| Northern New England is emerging from its economic | | | | type of learning as good? Some say it is better. have |
| recession steadily, no one is breaking any speed | | | | seen it and can tend to agree in many instances when |
| records but all is not down and out as predicted. Some | | | | we are discussing putting American's back to work. |
| industry sectors are blasting right along. New Nano and | | | | Maine has been making approximately 344 million in |
| Bio tech are strong and people are getting high paying | | | | sales tax revenues and about 53 million a year in gas |
| jobs, while others in the areas of VT, NH, ME are | | | | taxes. Non-Maine residents contributed 9 Billion in |
| saying that summer vacation rentals are not doing | | | | revenue to Maine's economy in 2001. In winter of |
| looking so hot as one property management | | | | 2002-03 there was actually a 4% increase in tourism, |
| consultant told us. Although from what we could tell it | | | | which is good and it appears to be beating out airline |
| looks good. Another income property owner confirmed | | | | traffic to other places as people can drive from the |
| this who owns properties along 95 all the way into FL. | | | | megalopolis for the weekend, day or week. But we |
| ME is not great, NH is not as good either and a few | | | | saw the same thing in Dolly Land in TN where people |
| have given up this year. In NH a 3 bedroom, private | | | | could drive for a min-vacation.Average Housing price is |
| dock and hot tub with two boats was going for only | | | | up to 148K now, which is 13.8% higher than previously. |
| $2,000 per week on a lake that was last year and this | | | | Hard work ethic is good in Maine and almost as good |
| year about $1800.00 some only $1200 per week; such | | | | as the comments on the Western side of the country |
| a deal for a vacation. On the commercial side we are | | | | when discussing those in Iowa and places like Fargo |
| seeing Grubb and Ellis, Prudential, CB Richard | | | | North Dakota. This years Outlook "The State of Maine |
| Commercial etc. are inundated with properties and | | | | Business 2005" had plenty of examples of small |
| eager investors are looking to buy anything producing | | | | businesses, housing builders, community banks, colleges, |
| 8-10% in returns, which a few years back would be | | | | tourism success and other types of businesses doing |
| poor value and they would be uninterested. In MA, | | | | well. We have to ask ourselves how and when will |
| BioTech is getting a little boost from VC but very little | | | | Maine be back to full speed in reality of the whole?It |
| else is drawing in funds for expansion.Healthcare is | | | | looks as if it is happening now, and the time is clicking |
| good, but not great, complaining about all the ruthless | | | | away as summer is burning and they are making hay |
| and vindictive regulators who are storming them as | | | | as the snowbirds will leave in winter and tourism will be |
| they say. In Maine many have gone back to school | | | | based on diehards and snowmobil'ers. Well it looks as |
| and as a matter of fact when we visited we found | | | | if we are bullish on a few areas that are over 80,000 |
| that many of those unemployed people have gone | | | | in population in Maine. There are many cities, which |
| back to school or decided to stop looking. Talked with | | | | draw from over all population bases, which we can |
| a lady who ran a small business in one city whose | | | | consider. We like Augusta and Portland right away and |
| husband had hurt his shoulder and was looking for | | | | will be looking at others after a complete economic |
| something else but not all that hard. The idea of more | | | | recovery and in Summer of 2005. If you wish to start |
| people getting degrees in Maine was significant as it | | | | a business in Maine we would recommend any large |
| compares with Mass with only 1/3 the number of | | | | city on the 95 including Bangor, Waterville, Augusta, |
| lettered degrees. In one Technical School-College in | | | | Auburn/Lewiston/Brunswick, Portland, and Sanford |
| Maine it was found that 52.5% of all students were | | | | Springvale. Keep New England in your thoughts.Lance |
| non-traditional, meaning online and night school, which is | | | | Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. |
| a growing trend across America. Is this non-traditional | | | | |