Any advice for us moving from Colorado to New Hamshire? (Manchester: HOA, low crime)

[yveaux]

Thanks JunkieF for the Pictures, my husbands first words were "wow, that looks like my country"!

YV

[Valerie C]

YV, isn't it funny how some people just find the negative in just about every situation? Guardian breeds like Pyrs that have been bred to think for themselves while living amongst and protecting their flock are not usually highly trainable like a lab or golden retriever. But, as you have discovered, these gentle giants are companions and protectors of their family and their home, the very best job a dog can have!

Originally Posted by yveaux

And, the person who made the comment also made a negative comment about our choice of Dog (Great Pyranees) He had said that he also 'had a friend' who had that breed and that they couldn't train the dog and that the breed was stubborn. But we got the dog anyway and we love her and we trained her to sit, shake and she corrals our kids and is the MOST gentle dog I have ever had with children and protective of her people. So there you go!

Now that you have discovered this forum, I hope you will stay and learn about New Hampshire. Members are always sharing good information about places they've been, things to do, etc. It'll be interesting reading/research for you. Just keep in mind that, like the friend that you've mentioned, some folks are more negative than others, but even those posts will be helpful for you, coming from so many miles to possibly live here

Originally Posted by yveaux

For those of you who offered, Thanks for the offer to look you up! We are definately planning to come visit next fall 2011.... If you have any other interesting advice of places that we can visit while we are there, please let us know so we can make the most of our 4 or 5 days.

Julie's pictures are great. Have you looked through her gallery of winter, spring, beach, etc?

Originally Posted by yveaux

Thanks JunkieF for the Pictures, my husbands first words were "wow, that looks like my country"!

YV

[yveaux]

Yes, it is a lesson learned - if I listed to all the negative comments about things that other people diss-liked and did not follow my own decision/heart, then I would probably be as miserable as they are. I am just glad that there are forums now where people can research things and speak open and honestly. I always make up my own mind, but do take the opinions of others into consideration.

We will most definately visit several times before we make a move. I will take a look at people's pictures out there as I find them. I find those very interesting.

[motoracer51]

Originally Posted by JukieF

I just wanted to comment on a few of your points.

My hubby grew up on Long Island. When he left NY to go to school in Cambridge back in the late 70s and then moved to Portland, Oregon, where he got his first job, he swore he'd never go back to the northeast. He, also, likes the West better, for a variety of reasons.

But I don't think there's any way you can compare life in New Hampshire to life in New York. They're like different worlds. We lived in Rockland County, NY, for a year (after being transferred back to the states from jobs in Europe--we didn't *choose* to go there). That area is beautiful, but oh man, the people! So many people! And the hot, humid weather in the summer. And the high costs of everything. We lasted a year before moving to Colorado, where my husband had never lived before.

We really feel that difference when we drive down to LI to visit my BIL. Once you get out of NH, the congestion and the traffic and the amount of people is just overwhelming. I wouldn't want to go back to that, either.

When my husband got the job here in NH, he was dreading having to move back to the northeast. He dislikes NY intensely, and he wasn't wild about Cambridge/Boston, either. He thought NH would be more of the same. But it's not. Not at all.

Maybe the people here aren't *quite* as friendly and welcoming as people in the West, but I've found everyone to be warm and friendly--from our neighbors to tradespeople to clerks in the grocery store. It's absolutely nothing like NY in that respect. It reminds me much more of Colorado and Oregon.

As for the weather, we've only been here a little more than a year, so I don't have much experience with that. But this past winter (although I hear it was extraordinarily mild) was awesome. Tons of sunshine. Not many of those grey days you talk about. I took some pictures for my Colorado family in December, when they'd already had three months of snow and we'd yet to have a single snowstorm. The grass was still green here and the days were comfortable and sunny. Check it out:
Picasa Web Albums - Julie - New Hampshire...

And to your third point, Colorado has lots of awesome recreational areas, yes. But it doesn't have the variety we have here. Between the mountains, the lakes region, and the seacoast, I feel like we have many more recreational opportunities here than we had back home. We both ride motorcycles, and while I loved riding the Rockies, there really wasn't much else. You're either in the mountains or on the plains (boring, boring, boring). Here, we can ride along the coastline! You can't do that in Colorado.

I'm really happy here in NH. It's what I expected, only more so. I'd also be happy to move back to Colorado or Oregon (or Switzerland!). But you couldn't pay me to move back to NY.

Where I grew up on Long Island, 20 years ago, is like what New Hampshire is now. I loved it. My mother still lives on the 3 acres I grew up on, and I always have the option to take the house there as my mother is tired of the weather, taxes and political environment. A $30K/yr property tax bill, along with restrictive gun laws, are among the many reasons I choose not to go back.

New Hampshire is, to us, a good compromise. It gets us to about 5hr drive to visit family in NY, as well as being closet to both direct domestic flights, as well as JFK International for our yearly trips to Italy.

My biggest issues are the winters ( longer, colder, and more snow ) and the property taxes. A $6k-$10K property tax bill, along with the utilities needed, you're looking at a ~$700/mo fixed costs to maintain the house. I don't know, maybe we have to write out the costs again, and re-visit the issue.

