livestock, feed, building supplies, etc., etc..
Zoning generally isn't a problem as far as efforts at farming go.
There are a few small cities - Portland is the largest with only about 100,000
people, so someone could possibly continue to work, and be 1 1/2 hrs. from their
retreat, and there's not enough people to clog the roadways.
The area by our agency, [the vicinity of the town of] Rangeley, is a mountain
and
lake
resort-type
area,
so
properties are a bit higher, and if anyone were to look at our web site,
I
wouldn't want
them to be turned away by prices. However, prices that seem high to me are considered
cheap to people from other areas. Having said that, I would also say that the
few large properties yet undeveloped nearby (say 40 acres for $175,000, or 23
acres for $150,000) are just gorgeous, and in a very beautiful area that will
provide lots of fun recreational things to do while waiting to see what happens
with the economy . There are plenty of affordable retreat properties in back
of the more expensive coastal areas - you can choose to be closer to a little
civilization, or to be at the end of a dirt road in an unorganized township,
and the taxes on those can be really cheap, like $130 per year for 150 acres!
Wooded lots a little further out (that may have some fields remaining) in what
were
farming areas can be had for as little as well under $100,000 for 100 acres,
and plenty of 5 to 40 acre parcels for $12,000-to-$39,000. Generally water is
easily accessible in the state, and dug wells are still very common. If you look
at
a map of Maine, you'll see that it's absolutely covered with ponds, lakes, rivers
and
streams. It is very possible to harvest ice [from ponds] for refrigeration. I've
done
it
myself
more than
once, it works well, and isn't too hard to do.
Homes sell for a good bit below the national average statewide, but in the outlying
areas they are much cheaper.
As a native, it's been my experience that locals will be very friendly if you
are outgoing with them, or if you like, they will leave you alone. Generally
speaking, Mainers are self-sufficient, helpful, fairly educated, and all in
all, good folks.
We are quite far from any possible [military or terrorist] targets. New York
City
is
about
nine hours
[drive] away.
Where
I live is 185 miles from Quebec City, 215 mi. from Montreal, 230 miles from Boston,
and
120 miles from Portland [Maine], while being very close to New Hampshire and
Canada
if someone wanted to skip over the border for whatever reason. New Hampshire,
for
instance,
doesn't
have an
income tax, but they hit you hard on real estate tax .
I am happy to chat, or e-mail with any curious or interested preparedness folks.
Every cent I make goes into my own preparations and I'm very interested in meeting
like-minded
people to possibly with whom to partner-up. Hoping for the best, preparing for
the
worst – I
feel there's no better example of "erring on the side of excess" !
Richard Frost, Realtor. E-mail: richard@morton-furbish.com.
Cellular phone: 207-491-8970
or,
ask for me at Morton & Furbish
Agency Phone: 207-864-5777
