You ever just want to buy something like this and try to make a go of it

[30cal]

http://www.landandfarm.com/property/44_Acres_Northern_Maine-1193937/

[Fridays Child]

1. Beautiful.

[30cal]

2. I know and it's not expensive

$67,000 asking price

[newfie11]

3. Very pretty

If you have an income other than raising potatoes it would be good.
It's expensive to get into farming.
Beautiful picture!
Make sure you know who owns the mineral rights before buying.

[Victor_c3]

4. I like the dormer and the gables

It looks to me like it used to have a pretty large wrap-around porch that someone closed in. If it was mine, I'd open back up the porch.

[Winning1]

5. All day, everyday.

No kidding.

[Le Taz Hot]

36. Show off!

Seriously, I'm happy for you.

[sendero]

6. Already...

.. did

[DFW]

7. 44 acres for $67,000?

Here in Düsseldorf, you can barely get the bathroom in an apartment for that (shower extra).

[monmouth3]

8. Lots of potential. Love it...n/t

[Scuba]

9. Nah, the summers are too long up there.

[MADem]

10. I know a little something about that county, the southern half, anyway.

I would advise you to go on up there, stay in the Starlight Motel on Rte One just past the State Police Barracks, and go see the realtors in town. I'd recommend Mooers, he's chatty, informative and he has better listings than the competition.

It's a buyer's market up that way, for land, houses and farms.

The people are wonderful. Not real talkative at first, but once they get to know you they are as nice as can be. Hard to find a bad meal, too--plain food, by that I mean not "haute cuisine" but the kind of stuff your great grandma used to make. Rib-sticking, tasty and good. Lots of lakes nearby for summer swimming, etc.

You need to realize that they DO have winter up that way. You can either deal with it or snowbird it, but it's for real. "It's a dry cold"--at least to my mind, so it's not as brutal as the real humid snow. Great skiing up at Mars Hill. Cheap, too. They have a brief blackfly season; it passes soon enough!

Easy to hop over the border to Canada, too but you now need a passport or a passport card. You can make a little money go a long way; great for a pensioner. You can get reduced taxes if you homestead.

[WinkyDink]

18. "great for a pensioner": Many health-care facilities, then?

[Jamastiene]

53. That is the kind of food I like.

I haven't a clue what half the food people talk about even is. I am used to that kind of food you mention.

From the sound of it, it sounds like a great area with great people and great food.

[MADem]

55. People aren't rich, but they get by. They're very real, too.

If I were a zillionaire, I'd put my business up there--you'd get willing workers who have a very good work ethic. Even with the cold weather in the winter, the trade-off is that the people just aren't lazy--and they aren't afraid of a day's work.

[JI7]

11. yes

I have been seriously considering moving

[Jenoch]

12. A 'go of it' at what?

Nobody could make a 'go of it' at dairy or potato farming at that price. There would be too much required investment to even attempt such a thing. Only someone with money and willing to lose it would attempt to keep such a small farm.

[MADem]

13. There are a lot of people who farm "boutique" foods.

Herbs, organic stuff, specialty vegetables.

Stuff like this: http://www.getrealmaine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=findafarm.dealer&locID=4339

66 farms....all sorts, from Xmas wreaths to maple syrup...

http://www.getrealmaine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=findafarm.dealers&counties=Aroostook

[Jenoch]

20. They don't do it by sinking their lice savings

into a $67,000 property. It takes a lot more money after buying a farm to making it profitable.

[MADem]

23. Some (many) people are what they call "weekend" farmers.

They aren't trying to make a living off of the farm, they have a pension they can live off of, and they grow small crops for amusement, experimentation and they sell some of what they grow. They may do hens/eggs and sell those.

It doesn't take a shit load of work to grow, for example, Xmas trees--they do it by themselves once planted. Or operate a woodlot--the hardest part is the cutting, and there are always people looking for work so you hire them to help.