I would really like to be closer to family, and to be able to fly more easily than where I live now. I also miss the foliage of the north east. We were actually looking at houses in NH last night.

[notdancingqueen]

Originally Posted by JukieF

Hi there!

My only real complaint is that there aren't any natural food grocery store chains here like back home (Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, Sunflower in FC--my favorite!).

Julie, have you tried the Co-ops? I've heard the one in Concord is nice (the one in Hanover is as nice as any Whole Foods I've been in -- and I grew up on the north shore of LI and the lived metro DC for 15 years).

Also - the thing I love about NH is that you practically don't need a Whole Foods-type store because of the farmers markets and the direct-from-farm buying you can do. I drive 10 mins and get wonderful fresh, free-range, organic, local eggs for $2.50/doz. every week. Honey, ice cream, beer, beef, pork, poultry, veggies, fruit, flour -- I can get it all right from the farmers/growers/makers...and not go farther than 30 minutes from me. I just picked up a HUGE order of pork from a local farmer in Salisbury. $3/lb-- you can't touch that at Whole Foods!

Happy noshing -- Jackie

[JukieF]

Hi Jackie.

I haven't gone to co-op in Concord yet because I joined a local organic harvest share and have been getting my vegies that way all summer (ironically, it's distributed at the Unitarian church in Concord). But this winter, I will definitely check it out. I don't think I'll join the harvest share next year. It's very expensive. I'll just go to the farmer's market here in Manchester. I've also been looking into buying a half or quarter of grass-fed beef or maybe bison. We just bought a freezer so I need to fill it up. :-) Would love to get contact info from the Salisbury farmer if you don't mind PMing it to me. I've been looking online for farmers who sell naturally raised (as opposed to corn-fed) beef/pork/chicken and would love to get a recommendation!

[yveaux]

[quote=motoracer51;16027665]Where I grew up on Long Island, 20 years ago, is like what New Hampshire is now. I loved it. My mother still lives on the 3 acres I grew up on, and I always have the option to take the house there as my mother is tired of the weather, taxes and political environment. A $30K/yr property tax bill, along with restrictive gun laws, are among the many reasons I choose not to go back.


My biggest issues are the winters ( longer, colder, and more snow ) and the property taxes. A $6k-$10K property tax bill, along with the utilities needed, you're looking at a ~$700/mo fixed costs to maintain the house. I don't know, maybe we have to write out the costs again, and re-visit the issue.

Hi Motoracer51 - we did review all of the costs and compared our current situation to NH and came to the conclusion that we may break even but we would get more of what we love (Ocean, closer to Europe, more land - not on the high plains desert). We looked at a property out in Lone Tree, CO and the property Taxes ran about $3,800 per year with $250 monthly in HOA fees = annually that is $6,800. $350 in Heat/Electric in Winter - $80 Water in Winter and $175 (min) water in Summer, = not to mention the sales tax that we spend each year $4,500 for new technology, clothes, household items, etc. We figured we would break even and can possibly have 5+ acres for the same price and not have a neighbor peering into our windows. That was the biggest plus. I do know that there are other hidden fees and taxes in NH...(from reading other posts) but that is actually everywhere. The newer malls here charge various 2-4.5% surcharges on top of 8% sales tax.

Not to mention, that airfare to Europe for a family of four costs an extra $400+ per person each time we fly - Just to cover the flight cost from Denver to the East Coast - NY - NY to Germany/London - Germany/London to Zagreb. So, there are other benefits to being closer not to mention flying relatives in from Europe (which my husband has relative all over Europe). So, for us things look pretty good.

[yveaux]

Originally Posted by notdancingqueen

Julie, have you tried the Co-ops? I've heard the one in Concord is nice (the one in Hanover is as nice as any Whole Foods I've been in -- and I grew up on the north shore of LI and the lived metro DC for 15 years).

Also - the thing I love about NH is that you practically don't need a Whole Foods-type store because of the farmers markets and the direct-from-farm buying you can do. I drive 10 mins and get wonderful fresh, free-range, organic, local eggs for $2.50/doz. every week. Honey, ice cream, beer, beef, pork, poultry, veggies, fruit, flour -- I can get it all right from the farmers/growers/makers...and not go farther than 30 minutes from me. I just picked up a HUGE order of pork from a local farmer in Salisbury. $3/lb-- you can't touch that at Whole Foods!

Happy noshing -- Jackie

That is something that a friend of mine had mentioned as well since we like to shop at Whole Foods as well here in Denver. We have a friend that lives out in Parker,CO and they have chickens and give us 'natural' eggs. My husband is use to a more rural way of living (even though he did grow up in the City in Bosnia) He is use to more of an open market and a local farm where he can go and get 'young' meat. I am not much of a meat eater, I prefer seafood.

[GregW]

FWIW - If you like to cook and bake be aware that NH, except for the top of Mt. Washington, is closer to sea level than Denver. This makes water boil hotter and cakes and breads to bake completely differently. I saw references to the King Arthur flour website that indicated that they have altitude based instructions.
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[formernhresident]

new hampshire is a beautiful state with cities and rural towns..........we are close to the ocean,mountians,lakes,ponds and rivers...............some towns are nicer than others................im from mass originally but also fell in love with new hampshire and its beauty