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The thing is that most of NH doesn't have "city water, sewer and trash pickup". Just so you know, and it's not coming anytime soon. And yes, there's no income or sales tax, but property taxes are really high AND you aren't going to like our electric rate or your high winter heating bills. Plus, having your cars doused with road salt all winter long is going to come as an added shock to your sensibilities.
My boyfriend loves NH but coming from FL, he hates the winter road salt and the rust on our cars.
Anyway, go house hunting in lower Southern NH. We're in Northwood (just east of Concord) and have two wells on our property (we have Poland Springs water delivered to us) and we pay for a trash pickup service. Our stove is electric. The septic field is okay for now. Our house roof needs replacing, but we're too busy paying our annual property tax bill of $9800. But you'd love our back 8 acre lot with the two fenced in horse paddocks. I still work in the Boston area. Sigh.
Hey, OP. I think I remember you posting back in the fall. You are in healthcare, yes? Your best bet would be to look around southern NH. The decision of where to live will depend on where you get a job.
As far as the electricity rates - I moved from southern NH to southern CA last summer, and the rates are very on par to what you are used to, but depending on how much you run an A/C can make that fluctuate. I know here in CA we don't really use one as we are close enough to the coast, but in NH our electric bill was quite a bit more in the summer to combat the heat and humidity.
As far as trash pickup, I have lived in Goffstown, Manchester, Concord, and Penacook, and they all had weekly trash pick-up. It is possible to find.
As far as natural gas, Concord has it piped in the streets in most neighborhoods. Another member of the NH board here, Val, is a real estate agent, and is a wealth of information about the area. She may be someone to reach out to by PM to help you with a search.
Thank you for your suggestions. We live up in Lancaster/Palmdale (high desert) and the heat in the summer in unbearable. We run the A/C day and night 24hrs during the summer and the electricity bills are astronomical. I will contact Val via PM and see if she is able to help us hone in on some towns.
Thanks again
Thank you for your suggestions. We live up in Lancaster/Palmdale (high desert) and the heat in the summer in unbearable. We run the A/C day and night 24hrs during the summer and the electricity bills are astronomical. I will contact Val via PM and see if she is able to help us hone in on some towns.
Thanks again
OK, so you're used to the A/C thing. You'll just need to get used to humidity, then.
Having a septic system isn't all that bad, especially since it's just the two of you. And it's not that big a deal having a well either. And whether the town picks up the trash or you hire a service, you end up paying for both. Nothing is "free".
If there isn't a gas line, there's always the option of using propane.
You also might like living near the coast and then having easy access to Maine to visit.
Thanks for the encouraging words regarding water and septic. When I said trash pickup I didn't mean free. We're used to paying for trash service and it would just be way more convenient to put cans out on the curb once a week rather than having to haul all of our trash to the transfer station. I'm sure you get it.
Thanks for the encouraging words regarding water and septic. When I said trash pickup I didn't mean free. We're used to paying for trash service and it would just be way more convenient to put cans out on the curb once a week rather than having to haul all of our trash to the transfer station. I'm sure you get it.
Well there are plenty of companies who will pickup your trash for you. What's the difference between the cost hidden in your property tax bill and just paying a contractor once a month for weekly trash pickup?
Well there are plenty of companies who will pickup your trash for you. What's the difference between the cost hidden in your property tax bill and just paying a contractor once a month for weekly trash pickup?
I don't care who we pay, as long as our trash is picked up. LOL!
In any case, what is the average cost for said service?
How much trash do you produce every week? Some companies pick up weekly. Some provide a small dumpster and do a pickup less often. We use Pinard. I suppose that you could call them up and ask their rates.
Otherwise we have friends that are really good about composting and recycling. Maybe having a trash compactor would also help minimize how much needs to be picked up and when.
Anyway, I'd find your perfect town, the perfect house and finding work before sweating these small details.
Hmmm... I think that our life in NH focuses mostly on these issues... how to pay our property taxes and then in the fall we start to worry about having enough seasoned wood for the wood stove and trying not to have our driveway plowed out too often at $40 a pass. In February, we had to use the plow guy EIGHT times and that adds up quickly.
And having no sales tax in NH wasn't even a factor in our wanting to move up here since we hardly buy anything brand new. We just wanted less people living around us, fresh air, a large garage for our motorsports hobbies and a large area for our dogs to run around in. So as soon as we saw the huge garage out back and the two fenced in paddocks, we were sold on our place.
My wife and I are coming to visit this October. If we really like NH we're planning to move by summer/fall 2016. Were in our mid 30s, work in healthcare and have no kids. Looking for nice low(er) tax towns in the lakes region or Merrimack Valley. Would be nice to be within 30min of dining, shopping, big box, movie theater, maybe a mall. We really want city water, sewer and trash pickup. Semi rural would be nice, but we don't mind housing developments as long as the houses are not right on top of each other. Natural gas would be a big plus! Prefer a home less than 20 years old. Hoping for 1/4 acre or more. We're on a 10K sq/ft lot currently and want a bigger yard for our dog to play in. Budget is sub 250K. We really love fishing, kayaking, snowboarding (most outdoor activities in general).
What are your suggestions? Do any towns come to mind that would be ideal for us?
Thanks,
Andy & Monique
The healthcare business is largely in Boston, Massachusetts. Yes, New Hampshire does have hospitals. But on a smaller scale. Hospitals and medical care are usually regulated to regional hospitals so your job perspectives and limited. There is a VA hospital in Manchester, NH. That one is limited as New Hampshire is one of the few if only state that does not have a 24 hour VA hospital. There is the Veterans Home in Tilton that does have some medical services. So that would cover government jobs. Manchester, NH does have two hospitals. But Manchester, NH is a city with many homes constructed on small lots. Dartmouth Hitchcock is the most famous hospital in New Hampshire as it is associated with Dartmouth College located in Hanover, NH. The hospital is actually in Lebanon, NH - next door town.
Most of these towns are old mill towns where the mills are now closed. Natural gas only went to the older larger cities and towns and hasn't expanded. Zoning in the surrounding towns stating larger land makes natural gas not cost effective to expand. Seeking a lower tax town is virtually mutually exclusive with what you are seeking. Finding any home at your price point with all of your other wants would be a challenge.
New Hampshire electric bills will be going upward as the state legislature passed a bill to make the ratepayer pay for a new natural gas pipeline. No one in the legislature wanted to pass a new tax, so they just add a fee to everyone's electric bill - and voila - no new taxes - but fees go up. The wonders of language.
Might be a good idea to get the jobs first - then state what your goals are for housing.
Many in New Hampshire commute long distances for employment. Best to check the two highways that go to Boston on a commuter morning to see for yourself what that is like. Commuter rail is virtually non-existent in New Hampshire as no one wants any legislature to invest in any form of rail.
For your automobiles best to read up on oil undercoating and Fluid Film vehicle undercoating. Both are legal in New Hampshire and will prevent your expensive vehicle investments from turning to rust. buckets.
Good luck.
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