Farmer Rock,
I actually have a second home in Maine and eventually need to buy a vehicle to tow my canoe trailer. I have to rent full size SUV's since the rental companies cannot order without a hitch. But now with Covid they want $1,500 a week for the big SUV! Maybe a IDI in Maine is in my future!
However with cost of buying, depreciation, maintenance (Including paying my caretaker to drive it from time to time.), insurance, having to deal with repairs (VS Vacationing.), cab/uber/airport van ride to and from, etc., etc. We have decided renting 4 weeks a year is still more cost effective till we can retire and use the home for more than a quick summer vacation and the occasional weekend when I travel East for work.
However not so much in Maine, but to your point, I do see deal-o-rama in the North East. Especially in MA, CT, and VT on CL, Offerup, and Facebook! I worked for a couple of years for a Boston based company. A few times I picked up used equipment in MA before I drove up to ME for the weekend. Generally I could find what I needed in the greater Boston area for less than in ME. So yes you are spot on, lots of ride on’s, yard equipment, off road toys, water toys, etc., for cheap in the North East!
Yes many do not know Snapper has become eXmark and sells some cheaper Snapper branded pro-summer stuff which has dropped in quality. I picked up a new version of the Snapper mower with all the bells and whistles for my home in ME at Walmart on clearance for half off a few years ago. (Same price as a basic Yard Machines mower new.) Still nicely made but not the bullet proof monsters of yester year.
No surprise there are fewer lawn mower shops with big box stores selling them for less or better warranties. If they did not struggle already, now with all these battery operated mowers, edger’s, chain saws, and such it's going to be a bigger struggle. Here in Southwest many in the cities have outsource to a yard service as there is a lot of competition so prices are cheap. Also the yards in the city are small so not much to mow, trim, and blow. Thus $15-30 a week. So now instead of 40 folks buying a mower every 5-7 years, 1 guy buys one every two and mows say 40 yards a week!