I buy lots of stuff from local producers when I'm up that way. Look at the list of farms I provided--those didn't all start out as "major" farms--many of those folks were "dabblers."

And ya don't need sixty seven acres, necessarily, depending on what you want to do. There are smaller lots/better deals with nicer houses that are more "move-in ready." It is, as I said, a buyer's market.

[Jenoch]

25. Thank you.

You made my point for me.

[piratefish08]

33. nah - not true. I am literally surrounded by folks who live cheaply and earn a small income from

different sources. they sell eggs, plant starters, hay, firewood, etc.......

sure if you want to try to maintain whatever lifestyle you are now accustomed to, you will find living hard.

you don't need a full on farm to earn a living - in fact the bigger you are the bigger your expenses. small is good in village living.

if you are willing to work, be flexible, adapt and live cheaply anything is possible.....


also - you need to be willing to deal with dirt roads, long winters and not being able to pop out to the store and back in 10 minutes.......

[Jenoch]

45. I grew up in farm country

and own 230 acres. I don't want to live like that.

[MADem]

49. Most of the people I know up in the County are like this, too--not "big money" types. nt

[Adrahil]

21. Yeah, this is rich guy hobby farm material....

... Though it is absolutely lovely.

I personally have less than zero interest in farming.

[Earth_First]

14. That's a lot of property for $67K

...around here 44 acres would run you about $445K maybe a $148K in the Southern Tier foothills.

That's *just* the property. No buildings/outbuildings. Utilities. Nothing.

That's a great deal if you can hack Northern Maine winters...

[Android3.14]

15. And here is what happened last weekend just up the road from this location.

The region is the best place to live, and the people are the strongest, smartest, and most amazing folks you could ever know.
Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Raceshttp://fiddleheadfocus.zenfolio.com/p937440751/slideshow/0ff405211CCCCCC03f0015-UiJORElGSHxJcHwXRmoP111111F5F5F5DDDDDD555555CCCCCC.2

[piratefish08]

16. wanted to, did, and we now wake up in the northern VT mountains with our pigs, chickens and garden

took a 50% pay cut to be able to live here and haven't regretted it not even once.

we made a decision 5 years ago to get out of this broken fucking system of ours and we get a little closer to our goal each year.

fuck it - if we can't play by their rules, then we don't play the game.

[Blue_Adept]

17. No interest in farming

But I'd love to do something like that just to disconnect from the world and enjoy being away from it all and in the middle of place like that.

[MADem]

24. It is VERY peaceful up there. I like NOT hearing traffic, that's what appeals to me.

I'll be heading up that way this month to get a little break.

[Jamastiene]

54. That is the same way I think of it.

I wouldn't try to make a profitable farm out of it. I would have a garden, most likely, but I would just enjoy the peace and quiet and the beauty of the place.

[TransitJohn]

19. Is summer long enough to grow kind bud up there?

67k is pretty cheap.

[piratefish08]

22. yes. we are in the same climate zone here in northern VT - the outdoor grow season is just fine.

[Demeter]

26. In northern Maine? Not on your life!

[MADem]

27. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

It's paradise up there if you're the "peace and quiet/real people" type.

The people are very accepting of people from "away" who are different. So long as you're respectful and not snobby or obnoxious they're very nice people. The stress just melts away.

[My Good Babushka]

28. I think I like the idea of farming

more than the reality of farming. I would like to have a sheep ranch and spin my own yarn! But not really. I really just want to sit under a tree and watch fluffy sheep gambol about with a book, some knitting, and a refreshing beverage at my side.

[aquart]

29. No. I am a plant serial killer.

[Javaman]

30. funny you say that...

My GF and I, for all of about 15 minutes, seriously considered buying a bed and breakfast in Sicily, Italy last week.

I still have fond memories of my visit there and have a not so secret yearning to move a live there.

[tkmorris]

34. Lived for a couple of years on the southern slopes of Etna

Beautiful area. Awesome climate and generally very friendly people. And OMG the food. My wife and I really want to go back sometime, but it would cost quite a bit even for a decent visit.

A B&B though? Where were you thinking? A locale with tons of tourist traffic I'd assume, the locals would have little use for such a thing. Up around Messina or Taormina might work, a lot of traffic routes through there due to the ferry.

[Javaman]

39. We stay on Ortigia just off of Syracusa.(that's where the B&B was available.)

Not far from Etna. It was incredible.

[CanonRay]

31. Show me a winter picture...

It is pretty in green, though!

[rurallib]

32. out of curiosity, what kind of roads do they have?

paved - asphalt or cement? Gravel? Dirt?

[Android3.14]

41. Yes to all

The main roads are paved, as are most side roads, but with frost heaves that doesn't mean much. But seriously, it's pretty easy to get around.

[Le Taz Hot]

35. Jesus, yes.

But then I remember that I'm pushing 60 and hurt just living in the city. But if I had it to do over again . . .

[SoCalDem]

37. In a matter of months, we are "checking out" of the ratrace...for Oregon

We plan to spend a month (july) house-hunting in coastal Oregon. We are not farmers, but are looking for 3-15 acres with a decent enough house, and a HUGE outbuilding for all my husband's hobbies.

We are trying to avoid building because we now live in CA.

Zillow-ing has shown us many lovely possibilities.

Our only dilemma is deciding whether to sell this house here or rent it out.. I am leaning to selling.

We are lucky enough to have about $200k to put down, but I am not sure we want to be absentee-landlords... so we may do a bridge loan and then pay it off when we sell this place..Our values here have risen to the point where we should be able to net 90K...

We do not want anything that needs feeding or cleaning up after, but I do plan to have a small garden

[Blue Diadem]

38. Would scoop that up if husband & I were younger.

Looks like a beautiful peaceful place. A lot to think about, dealing with moose, bear, winter, did I mention winter? Very nice though, so close to Canada and I think Caribou has medical facilities, not all that far away.

[Android3.14]

40. Northern Maine Medical Center is about 5 miles away

From the location.

[Phentex]

42. It's my dream to retire in Maine...

I am a little concerned at the thought of the wild life mentioned in the ad and the house looks larger than what we need but I really hope to end up in a little snowy patch of Maine surrounded by nothing one of these days.

[bigwillq]

43. No (nt)

[riderinthestorm]

44. I live this life every day and let me tell you its hard, backbreaking work.

Unless you are independently wealthy or are just going to hobby farm, this lifestyle is extremely hard. I look at that collection of buildings and beyond the obvious paint requirements, I see electrical issues, old windows that need to be replaced, most likely damp rotting foundations, substandard fencing, the barn roof needs re-roofing, a ton of landscaping and clearing to make it functional to farm, the kitchen is probably still in a 1940s state which is NOT charming trust me on this and the bathroom is probably not much more modern....

There's a reason most farm kids, even corporate farm kids, leave the farm.

I'm in my 50s and I shudder even thinking about taking on a project like that one in the OP.


(sorry to be a cold bucket of water. I'll slink away now, let the dreaming continue )

[JI7]

46. what do you think cost in repairs would be ?

[riderinthestorm]

47. No idea. We've done all of that work here at our place but piecemeal, over 25 years

We did most of it ourselves too so I couldn't quote you what it would cost to get contractors out. But here's some stuff off the top of my head...

We did hire a contractor to put metal roofs on two of the horse barns and that cost $25k. New window? Anywhere between $400 - $600 each depending on the size and what kind of insulation values you want. Foundation? Anyone's guess - that's a tough one. We did our own "permaseal" on our leaky house basement and we easily spent a couple thousand dollars.

Treated fence posts and boards for horses are expensive (@ $10 - 15/post and @ $10 for a 16' board) but you may not be keeping horses. Fencing for other livestock I can't say.

