When a person considering relocation, retirement, investment in a Maine small town, which most of the state’s are size wise, many factors make the short list of what to consider.

Oh sure many already know about the four season Maine recreation from hunting, fishing, camping vacation trips. They have the what to do for fun part all figured out.They like the low cost Maine real estate factor. But had a Connecticut real estate buyer’s first question be “tell me about your local library”.

The woman is a ferocious reader. Figures the size, quality, local support of that Maine town library reflects on the people who live in the community. Luckily, Houlton Maine’s Cary Library is pretty incredible, offering one of the highest circulation rates for the state of Maine. Summer reading programs for kids, Chistmas stories read in front of the open fireplace, a heck of a geneology department, and size. The origial structure an Andrew Carneigie Library prototype with a large addition to blend in with the stone structure.

For others, tell me about your hospital in Maine. Is it small, a band aid station or does it offer a variety of services, and is not so deep in the red spending wise that the doors are about to be bolted, locked, chained shut. Luckily, Houlton Maine again shines with the health care element. Besides OB-GYN, cardiac, and a slew of clinics, in and out patient services focused on preventative health care rather than reactive use of resources, it is well run, in the black.

Georgraphically Houlton ME Regional Hospital is well located unlike some areas of Maine where just too many hospitals serving the same smaller population area.

Areas where none of the hospitals are doing so hot. So decent library, a hospital served by Life Flight helicopters, local ground ambulances, that’s two criteria some use checked off the list in a postive way.

And don’t forget everyone is impressed with the low crime, four season scenery of Maine. All those clean lakes, streams, and rolling fields, massive wooded tracts of land. But people, less people and friendlier people is what Maine is really known for. So question number three on the short list Maine real estate buyers ask is tell me how many traffic lights you have. Less people, less traffic, less lights. In Houlton Maine we have a whopping total of five traffic lights. You don’t need more and the thought, debate of maybe we need another one heading in to the hosptial off US Rt 1 causes resistance. It has not happen. Interstate 95, the gateway from US RT 1, RT 2, RT 2A and the Trans Canada highway into the Atlantic Provinces and the Walmart entrance account for two of those five traffic lights.

For years there was only one traffic light in the center of the town of Houlton Maine near the Post office, across from the Court House and at the time, a big brick hotel, the Northland.

And two doctors, a husband and wife team considering where to move to to open up their practices stopped at a Maine red traffic light.

Our sole Houlton Maine traffic light for many years. And while whipping out a map, studying it, they got a little engrossed. Forgetting they were at a red light that ended up changing twice. And the cars behind them did not honk. That was the sign for them that this is the place to start a family, medical practice, to live with life.

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