Massachusetts or New Hampshire (Boston, Newton: sales, renting, mortgage)

[DMickey28]

I posted this in the NH board as well.

Someone please shed some light on this picture for me. My DH and I are from Massachusetts but have lived away for the last 5 years. We are moving home this summer with our 2 year old boy and finally going to settle down and buy a house. We are in our early 30's. My DH works in Woburn right now but will be looking for another job once we get settled so we need to be a reasonable distance to the 128 corridor ... by reasonable I mean within 45 minutes to a hour in the AM and PM.

We are thinking Southern New Hampshire or area's in Massachusetts. I go back and forth. We would like to keep our montly mortage/taxes under $2000, $2300 max. It seems we can afford a larger home cost in MA because the property taxes are less compared to New Hampshire. Since DH is working in MA, we will have the income tax issue regardless, along with buying gas in MA and other commuting expenses.

We are a conservative, quite couple. Other than presidential elections we have not voted but we have not owned property or had kids getting close to school age before. This will probably change our voting habits to include more local government soon. We would like a simple, newer/clean house with a little land but nothing over an acre. We have family from Bellingham, MA down through the Cape but don't need to live in their backyard.

Where is our value as a small family starting out going to be? I think we would prefer the lifestlye in Southern New Hampshire more than some/most of the towns in Massachusetts but is it worth the extra cost? I always thought that living in Southern New Hampshire would be less expensive but it doesn't seem to be turning out that way.

Our cap for a mortgage is $325K but in New Hampshire it looks as though we need to keep that down to $290K is many towns (Derry, Londonderry etc) due to the high property taxes where we can afford more towards the $325K mark in towns like Bellingham, MA where the property taxes are much less.

Thanks!

[dognh]

Do yourself a favor and read posts on both boards (which it sounds like you're doing). Pay attention to the responses and tone of the posters. It's interesting how you'll get a flavor for the "type" of people that call each state home. From your post, it sounds like you'd be a lot happier in the long term in NH.

As far as property taxes - it's all relative. Size of the house, the town you choose, etc. Look outside the towns everyone always recommends - londonderry, hollis, etc. Come up, drive around look at the neighborhoods, backroads to the highway, etc. There are some wonderful spots.

Don't let property taxes scare you away from a home for your family (don;t forget all the other expenses you'll be saving here -chief of which is sales tax.)

[CaseyB]

I saw this thread on the NH forum, and there are some good suggestions there.

DMickey28, you wrote that your husband might look for another job in the near future? If so, perhaps you might want to consider renting for a bit before you settle on a town to buy in. Woburn isn't that bad a commute from somewhere like Londonderry, but what if he gets a job offer in Braintree or Mansfield? If your son is only 2, you have plenty of time to look around to figure out schools, etc.

[DMickey28]

CaseyB - Ideally that would work but we have been renting for soooo long we are DYING to buy a house and settle down. Also, the way his comp works out for his field is that at least 35% of our income is in bonus/commissions. Since has had his current job for a while we can count those into qualifying for a mortage. With a new job and the current mortage climate we would run into more problems without the job stability and years of bonus/commissions behind him.

[lrfox]

Why not look somewhere in the Metro West area? Lexington, Waltham, Weston, Newton, Needham, Wellesley, or another town near the intersection of I-90 and 128 would put you in a good position for whatever job may come as well as your current one. There are good schools in these towns and they'll give you good access to the communities North of Boston, South of Boston, West of Boston and the core of the city itself. Flexibility is key here.

New Hampshire is a great state and a beautiful one, however, it's only going to put you in good commuting distance to North Shore communities (and down into Boston, but that's a hike). I would seriously consider the Metro West area.

[DreamworksSKG]

Winchester is a great community with 2 commuter rail stations to Boston, and is right next door to Woburn :-)

Its a great town with a lot to offer.

Even Woburn isn't bad, but its more built up industrially speaking.

Lexington could be another option though there's less connection to the city

Winchester has train lines, lexington -burlington area, doesn't.

-- Jeff-
Winchester, MA

[jayrandom]

Winchester, Lexington, Weston, Newton, Needham, and Wellesley are all nice towns with great schools--some of the best in the state, even--but are way out of the 325K price range if you're looking for a single family home. You will not get a house in a town with super highly rated schools near Boston for under 325K. If that means your husband is willing to commute from New Hamsphire that is something you should consider, but for people to suggest Weston on 325K makes me think they didn't see that part of your question.

Personally, I would try to live closer than New Hampshire and deal with a town that has lower rate schools. Along with Waltham and Woburn, you might find something in Wakefield or Reading in the price range, depending on the size of home you are looking for. Burlington could work as well.