Wannabe New Hampshirites (Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth: fit in, transplants, sales)

[chicnamdbrandon]

My husband and I would like to relocate possibly to the Shire. I am originally from NJ (farmlands not city) and he is from here (Alabama). I have lived in the South for 16 years now and I still don't fit in . Oddly enough he doesn't fit in either We have 3 little girls that I homeschool and he works in the automation field (manufacturing), I am the DYM at a Catholic Church (I am ok with being a SAHM too though!) Are there any towns you all would like to suggest to us for our initial visit? Any read on local manufacturing jobs (PLC programming/robotics)? Anyone wanna chime in on homeschooling laws in NH? In Alabama there isn't much regulation at all. The Libertarian in me is ok with some oversight but I am definitely not looking for the State to overstep, KWIM?

Thanks in advance!!

[blessedme]

Homeschooling in NH is great!! Huge community with various activities and classes. The laws are very HS friendly. You sent a letter of intent before your child starts 1st grade and you are done. You can choose to either test or do evaluation at the end of the year. If you decide to test, you just doing it for yourself, really as test results don't have to be submitted anywhere.

[Jeff_NH]

I'd recommend visiting Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth areas. If you have limited time/resources then perhaps just Manchester/Nashua area (within 15 minutes of each other). The three combined will give you good access to many of the employers in the state (though there are certainly options further north as well).

Do you already know about the Free State Project?

[Northeastah]

Lots of manufacturing around Manchester and Nashua. Agree with Jeff above ^^

As for politics - it's funny how that keeps coming up from folks looking to relocate. I've only been here since the Spring and have not felt any strong political anything. Maybe it's where I live - but everyone around here is "live and let live" - no one is in your face at all. Which is just FINE with me

Good luck to you!!

[chicnamdbrandon]

Blessedme that is great news! It sounds very similar to Bama, we don't have mandatory evaluations or testing at the end of the year but I choose to do them anyway (CAT).

Jeff_NH thanks for the suggestions! I know about FSP, but you may know more feel free to enlighten me.

Northeastah I think a lot of people are looking for a change.

We have some vacation time coming up and we were *thinking* of scraping our beach vacay for a NH vacay ha! My kids would kill me.....

Thanks all!

[unit731]

Come on up.
New Hampshire is about one half transplants anyway.

It's hit or miss for manufacturing jobs. Pay isn't that great but neither is it anywhere else.

No sales tax. No income tax.
Heating bills will be high. Real estate taxes vary greatly.
Best have good M+S tires or AWD/4WD.
Get a snow thrower or hire someone to plow driveway.
Unless you are renting in a complex.

[chicnamdbrandon]

At this point I am fine with high heating bills I am so tired of the heat! I have a wood burning stove in my house in Alabama - it never gets used!


I think we will come visit in the spring! Anyone wanna house swap? hehe.....

[chicnamdbrandon]

Hubby has been applying for jobs for months with no leads Anyone know a good recruiter or agency?