Advice on Pioneer Valley towns (Springfield, Chicopee: real estate market, house, property taxes)

[sombrueil]

My husband and I are retiring and looking to move from California to Massachusetts, as our daughter's family has settled in Northampton and seem likely to stay there -- tenure track job. I did a recon visit this February and felt it was an entirely plausible move for us -- similar values, possible to find small rural-ish property close to a viable small town.

I found Northampton and points south too busy (Northampton, Springfield, Chicopee) so believe we need to look more north or possibly a bit east. I have lived in mountains my whole life and don't want any more steep slopes and lack of light. I want a piece of moderately flat land to build a house and barn on, where I can keep my horse and perhaps some small stock.

Said land needs to be within an easy drive of Northampton (under an hour) and a very easy drive to basic shopping and banking and so forth (under 15 minutes would be nice). Nearest town needs to be big enough for a good sized grocery store, and a reasonable medical facility.

I visited Deerfield/Greenfield/Turnbull area and was quite charmed generally. I'm sure there are ratty areas but I didn't see them. It is the right distance from Northampton and about the right sized town as well.

So my question is, if Greenfield suits me, what other towns along the Connecticut River Valley should I also look into, and which should I be sure to avoid? Consider we won't be job hunting, and money isn't a big issue, since we are selling our house in a desirable spot in California, one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country.

[gf2020]

Sounds like South Deerfield and Sunderland would check your boxes.

[missionhill]

Two very nice towns, affordable for Californians, would be Ashfield and Conway. But there are many good choices. Farther up that way are Buckland and Shelburne with the charming village of Shelburne Falls. To the east the small woodsy towns of Leverett, Wendell and Pelham are all very close to Amherst (although Pelham is pretty hilly.) Amherst itself has beautiful territory around South Amherst and along Bay Road. And Route 9 takes you northwest through the quieter parts of Northampton (Leeds and Florence) into Haydenville and Williamsburg, all good choices. Sunderland, Hadley, Montague on the east and Deerfield, Whately and Hatfield on the west are valley floodplain towns along the Connecticut R near Northampton. They have the most level, open and arable land.

[Boston_Burbs]

Sunderland and Hadley would be good fits for retirees as they are in the valley and get less snow and have very low property taxes compared to surrounding towns.

[timberline742]

I love Greenfield. There is some grit, but a lot of good stuff.

Shelburne Falls is super quaint too. Nice downtown. Bridge of Flowers. I'd look there if I had the money, which I won't.

[Judder]

MissionHill has some great suggestions. As someone who grew up in the hilltowns, you'll find the small scale community agriculture scene to be alive and thriving; sounds like it would be a great fit for you. Ashfield, Conway, Whatley, Shelburne, Williamsburg, Deerfield, Leyden, Leverett, etc, would all be solid choices. Western Franklin County is one of my favorite areas - be sure to check out Shelburne Falls.

[in_newengland]

I'd say Deerfield, Williamsburg, or Hatfield. Greenfield is kind of run down for a retiree who can afford something more pleasant. Hatfield too and it's close in to Nothampton while still being rural.

While I love some of those other small towns like Conway and Shelburne Falls, as a retiree, they might be too remote, and driving gets pretty bad in winter. A friend from Shelburne Falls always complained of the bad driving conditions on rte 2 in winter. If you're from CA, you probably wouldn't want to deal with that.

[FCMA]

Don't discount Greenfield entirely. The outer sections of Greenfield west and north of the densely settled in-town portions look and feel and act more like Deerfield or Gill. Speaking of which, I'll add Gill along with Bernardston, Montague, and Northfield to the towns already recommended. These are also not very hilly as they sit in the river valley whereas some towns mentioned like Ashfield, Conway, and Shelburne are really really wonderful but made of hills.

[sombrueil]

Well, I will be back at the end of September at the latest, and do more exploring. One challenge is finding a realtor at such a distance and for such a particular set of requirements -- we want bare developable land suitable for horses, which means the realtor needs to know agricultural zoning requirements and limitations, have a sound grasp of what "developable" means (building site, sun, drainage, septic, well, power, road etc), plus know the area. Even better be somewhat horsey herself and can tell me about local trails and other horse-oriented facilities nearby.

If anyone has any ideas about how to find the right realtor, while living 3000 miles away, I am all ears. The one I have is definitely not the right one.

[in_newengland]

The towns listed by FCMA are very good for horses. I had a relative who had horses in Gill--he had a lot of land and I think they boarded horses, also gave riding lessons. It's a ways out and I haven't been up that way in years, but it probably hasn't changed too much.

No ideas for knowledgeable realtors though, sorry.