At first, I thought the obstacles being thrown at me right before I actually started the move into my new home were just a test of my patience and perseverance. But when everything that’s happened over the last week or so is lined up – I can’t tell if they were tests or a bad omen.

The night before I was going to start the move into my new home, my truck was indicating I had an issue with one of my tires. I thought it was a dummy light, since all four tires looked fine, but after making my 90 minute commute back home from work, I noticed that one of my tires was indeed low. And that’s when I saw it – for what feels like the first time ever in my life, I had a big fat screw stuck into my tire that was draining it.

Denny Muller
Denny Muller
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It was close to 9pm, so no tire places were open. Thankfully, an automotive store was still open so I was able to get a tire repair kit, but make no mistake. I had never done this myself before, and a lot was riding on this repair. If I repaired it incorrectly, I ruin a tire that was only a few months old and the plan to begin the move early the following morning. Not to mention spend even more money than I already had on, ya know, buying a house.

Thankfully, it all went well and I nailed the repair (no pun intended.)

The following morning, the movers were scheduled to show up to my storage unit by 8a. At 8:30a with still no movers in sight, I made a call to the company, who gave me a call back saying they were 30 minutes out. About 45 minutes later, they finally showed up and got to work. The move thankfully went well with all items safely transported and unloaded, but during the unpacking process, I realized I was missing key elements to my TV stand, basically rendering it mostly useless.

Chris Briggs
Chris Briggs
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In the most first world problem ever, it just so happens that the cable company wasn’t able to make it out to the property to set up service for almost two weeks after my move-in date. I thought I found the perfect work-around – use my phone as a hot spot and watch streaming services, which worked well for the first couple of days, until I realized I don’t have unlimited hot spot service like I thought I did, which essentially left me in silence until they could set up cable and Wi-Fi. Like I said – the most first world problem ever.

Discover Savsat
Discover Savsat
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But it was the next event that had me seriously questioning whether or not I made the right decision in buying a home in Maine. Just two days into my stay in my new home, I had a plumbing issue. Any kind of issue right off the bat is unwanted, but a plumbing issue? Hands down one of the worst to get walloped with from “go.” After using the shower, I noticed a new stain on the kitchen ceiling, complete with areas that were bubbling – meaning somewhere, somehow, there was a leak in the ceiling.

After two days of rocking showers in my sink, the issues rolled on as I couldn’t connect properly with a plumber. When one was supposed to drop by one morning within a two-hour window, I reached out 30 minutes after the two hour window had expired, only to be told there was an emergency situation at another property that had to be dealt with. The plumber was rescheduled with another two-hour window that came and went with no plumber showing up, until 90 minutes after the second window had expired.

Acton Crawford
Acton Crawford
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And that’s when it all changed.

I anticipated my bank account having to be drained. Walls in my home being cut open. New plumbing needing to be purchased and installed. And a ridiculous amount of labor fees. Instead of all that, the plumber simply said, “If you want to spend money, I can replace a couple of parts right here and here” (while motioning to the piping), “or you can actually easily fix this yourself by cleaning the shower head and caulking the tub faucet.”

What I expected to be hundreds or even thousands of dollars ended up costing me just over $8 and about five minutes of my time.

All in one week’s time, I strapped down multiple things in the back of my truck – something that wasn’t necessarily second nature to me or done a ton before. I successfully patched a tire having never done it before. I successfully fixed a plumbing issue with no prior experience.

Marian Florinel Condruz
Marian Florinel Condruz
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So, when asking the question “was buying a home in Maine the wrong choice?” Hell freakin’ no it wasn’t. Because although I’ve had some challenges (and I fully admit not monumental ones) over the last week, the pride I’ve felt in successfully conquering said challenges? Indescribable. And has me excited to face and hopefully conquer future challenges as well.

Like the sign says on the Maine Turnpike after crossing the Piscataqua River Bridge – “Maine: Welcome Home. The Way Life Should Be.”

Google Maps
Google Maps
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The Interior of This Mount Desert Home for Sale in Maine Belongs on a Mega Yacht

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The property is at 10 Waldoboro Road in Washington, Maine. It is listed by Cates Real Estate.

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