Littleton area VS Bartlett area? (Conway, Bethlehem: rentals, house, neighborhood)

[LACarole]

Hi all! We are going to be making a move to NH sometime in the next few months and are still debating exactly where we want to be. Living in Louisiana now, it is difficult to personally compare each area we explore, so I was hoping y'all could give me some help. We are interested in the Littleton area (Bethlehem, Bath, Whitefield, etc.) and the Bartlett area (Glen, Jackson, etc.). I am wondering what the pros and cons of each area are, how the home and rental prices differ, whether either area is prone to large numbers of tourists, etc. Some details: I'm a stay at home mom with homeschooled kids and hubby is retired, so we don't have to worry about jobs or school districts, though we would like to be in a decent neighborhood or even a little bit out in the country. We don't necessarily have to be "in town" and are even interested in surrounding towns and villages. We will be renting long term (12+ months) at first so that we can get out there and then do our own exploring and find a forever spot to buy. Don't want to be in any place larger than about 5000 people, and being near a college or university wouldn't be bad, as our youngest child will be graduating high school in 2 yrs. Okay, let me have it - don't hold back! And thanks!

[gcberry]

While looking for a place to buy, we came across a great house in Bath NH for $165K on Tyler Way. In the end, however, we bought land in ME. You should definitely check out Bath on nneren.com. It's less than an hour to Dartmouth (and great medical care). Good luck!

[Verseau]

Hi LACarole!

I'm not familiar with differences in housing/rental costs between these towns, but maybe someone who lives in the area can help you with that.

One thing that is certain is that the Bartlett/Glen/Jackson area is definitely the more tourist-filled of the two. Usually the tourists are only in large numbers on the weekends... in the winter it's the skiers; vacationers in the summer; and leaf-peepers in October. Fortunately, it's much quieter in the spring and late fall.

Of course, that's not to suggest that the Bartlett area is swarming with people! The only place that you would encounter actual "traffic" is in Conway on the big holiday weekends. And one advantage of the Bartlett area is that you're literally in the heart of the White Mountains.

The Littleton area and the other towns you mentioned are slightly more off the beaten path. They're not quite in the mountains but are only a short drive away. You can definitely find the rural lifestyle you're looking for in all of the towns you mentioned, but the two areas are slightly different in this regard.

Bartlett, Jackson, Glen etc. are situated in mountain valleys, so there isn't much to the towns beyond the main road and the few side roads. But they sure are beautiful! Littleton, Bath, Whitefield, etc. have a bit of farmland and are generally less "commercialized" and tourist-oriented than the mountain towns, although Littleton is the largest of the towns you mentioned.

[jthibodeau]

Hi LACarol,

Verseau has covered many good points. One aspect you'll need to consider is how far you'll want to commute for your conveniences, such as food, clothing and entertainment. You'll also need to consider the slower going winter conditions. Certain towns tend to remove snow along school bus routes sooner then secondary roads. The areas you've selected will, normally, receive more snow fall than those areas below the "notches".

I'm sure the economy has lowered the rental prices some for longer term leases. Hopefully, someone in the direct neighborhood will have more information for you. You may consider placing an advertisement in local news papers inquiring about housing rentals during the period your interested in. This may generate more options for you.

With that said, here is an early welcome to our State of New Hampshire....all 26 degrees this morning......at least here!

Best of luck, LA....Let us know if there is anything else.