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I'm going to be moving to the Portsmouth area for a job soon and I know very little about the area. I was hoping to get some advice from people around the area.
First off, I am a single young male, so I am just looking for a smaller apartment. I would like to be near some sort of entertainment / night life scene. After looking around the Portsmouth apartments I quickly found out how expensive they were. A friend recommended the Newmarket or Durham area. Any input on those? I really would like to save some money rather then throw it all towards rent.
Another question, a few friends of mine will be moving to Nashua. We talked about getting a house in the Manchester area so it would be "close" to both of us. Is this unrealistic? Travel time on google said about 45 minutes...but what about rush hour traffic?
I personally think you'd like the Manchester area with your friends better than the Portsmouth/Newmarket area, especially where you're single. In Manchester, you've got the Verizon Wireless Center in Manchester for hockey games and concerts. It'll be SO much easier for you to get to Nashua from that neck of the woods and there's more going on at night for you over that way, so I say go for it with your friends, get a house or an apartment with them, you'll also live cheaper than if you were alone too don't forget, you'll save quite a bit with roommates. You're young, single and a male? Go for that part of the state rather than over by the seacoast area. It's definitely geared for married couples over this way and trust me on that I know because I'm single and live here and know the seacoast like a book now.
You'd be traveling on route 101 to the Portsmouth area for your job every day from the Manchester area if you end up moving over by there. There wouldn't be huge mega tie ups like down in the Boston area. It would at least move along so that's one thing you'll notice with it from Manchester to Portsmouth and all along that stretch. It's probably just going to be annoying for you some times that's all. It's the winter, snowy days that you have to consider, and we really didn't have it that bad this year, but every year you can't predict it, you know what I mean?
Actually the commute of 45 minutes is an average one for people now a days, that part is up to you on whether you want to do that or not.
Another option....you could always just get an apartment near Portsmouth or in one of the surrounding towns on the seacoast and hang out with your friends in the Manchester & Nashua neck of the woods on weekends. You'd have the best of both worlds....
Personally the Newmarket/ Durham area is a great place to live. I have lived in the manchester area for a bit and didnt really like it. Nothing really beats the seacoast. You can always find something to do. Expecially in the summer, if you are a active person and like to play sports there are many different pick up leagues for softball, basketball, and other sports, not to mention you are right near the ocean. If you are going to be working in Portsmouth I wouldnt recommend Manchester just because of the distance it is from Portsmouth and the fact you would have to deal with 101 on a daily basis, and during the winter months which can be a *****. Well that is my 2 cents, take care, and good luck with the new job
I personally prefer the seacoast and am just not a fan of Manchester. The issues however w/ Portsmouth: it isn't as vibrant a small city as some may tend to believe visiting there on a cold winter night. Summers are active, but much of the rest of the year, it is quiet. But alot of course depends on what your use to. Many people I hear in the vicnity have gotten in the habit of making the 45 minute drive up to Portland, Maine and seem to think it is more vibrant year-round. Personally, I've outgrown the nightlife scene beyond a good tavern w/ a decent jukebox, food, clientele, maybe a televised game, and courteous employees. Portsmouth still has a good chunk of that, but despite the opening of a couple supposed dance clubs, you may not find it serves the need if your looking for a more spectacular tempo.
As for rentals, yes they are alot. You can do slightly better (not alot) in the vicinity in Newmarket, Hampton, and Exeter. