If you are a kid, on a Sunday during a snowstorm, thoughts begin to play in your head revolving around "Are we going to have snow cancelled tomorrow?"

Snowstorms, plowing the white stuff, seeing folks shoveling out on the news makes you feel how? If you grow up in the North East, snow is something we look forward to, snowsled, ski on, enjoy sliding and everything else that comes with it. Ice fishing, snowsledding, hockey games, hot chocolate after snowshoeing in it. In Maine, snow fuels a 350 million dollar winter industry.

     If you live in an area that does not get much snow, any snow, no matter how much is a big deal. Panic, unfamiliarity, confusion and even excitement as long as no one gets hurt. Frustration from cancelled flights, delays and postponed events cause a daily wrinkle. But when you live in Maine, winter storms have to be pretty big to cause concern.

    

Snow fall. Pretty, evoking a scene of a log cabin in the woods, by a frozen lake, under the moon with a crackling fireplace and a warm drink? Or terror and worry about frost bite, power outages, being stranded in a snow bank, thoughts of freezing to death? It all depends on how your area handles snow, how good it is dealing with it whether it excites or scares you.

     When I worked at a Bangor Maine radio station that depended on ad revenues to pay my salary, keep the transmitter pumping out that signal and tunes, my program director George Hale issued strict orders. Never never tell the listening audience to stay home, to not bother going out unless the Maine state police called with such a directive. Which would have been rare because we get lots of snow in Maine, know how to plow it, deal with it. The right equipment, experience and training with white stuff comes with living day to day in Maine. Snow experience. George said it was okay to say leave a little earlier. Be careful traveling to that sale, the movies, the restaurant but not to stay home. I think of what George would tell us if he was watching the news today when you see video of a few inches broadcast. And how chaotic regions not used to much snow react to just a little of it. He would probably say it must be a slow news day or the media is sensationlizing, going over the top starved for something to scare the public with. My dad, who the kids call "Buppy" would roll his eyes and have said..."Mother, that is so Hollywood, not the way it is".

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers

    

When you live in Maine, practicing real estate sales, and are parked up against Canada to the east, the question is asked a lot. Can you sell property in Canada if you live in Maine? I am not licensed to list property in Canada.

The province I happen to be parked up against is New Brunswick. But on the west side of Aroostook County and to the north, Quebec is the province close to Northern Maine real estate brokers. Canadian real estate brokers in border towns with the US get asked the same question.

     I have been over the Houlton Maine, Canadian border four and five times a week when two of my boys played hockey. Nearly 99% of our games were with Canadian teams. With cross border traffic trips loaded with players, hockey equipment sometimes four games or more with tournaments, etc over winter weekends. For a year Hartland New Brunswick's arena was our home ice for practices when our local arena caved in due to heavy snow loads.

During trips to games even the border immigration/customs agents would ask how did Houlton ME make out in the game in Perth Andover, Grand Falls, Nackawic, Plaster Rock or Woodstock?

But any time you go in to Canada, the questions posed is what is the purpose of your trip? Pleasure, hockey, family the answer and on your way. Spend lots of money and hope you have loonies and toonies. For that pontine, arena food. Or something from the pro shop related to hockey equipment malfunction like need a mouth guard, skate lace, some stick tape, etc.

     My question to other ActiveRain members on the border with Canadian brokers, agents here at AR University is how each side handles the co-operating marketing? Ways they work hand in hand to tap in to the marketing on one side of the border to send a buyer across to meet the co-broke agent on the other side? When you live in Maine, on the border, your real estate marketing ray gun broadcasts in our case in a North, West, South direction. Not east..and not because of a iron curtain or cold war situation. 

     My grandmother on my Dad's side was 100% Canadian. My four kids great grandmother and great grand father were 100% Canadian too. So it is pretty hard to find folks on the Maine side of the border that are not at least quarter Canadian! Being on a border has lots of advantages, especially when the currency exchange is in our favor. Also since 911, the number of US Border Patrol, Immigration, Customs Agents that have relocated to Houlton Maine has increased tremendously to tighten that border. There are also close to 100 new kids in our schools due to this border security beefing up.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers 

    

Do you flash your Rolex, brag about your car, name drop about who you know, or what blue blood schools your kids attend?

Getting noticed...do you dream of large homes with maids, staff and a garage full of cars designed to impress others? Think you are special, put on earth to be awed, sought after for advice and your presence?

