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Hello everyone.
We will be moving this coming summer from south Florida. I’m a registered nurse (shouldn’t be a problem finding a job) with two teenagers. (16/19 this summer). We will be buying a home. I’ve lived in a small city and a small town before (western NC).
We have decided to leave the iguana and bug infested sprawl of Ft Lauderdale. I truly miss four seasons, and the mountains. I hope I have lived through my last hurricane. We don’t want to go back to NC (or TN) and I’ve ruled out most of the south.
My 16 year old will continue in public schools.
We are normal blue collar working folks (not wealthy, not retired). COL is a concern (and really, isn’t it for everyone??).
We are currently considering several areas including the White Mountains area of New Hampshire and also Vermont.
Although FL doesn’t have state income tax, our property taxes and home owners insurance is ridiculous. And I know that every state figures how to get their money (be it sales, property or income tax).
Any pointers or concerns about Littleton? Any other small mountain towns we should consider?
Thank you so much!
Have you and your family experienced a northern New England winter? If not, I would highly recommend renting for the first year and not rushing to buy a home. Winter here is a whole different thing than in NC.
I went through 4 "plow guys" in three winters, and ended up doing all my own snow removal ever since.
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Originally Posted by KCZ
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Originally Posted by Pokesmom
We will be moving this coming summer from south Florida... I’ve lived in a small city and a small town before (western NC).
Have you and your family experienced a northern New England winter? If not, I would highly recommend renting for the first year and not rushing to buy a home. Winter here is a whole different thing than in NC.
A few winters on the side of a mountain (or even a big hill), and you'll start regretting your desire for elevation!
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Originally Posted by gf2020
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Originally Posted by Pokesmom
I’m a registered nurse (shouldn’t be a problem finding a job) with two teenagers. (16/19 this summer).
I would find a job first and then a place to live.
Absolutely. With 2 teens, OP might also consider looking for a state with good state schools and low in-state tuition.
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Originally Posted by Pokesmom
We are normal blue collar working folks (not wealthy, not retired). COL is a concern (and really, isn’t it for everyone??). Although FL doesn’t have state income tax, our property taxes and home owners insurance is ridiculous.
I don't know that NH would be much better in terms of property taxes, but NH and VT are much better than Florida for affordable insurance. That said, overall COL is high in all of Northern New England.
I don't live in a "mountain town", but I do have a view of several mountains from my windows -- what are you looking for in a town?
No. I have definitely been in snow before (lived 8 years in rural Appalachia). No matter where I go, I will be dealing with snow. If hundreds of millions of people deal with it, then I will be ok too.
A few winters on the side of a mountain (or even a big hill), and you'll start regretting your desire for elevation!
Absolutely. With 2 teens, OP might also consider looking for a state with good state schools and low in-state tuition.
I don't know that NH would be much better in terms of property taxes, but NH and VT are much better than Florida for affordable insurance. That said, overall COL is high in all of Northern New England.
I don't live in a "mountain town", but I do have a view of several mountains from my windows -- what are you looking for in a town?
Rural or semi rural. Small town. Not a major city. Hills or mountains. 4 seasons (Florida only has two-hot and hotter). Needs a hospital.
I’m not especially picky to be honest. I want to feel safe, low crime. Affordable. I don’t need a lot of entertainment...
I’ve heard good things about Littleton so I wanted to pick the minds of the collective about other small towns in New Hampshire. We are planning a visit for this spring, before we sell our house and move.
As has been stated a multiplicity of times. Get the JOB first. Then rent for a year.
Many posts such as this. A few years ago a post. Family moved to NH from out of state. Put 10's of thousands of dollars in upgrades into home. A few years later had to move for whatever reason. Could not sell house. All offers would not even cover the mortgage. Family had to put out 30 - 40 thousand dollars of own money just to sell the house.
Might be good to get the job first. Rent. Then begin shopping for house.
I like Littleton. It has an attractive downtown, a major grocery store (Shaw's, which I find a bit expensive), hospital, Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot and recreational opportunities. The surrounding area is attractive.
The major drawback is its isolation. To get to bigger places in central New Hampshire you have to drive through Franconia Notch, where route 93 narrows from 4 lanes to 2. I've heard the Notch can be icy in the winter. On the other hand you could take route 91 in Vermont to Lebanon, NH.
Another place to consider might be Plymouth, which is surrounded by hills and mountains and has some major services and stores. An awful lot of New Hampshire is rural, mountains, and hills. The lifestyle in each area is different. For example, there isn't much water (lakes and ponds) in the White Mountains if you're interested in kayaking and canoeing, but the Lakes Region (obviously) does have a lot of great lakes and ponds.
Your choice should also consider what places you can get to from your chosen town. From Littleton you can go to northern Vermont and western Maine. From Concord (not in the mountains) and surrounding towns you can go to the ocean, Boston, and Portland, Maine.
An area that would not interest you would be From Concord south to the border of Massachusetts along route 93. Most of the rest of the state is rural and hilly or mountainous, except for the southeast corner.
There is a fairly big climate difference from north to south in New Hampshire. The farther north you go, the cheaper houses get, it gets colder, and snow increases. Berlin would be a possibility, but it's pretty cold up there.
If there are a lot of jobs in nursing, I think lifestyle would be the determining factor, especially if you enjoy the outdoors (skiing, hiking, etc.). Also the quality of schools. Maybe you can tell us more about what you like to do outside your work.
I agree 100% that you should rent for one or two years before choosing your final destination.
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I went through 4 "plow guys" in three winters, and ended up doing all my own snow removal ever since.
