Thinking About Moving To NH! (Manchester, Concord: cheap house, find a job, safe area)

[cindylou774]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site, so bear with me hehe. Me, my husband and two kids (13 and 16) will most likely be moving in 2 years, once my 16 year old son is out of high school. My daughter will be 15 and in the middle of high school at that point. We have recently been looking in New Hampshire, but don't really know where to look. We currently live in Fairfield County, CT and it has just gotten too expensive. Also, our neighborhood is getting worse and worse every day

This is what we are looking for:
* House no more than $375,000 and taxes no more than $4,500 (we are looking for a house about 2200 sq.ft. and a lot about .35 acres or so if that helps)
* We are hoping for a house built no later than 1970, if possible. Our house is old and so we are hoping to be able to enjoy a newer, updated house.
* We don't want to be IN the city, but not out in the middle of nowhere, or as we say the "boondocks" lol. We want to be relatively close (10 to 15 minutes away would be great) to shopping, dining, movie theaters, etc. and being near schools would be great!
* We want to be in a SAFE area, with that small town New Englandy feel
* We want to live in an area where they are accepting to newcomers. Neither myself nor my children have ever moved before (I've lived here all my life!) and since the experience would be new to us, we want to live in an area where we feel welcomed
* Good schools are extremely important. My daughter is in all honors classes, and we really want her to carry on with that.
* Don't want to be in a place where it is extremely difficult to find a job or where we have to commute long distances

I know that this is very specific, and I don't even know if this area exists, but since we've never moved before it is very important to us that we feel safe and comfortable where we are. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated

[bryfry]

Ok. Since there are a lot of questions, try the search tab up above and go to the advanced section. Type in some criteria and make sure you pick the correct state then let it fly. There is tons of stuff on this forum regarding all of your questions.

You need to narrow your search to some geographic areas. Grab a map of the state and start picking. Keene, Concord, Manchester, seashore, further up to North contry....so much to pick from.

In the first part of your questions, try Bedford. Taxes are somewhat reasonable within your needs, new school, close to two cities, etc.

That's just a start! I'm right there with you! I've been researching for almost two years now. I think the time is near, probably starting to actively look in the spring of '08. Good luck.

[cindylou774]

Okay.. thanks so much for your help! I'll try that. And good luck to you, too!

[cindylou774]

I looked at some homes in Bedford, and it looks like something we would take into consideration! The property taxes were a bit high on some of the houses, but a lot more reasonable than some others we've seen.

If anybody has any more information on this area and surrounding areas (especially about schools), I'd definitely like to hear it. We're just at the beginning of our research, so any information you have would be helpful. Thanks so much!

Oh.. and if it helps, we don't want to go too far north in the state (i've heard it gets rural very quickly as you go north, and there aren't nearly as many job opportunities.) We really liked Keene, but the taxes seemed too high for us We also were looking into Gilford, so any information about that area would be wonderful.

[remember-voltaire]

What do you do for work for you and the husband as telling us would help you out too.

aslo I am curious you said you want to experience a new england town then isn't shopping, working living all parts of a new england town. Unless what you're after is strip malls and designer outlets which if that is the case then maybe nashua or just outside would more to your needs
Alos you daughter you said would be 15 but she's only got one or two years left in school wouldn't this disrupt her regardless of how good the school is


well taxes will only get worse if some who are moving in to NH get there way

not at you cindylou as you've probably got more brains than some but isn't it ironic how some say they want the joys of new hampsshire and how they want to escape high taxes amongst other things yet will be voting for those who want high taxes amongst other things like they did in their old state.

My advice to you is that you're looking at half the state the bottom half, well that is very quickly going to resemble probably what you left because of how it's changing.


good luck with your decision about moving, maybe RI would be more appealing as you can be anywhere in that state in half an hour, you'd have beaches, the city, smaller areas, closer to CT for your friends and daughters friends, cheap houses etc

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by remember-voltaire

some say they want the joys of new hampsshire and how they want to escape high taxes amongst other things yet will be voting for those who want high taxes amongst other things like they did in their old state.

remember-voltaire: is this some default text that's part of your signature?

[remember-voltaire]

no


it's I may not agree with what you say but I will fight to the death in order for you to say it


be meaning to ask you this but where you from in the UK

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by remember-voltaire

be meaning to ask you this but where you from in the UK

You won't like me if I tell you.

I actually wasn't asking about your user name. It was about the voting like your old state thing. You seem real concerned about that.

[remember-voltaire]

liverpool a scouser in our midst


surely not

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by remember-voltaire

liverpool a scouser in our midst
surely not

No. Worse. Enfield, Middlesex. That makes me a Londoner mate!

PS: we should stop hijacking the OPs thread.