My husband and his 2 brothers re-wired this place - every barn and building. Their dad was the city electrical inspector for Rochester NY and they grew up doing "side jobs" with their dad and are all extremely competent electricians so the cost was just parts. THIS was the first job we did after buying the place. Some of the electric "lines" were simply buried extension cords - eek.

Oh! And we had to replace about 10 water lines that were leaking. Dirty, trenching jobs and repair... awful.

We remodeled the house - tore out the old insulation and installed new, and installed new ductwork. New kitchen and bathroom. New furnace. New roof. Took off the front porch and put on a great room. Added a big screened in porch on the back. All of that was $125k and again, we did a lot of that ourselves.

I could go on and on but you get the gist. Old places take a LOT to rehab. We were young, capable, had competent help and enough resources to hire out when we couldn't do a job but even then it was daunting.

If you love the place though, love the location, love the lifestyle then it won't seem like "work". It will simply be what you love to do every day. My husband still loves our place. Every project is a joy for him. I'm starting to grow weary.

[JI7]

48. looks like the cost of repairs and anything else would end up costing more

than you would pay to buy the property.

i think it could still be a good deal though depending on how much one has and what they want.

i live in a city area where housing is very expensive so to get such a huge amount of land for that much does not sound too bad.

if i were to buy something like that it would be more just to have a large area where you can kind of be away from everything. you have your own area to hang out, you can go for walks, read etc.

but my problem would be to adjust to a less busy area and of course the cold temperatures which is one reason i'm sure it is cheaper than if you bought that much space somewhere else.

i wouldn't buy it in order to try to make money though since i have no experience in that area. at least i wouldn't depend on it for profit .

[lumberjack_jeff]

50. That price is extremely attractive.

Cows, chickens, hay, a sawmill, a big garden, your own firewood.

It appears that it'd be breezy enough to support a wind generator and the payment would be about $300.

The answer to your question is yes. I bought 5 undeveloped acres at about this price.

[JustAnotherGen]

51. No

Not at all. To each their own. I need sidewalks, restaurants, shops, services I can walk to, a library and even a used/rare antique book store I can walk to, etc. etc. And now we have a direct line into Manhattan! Park in Raritan and direct into Manhattan.

I like my horse country sidewalk town in NJ - but I don't want horses in my backyard. I want neighbors!

[Jamastiene]

52. Yes.

I dream of doing something very similar to that one day. Well, I can dream. It would have to be in one of the states that has legalized gay marriage and legalized pot. Otherwise, I would be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Still, I can see how that could be a nice life and yes, I do dream about something like that.

[Blue_Tires]

56. Nope...Give me a warm beach any day...

[newblewtoo]

57. I grew up

on a subsistence farm a smidge larger than this in Cumberland County ( a bit south ) back in the late fifties. It left me of two minds on this: 1. You probably won't starve to death but won't make a fortune. 2. You won't want for sore muscles or sweat or hard work. There are times when I miss the simplicity and solitude.

In good years we could make the taxes and a small profit operating what could be called a closed system. In those days we were still using draft horses who required hay and grain. Since we had grain we had barn rats, since we had barn rats, we had barn cats. Horse manure was spread on the hay fields, cow on the gardens. Nothing went to waste (or waist ).

To this day I loathe raw milk and am not overly fond of chickens. (Winters are long and cold, summers hot and 'shot'; but hen houses stink in hot and cold weather.) I have sold cord wood, board wood, Christmas trees, chickens, eggs. pigs, sheep. corn, peas, shell beans, and, potatoes.

Not sure what the rules are today but when it came to the truck garden stuff we just use to leave a can for cash and a scale to weigh stuff on. It was strictly the honor system. Folk from away were the best customers they always left a little extra.

Good luck.

[2naSalit]

58. if I had the funds...

I'd be all over that in a heartbeat. But it's truly a personal issue, it all depends on how resourceful you are and what type of vision you have for such a place.

I kind of miss life in Maine, spent a big chunk of my childhood there in simpler times. If I had the means, I'd go back to way northern Maine without much hesitation.