      

Do you have an ego needing stroking? Have an attitude and need attention? Are you a gold digger? Do you want to live in a gated wealthy snobby community and is your life about money..only money?

    

Think you were always destined for greatness? You don't strive to keep up with the Jones...that you are the Jones. 

 Translation...You are NOT built for living in a Maine rural community. 

 Impressing others and having the latest material items is not what living in the Maine country is all about.  It's about helping others, serving your community, not calling attention to yourself.  And your kids are watching. Do you want to be among the elite or just down to earth, who accept you, imperfections and all?  Do you think you are who's who and that your time is the most valuable? And others better jump and not waste it?  Do you want to raise kids or have an entourage, a closet full of designer clothes? Maine, simple, real, honest living. 

     Outdoor campfires, picnics, paddling a kayak.  Downhill skiing on a Maine mountain or cross country over a rolling field. We get excited hiking a mountain trail and seeing three deer drinking from a stream. Enjoying a sunrise on a Maine lake with hot coffee. A family of loons paddling by. We attend and get excited to help out at a church bean supper for a family that was burned out or

struggling with cancer.  Is Maine for you?

     It is not about who you know...it's not about being exclusive...it's about others.  Come for a day, stay a life time.  You won't need alot of money...that's not what impresses people in "Vacationland".  In Maine we help others, check on the elderly, coach youth sports. Teach Sunday school. 

Are you happy where you live and do you carry a taser?

     Worry about your $400,000 first mortgage? The $80,000 second junior mortgage on the same place worth less than you owe with taxes nose bleed high and scary?

     Maybe Maine, the way life should be is worth a visit. Come for a day, stay a life time. For low cost, affordable Maine homes, farms, land, waterfront and business real estate, info@mooersrealty.com Shoot us an email, call us anytime. 207.532.6573. Walk it to us with your questions about what it is like living here, what we do for fun, what real estate costs, the weather..anything. Really. That is why we are here. And Maine is our favorite subjects, why we live here, raised four kids with the entire village having a hand in the process. It's home made, not store brought. Real, genuine Maine. Get here quick as you can. Your heart has been here for a long time already.

 Maine Real Estate Broker Andrew Mooers - Selling Small Town Community Living

The Houlton Maine Rotary Club has been busy with a series of planning meetings for the big April 8th 2nd annual bingo fund raiser.

The rotary club would like you on board, and not to miss out.  The place for the event? St Anthony's Hall..in the St Mary's Catholic Church on Military Street here in Houlton ME 04730.

     If you would like to be a game sponsor..the cost is $100 and your get your banner displayed at the event.

     Your business featured on promotional signs and materials. The same brand logo featured on a sponsored bingo game for your company. 

     Your business will be recognized through the event. You can distribute business promotional materials at the evening Bingo hooplah which has a large attendance.

     Watch last years first ever Houlton Maine Rotary Bingo Night video.

     The local Houlton Maine Rotary club website will also add your business to the marketing machine. For a $100, it's a good deal for a great cause. Locally, everyone knows if you want something worthwhile done in the community, get the Houlton Maine Rotary Club behind the cause.

      Recently, $15,000 was given to the local Houlton ME Little League Field of Dreams project and another $5000 to the Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association (SAMHA). 

Much of what the Houlton Rotary club sponsors are youth oriented events, causes.

From the Northern Maine Soap Box Derby, to sending youth study exchange students around the world to build goodwill and better understanding of other cultures. A big push for the multi million dollar Houlton Community Music Arts Project is really rolling, picking up steam with the on going Houlton Maine Rotary Club support. The annual November Rotary Auction is the major source of all the funds raised for the many worthy causes in the vibrant Southern Aroostook County area. See you at the Big Bingo game April 8th here in Houlton Maine.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers

 

Winter is a time when Mainers snowsled, snow shoe, cross country and down hill ski.

Play pond hockey, watch games on the ice. This weekend in Houlton Maine is the annual winter celebration with free games, bonfires, snowsled light parade thru town, snowsled clubs breakfast, suppers and more.

The Moose Is Loose in Houlton Maine.

Check out the fun and games for the whole family in Southern Aroostook.  From February 5-7 ride in to Houlton Maine for the three days of fun, games and it's all free. To celebrate winter, one of our favorite four seasons. The family event was started in Loring Air Force Base and when Col Alan Bean mothballed the base as it's command, he became Houlton Maine's town manager. He brought the event with him and it is a habit, tradition growing larger and larger every year.

     Take Exit 302 of the Interstate 95 for Houlton Maine this weekend.

Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers