Moving from CA to NH to work in Derry; where to live? (Manchester: lease)

[CalCoast]

Will potentially be working in Derry this fall at Pinkerton Academy. I visited Portsmouth and Concord very briefly in mid-1990's but that's about it. I remember liking Portsmouth but I don't want a long commute with $4 fuel (maybe 15-20 minutes max?). Please help with following questions:

It looks like it might be better to live North or East of Derry but which direction is best?

I would be looking for a newer (energy efficient?) house with 1 to 2 acres lot (privacy), near woods, hills or streams (nature). I think $300k to $350k would be a good budget but could go a bit higher.

We are avid tennis players. Is there a year-round tennis scene in NH? If not, is there a 3-season tennis scene? What's tennis like in Derry?

Could I get in trouble for being a San Diego Chargers fan? Are you guys all Pats fans?

Thanks if you could help...

[CometVoyager]

Originally Posted by CalCoast

Will potentially be working in Derry this fall at Pinkerton Academy. I visited Portsmouth and Concord very briefly in mid-1990's but that's about it. I remember liking Portsmouth but I don't want a long commute with $4 fuel (maybe 15-20 minutes max?). Please help with following questions:

It looks like it might be better to live North or East of Derry but which direction is best?

I would be looking for a newer (energy efficient?) house with 1 to 2 acres lot (privacy), near woods, hills or streams (nature). I think $300k to $350k would be a good budget but could go a bit higher.

We are avid tennis players. Is there a year-round tennis scene in NH? If not, is there a 3-season tennis scene? What's tennis like in Derry?

Could I get in trouble for being a San Diego Chargers fan? Are you guys all Pats fans?

Thanks if you could help...

Cal Coast, welcome to the board and I promise I will not tell anyone you are a Chargers fan! Lets keep that Mum, that is if you want to live in peace!!!

Yes, I am certain there is indoor tennis in NH probably near Beford or Manchester you will find that or Concord if you want to live that far away. But good luck in your move and look forward to seeing you on the board.

[buck naked]

try Hampstead or Sandown - both have reasonably priced housing and both are near to Derry for commuting.

[Valerie C]

Hi CalCoast, and congrats on getting a job at Pinkerton. There are so many towns right around Derry where you might find what you're looking for--unlike other areas of the country, in NH you don't need to drive an hour or more to find different landscapes, politics, etc. As far as where to live, you can surely find something in that price range. May or may not be brand new or have the granite/tile/stainless that is all the rage right now, but streams, woods and nature, yup, we've got it! I live in neighboring Londonderry, and love the mix that I can find from one town to the next. Couple of nice towns with easy access to Derry might be Auburn, Chester, Sandown. Rural in nature (but growing) you can still find 1-3 acre properties with woods, streams, etc. These are more rural in nature than Derry, Londonderry, Windham.

There are outdoor tennis courts in Derry and in Londonderry. Plenty of indoor as well, but not in either of those towns. If you're in southern NH, you're not too far from Cedardale in Haverhill MA. They are THE tennis destination for many. I lived nearby and belonged to Cedardale several years ago. Check out Cedardale Summer Tennis Camp

Nashua Tennis and Swim Club is fairly casual (great place for kids to learn). The seacoast areas have quite a few indoor clubs (Seacoast Indoor Tennis Club in North Hampton, one also in Madbury if I remember correctly)

And ok... I guess you can be a Chargers fan... But remember that e all (well, mostly) are Ram's fans, but they are after all the NEW ENGLAND Patriots, and since most of us grew up watching them LOSE, it's nice to ride this wave of being the winning team

[CalCoast]

I appreciate your responses and will keep my SD Chargers fondness in the closet. I have a friend from 'Baastan' who has a hard time supporting his Pats here in North San Diego County. I go easy on him but he apparently gets a lot of guff at work. Of course, he dishes it out when the Pats have beat the Chargers the last two meetings. It's growing into a cross-coast rivalry. I like a team when I like its' players and coaches, not just because it's the closest team to my home, geographically. I like a lot of NE players too, especially Tom Brady. But Bill B. is a guy who is hard to like. But I respect his skills.

I don't have the job yet, just in the application phase, but there seems to be interest. Any comments about Pinkerton Academy itself? I read Buck Naked's comments and a few other board members' comments on another thread. I would have a ninth grader and eleventh grader attending Pinkerton but I would also have a third grader. Any suggestions about elementary schools?

Thanks again for your helpful information.

[Hampstead Resident]

We are in East Hampstead and were at Pinkerton this morning, a 15 minute quiet rural drive. We are about 15-20 minutes from Cedardale which is in the other direction, through Plaistow in Haverhill. Schools in Hampstead are excellent with Pinkerton being the high school. It is a very safe, child-friendly town, right at the border to MA with 12 minutes to 495.

We are in a newer house in a very nice subdivision on Ellyson Ave, looking to move back to MA. It has amazing insulation for winter. We would prefer to sell, but would consider a lease with option to buy. Feel free to email me if you decide to take this further.

[CalCoast]

Thanks to all who replied to my query but apparently Pinkerton Academy extended an offer to another teacher before they received my full application. They were interested in my resume' but my application was delayed almost two weeks while I waited for a New Hampshire teaching certificate eligibility letter.

Too bad because I was very positive about living and working in NH. Although San Diego has great weather, the beach and a three-hour drive to skiing, there is much about NH that is appealing: the four seasons, a sense of history, a sense of place and, of course, the best state motto in the country. Your housing costs are more affordable too. Will keep looking for a German teacher position (and football coach and tennis coach) in your area.

Cheers,
CalCoast (Tom)