Seriously considering moving to NH (Merrimack, Bedford: transplants, real estate, houses)

[Bostonbull]

Currently my wife and I have our family in MA, and we are both employed here. Both also work in Boston. That being said real estate down here is near non existent in the 25-450 range with 3+ bedrooms.

We have found a home we like in Windham, NH.

So many questions!


Are there any 'bad' neighborhoods in Windham?

What district in MA could I compare the schools to in MA? I hear the schools are really great, but reviews on schools are tough to find in general.

Working in MA and living in NH obviously means we will leave some $ on the table. How bad is the hit?

I see we need to pay for curbside trash and recycling, are all companies created equal in this space?

With no real downtown area, what is the 'community' like in this town?


What else should I know about living in NH and more importantly, living in Windham.

[Mac_Muz]

Let me see, you are being run out of Mass because you don't earn enough to stay there, but you think working there to pay taxes there, and live in NH to get pay fee services is a bad idea too. This is exactly how it is we in NH don't like flatlanders from Mass NY and Away to come here. All you do is drive up the cost of our taxes, and whine about the lesser for free tax paid services. Do us all a favor and just stay in mass. The next thing we will know is you are anti hunting/trapping and anti gun too. It's cold here in winter, we have flesh eating black flies all summer, mud all spring, and traffic jams just like Boston in Fall, when you flatlanders come in droves like lemmings to see red and orange leaves....

[Bostonbull]

Thanks for the extremely well written and thoughtful response!


Some clarification below..........


I currently live 2 miles from the NH border, not sure moving 10 miles INTO the state will really be that dramatically different from a terrain standpoint?

There is ZERO inventory where we want to live in MA (North Shore or Merrimack Valley) which has turned our attention to properties in Windham. I am going to spend the same on a home regardless if it is MA or NH. Actually, it will be more in NH when you figure in the ridiculous property tax rates you are charged up there.

Not sure how we went down the rabbit hole of guns and hunting?

[KickAssArmyChick]

Originally Posted by Bostonbull

Not sure how we went down the rabbit hole of guns and hunting?

Basically the people who move here from Mass want to turn this state into another Massachusetts. I am originally from Mass but moved here to get away from all of the BS in that state.....And I quite enjoy living here. So that's why people make assumptions. You are from Mass so at some point you're going to start voting for people who want this state to turn into a nanny state like our neighbors from South of the border etc etc. While I do not know anyone with that mindset, I am sure there's plenty of people who think that way.

[Bostonbull]

You know what they say about people who ASSume.



Just looking for good solid info on a town we perceive to be a great community. very hard to research towns and schools in NH for some reason.

What do I need to know about Windham? Give me the nitty gritty.

Any running, cycling, or triathlon clubs locally? Can I swim distance in any ponds or lakes safely? How are the schools? We have a large family and a very young family, our oldest start Kindergarten this coming fall.

[Mac_Muz]

Bostonbull and just how do you think we came to this ridiculous property tax rates here? I come from Hamilton Ma, and left that state because of its fees regs and etc and for guns as well. Like i said you don't want to be in NH so stay there. This isn't Mass annex NH. Riding to Muster in the Mountains I have had the cops called on me before. OMG OMG OMG there is a MAN OMG OMG riding a horse right up Rt 16 with e OMG OMG OMG GUN towards Mt Washington OMG OMG OMG. Well I knew the cop by his name and we sat on a Forest Service picnic table in the sleet laughing at you Flatlanders.

All you do is drive our taxes up. You said it yourself you don't want to take your own TRASH to the DUMP. You want me to pay for curb service and I don't want to pay for that or your kids in our school systems either.

[miu]

Originally Posted by Bostonbull

I see we need to pay for curbside trash and recycling, are all companies created equal in this space?

Gee Mac, I don't see where Bostonbull said that he was upset at paying for trash removal in NH. I think he was asking what trash removal service was best to use...

[Bostonbull]

I wish I could afford Hamilton! Great town with some of the best schools in the state. half miullion doesn't go too far there though.

Not complaining at all about guns, trash fees, high property taxes or angry white men riding horses towing a Dushka behind them into the sunset, to be honest!



Really just looking for info on raising a family in Windham, how the schools are, and anything important I should know about that area.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Bostonbull

I wish I could afford Hamilton! Great town with some of the best schools in the state. half miullion doesn't go too far there though.

Not complaining at all about guns, trash fees, high property taxes or angry white men riding horses towing a Dushka behind them into the sunset, to be honest!



Really just looking for info on raising a family in Windham, how the schools are, and anything important I should know about that area.

Windham is located in Rockingham county, NH and is one of two counties (including Strafford county) to be considered "part" of the greater Boston metropolitan area. I find Windham to be very suburban (by NH standards) with houses on much smaller lots than other parts of the state- leading to the area feeling far more crowded and similar to Mass. They pass most spending bills there and I think they built a new high school within the last few years along with a rec center. Median household income is higher in Windham than many other towns in the state so it ranks a bit closer to the Bedford or Amherst category in that regard.

[Nonesuch]

Originally Posted by Bostonbull

Working in MA and living in NH obviously means we will leave some $ on the table. How bad is the hit?

It's pretty bad. You owe all the property/auto/etc taxes to Windham and NH, and also have to pay full MA income tax, unless you can telecommute -- in that case, you get the annual pleasure of begging MADOR to refund your withholding for each day you can prove remote work.

I see we need to pay for curbside trash and recycling, are all companies created equal in this space?

Honestly, pretty much everybody takes their own trash to the Transfer/Recycling Station (never "the dump"), it's easier to make the drive once a week or so than to pay $8 and up for somebody else to do it.

With no real downtown area, what is the 'community' like in this town? What else should I know about living in NH and more importantly, living in Windham.

There are many events tuned to seniors and preteens, not much happening for ages between those two extremes. Other than that, the only thing I know about living in Windham is that swimming in Canobie Lake is forbidden.

Originally Posted by Bostonbull

Not sure how we went down the rabbit hole of guns and hunting?

Because Pelham Fish & Game is just south of the Windham town line, the club takes a lot of flak from new transplants from Massachusetts wondering why it has to be so darn loud on Saturday and Sunday mornings. This in turn makes some NH folk overly sensitive when people ask about moving up here from MA and are immediately looking for all the amenities of "back home".

Windham may be a bedroom community for Boston, but isn't that different from the rest of New Hampshire -- hunting is allowed on most town conservation land, and the #2 FAQ on the town police website is about how far from your neighbor you have to be to shoot on your property. And yes, it can get a bit noisy on weekend mornings and during hunting season (it's turkey season right now).