Homeopath looking for a good area (Boston, Haverhill: real estate, insurance, how much)

[bar777]

i'm planning to relocate to eastern mass early next year. i've made a couple of reconnaissance trips, and found that the boston area is too intense (worse than nyc). i'm trying to find somewhere that's not too expensive, not too far inland, and has the demographics and openness to support a practice in alternative medicine. it's pretty challenging to just pick a spot on a map.

lowell seemed a little too ghetto. haverhill was better. andover was mentioned in another thread, as was amesbury. didn't get to see either. newburyport seems a bit small to support an unusual consulting practice. the rest of the north shore area was too ghetto, apart from manchester-by-the-sea, or rockport.

i was told to steer clear of brockton, taunton, and new bedford. plymouth county seems to be an option, as does the cape. the cape is beautiful, but economically limited to a degree off-season, and congested in-season.

can anyone advise me on how accommodating these areas might be to someone in my profession?

thanks.

[Valerie C]

I would recommend looking seriously into the Amesbury/Newburyport area. Many of the doctors who practice at Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport lean toward the homeopathic, and you might find a good match. I would also consider the Haverhill/Andover/North Andover areas. All of these areas have good access to the seacoast, and have the population to support a practice such as yours.

Not to target any one patient group, but this area has become a hotbed for Lyme Disease, and so many people are searching for an answer to help their loved ones to beat this disease. Help patients, and you will have a chance to succeed in this area...

[charolastra00]

I'll ditto what Valerie said. I was born in Haverhill and my parents, grandparents, and great grandparents all grew up there and so I'm a bit biased :P But I love the town.

Amesbury and Newburyport are both gorgeous. Newburyport has all the old mansions along the main road and I love it. I can't say much about how the community responds to homeopathic treatment, but it's getting to be a bigger thing. My grandfather's girlfriend is a nurse who lives in Haverhill but practices in Amesbury and she even suggested to me to see a homeopath. Of course, that's just one person, but it can't hurt eh?

[bingo08]

Originally Posted by Valerie C

I would recommend looking seriously into the Amesbury/Newburyport area. Many of the doctors who practice at Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport lean toward the homeopathic, and you might find a good match. I would also consider the Haverhill/Andover/North Andover areas. All of these areas have good access to the seacoast, and have the population to support a practice such as yours.

Not to target any one patient group, but this area has become a hotbed for Lyme Disease, and so many people are searching for an answer to help their loved ones to beat this disease. Help patients, and you will have a chance to succeed in this area...

I agree with Valerie. You couldn't have said it better.

[LeavingMA]

If your going to be that close to the NH border I would consider NH. You would definitely save money in business costs in NH and still be close to the coast and other cities. Look at Nashua and Salem which are just over the MA border.

[Valerie C]

LeavingMA has a good point, and if you're not opposed to living/working in New Hampshire, there are a number of areas that you could consider. Salem IMO is just about tapped out, overcrowded.

People seeking homeopathic services, which may or may not be covered by insurance, might tend to have higher incomes (bar777 would know his/her market more so than I) Maybe an area like Manchester/Bedford to cover the areas of Bedford, An area like Nashua would likely attract people from the Mass. side of the border, as well as the greater Nashua area, including Amherst/Milford/Hollis/Merrimack areas. Salem might be a better location you wanted to get into the Hampstead/Atkinson/Windham areas. Lots of options

Just be aware that living in one state and practicing in another can raise significant tax issues...

[momoffive]

yesterday's boston globe magazine had an article about alternative health care..might be a good read for you. I would think wakefield/melrose would be a great fit. I know i wouldn't want to a: drive into boston for this or b: drive to NH .. i think a lot of people would be more willing to try alternative health care/medicine if it wasn't so out of the way. Wakefield/Melrose have (imo) become great towns with great private alternative health care/spas and unique shops for the open minded.

[freckles888]

you might consider plymouth or hanover on the south shore too.

[willdufauve]

The Pioneer Valley, Hampshire County, is alternative medicine nirvana.

Real estate values are 1/2 what they are near Boston and the clients will beat a path to your door.

[bar777]

thanks for all the great suggestions.

i think i've narrowed my search to plymouth and barnstable counties. the cape may win out here. is anyone familiar with the towns of the cape? on my last trip, i found i liked the east sandwich/west barnstable on the upper cape, and the harwich/brewster area on the lower cape - but i wouldn't want to go beyond that.

does anyone know how much of an impact camp edwards has on the upper cape, and how the quality of life differs between the upper and lower cape?

thanks again.