Small rural Maine real estate markets, they rock and roll differently than urban ones.
Eight out of ten people live in a city, not all by choice. But given their druthers, many would rather be in a Mayberry small town setting. To own a spread like the Waltons and be tucked away on a mountain farm with the woodlot for income and heat source. The dirt to scratch to raise what they place farm to table to feed their families.
So when you and I watch the news, scan the headlines and the topic is the real estate market.
What we are told online and in the newspapers, magazines and trade journals concerning real estate does not translate so well to how things groove locally. The price tags on the local real estate in Maine is not loaded up with zero places. The property prices are lower to the ground in small rural Maine community real estate markets.
Part of the difference with the real estate market city and country mouse enjoy is simply financial based.
High priced markets support layers of players to keep them lubricated and the real estate listing inventory moving to successful property closings. Home owner associations (HOA) are not going to be a thorn in a local rural real estate market. In some swanky luxury locations near population centers, HOA’s carry a big club.
Lots of rules and regulations in a city where everything is expensive and slow moving like tired, hot and bothered cattle being prodded along. The list of do this, don’t do that increasing with the price tags the stack of all the permits needed to even sneeze.
And you better not get another warning about your lawn grass being a fraction of an inch too high.
Or if you keep parking a pick up or service vehicle out front the garage with open doors and hanging laundry on the line being air dried, you are history Mister Man.
You get booted, taken before a tribunal and reprimanded to the full extent of the HOA by laws.
For the neighborhood of blue bloods where you raise more kids following in the same high end shoe steps. No bad neighborhoods in small Maine towns, just geographical concerns on how far do you want to be from here or there.
So what else is a stark difference in the way small rural Maine real estate markets operate?
Security. In country settings in Maine doors are not locked, keys are left in the vehicles they start.
Maine is the 4th lowest crime state. There is lots of wide open space, often times acreage surrounding the property listings. Not zero lot line situations where side windows in a house do little good. And survey pins, lenghty legal battles, spite fences and police scanners bark out the addresses around you on a regular basis day or night.
Jam people together too tightly and weird things happen.
Just like with labratory animals in the experiments when personal space is missing or hard fought for in knock down drag out fashion.
The prices are lower on rural Maine real estate market listings. Way way lower. The home for in the teens or twenties that needs TLC still has good bones. Is something you can live there while improving slowly and with lots of your own personal sweat equity poured in along with family members who pitch in and give a hand.
Getting financing on a Mister Fix home is harder in a city because the bank wants to sell the paper on the mortgage loan.
Dump the long term mortgage on the secondary market and make their profit up front without hanging around to service the loan. But in a small town real estate market, the low price housing means no long term mortgage.
The places cost less than new cars, most used ones in small rural communities in Maine. (Yes we hang onto cars, trucks and rack up the miles. Fancy is not impressive in small rural town living and being burdened with debt is not a recreational past time. Free and clear living is and improve the housing, our transportation, etc slowly, along the way rules the day.)
Easy does it and more hands on, self involvement in the day to day job jar list.
Less hiring out and more independence DIY is the order of the day in Maine.
Money is not the end all and being resourceful is.
What a feeling when you and your neighbor, your cousin or brother who co-worker shingle that garage roof quickly. Many hands make light work right? And the next local construction job is whatever the crew members need done at their own place. Same with processing firewood. Tackle it at one after another place until the wood for burning to heat the homes of all the folks in the circle is cut, split, stacked and ready. A year ahead… not burning green wood that causes house fires because it is only twenty minutes old.
So the rural Maine real estate market mirrors the way we don’t spend money we don’t have.
Common senses still lives here. Keep it simple practiced. Money to hire services and to buy goods are replaced with bartering in small Maine towns. Maine is all over helping your neighbor. You are more a intricate, intimate part of the small Maine community.
And unlike the city apartment unit you buy high up that has an extra surcharge for a parking spot, help youself in Maine. Plenty of parking, everything down lower to the ground from housing design to the price tag hanging off it. Lots of supply, keeps the selling prices of the real estate low.
The salaries are lower, the spending is too in small rural Maine towns. The recreation is outdoors and no or very very low cost. All this four season natural beauty surrounding us makes all the fun low hanging fruit. Not need for dead bolts and chains on the multi lock doors. No security cameras, no carrying a taser or living in fear. That kinda stress makes you old before your time. Causes disease, shorters your life length and quality. That’s no fun when you work, work, then die? Maine is enjoying life along the way. Feeling like you are so lucky to live in Vacationland full time. We are so so spoiled. No traffic, no city noises of sirens, smells, worry about crime or the high cost of living.
Less people means the places we spend our leisure time are not spoiled by man or commercial enterprises exploiting them. Less people, less problems living simply in Maine. Have you ever been to Maine? Insider tips to living, visiting Maine.
So if you are looking for real estate in small Maine towns with lower prices, that won’t carry on and on with mortgage payments, we are your property listing stop.
Customer made owner financing, especially on the land for sale in Maine. No bank, no extra overhead to add to the expense buying is missing. So free and clear happens quicker. No debt and owning what is around you is freedom. Helps you sleep better nights and to enjoy life with whatever small Maine town real estate market listing is bought and enjoyed.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573 | info@mooersrealty.com |
MOOERS REALTY 69 North Street Houlton Maine 04730 USA
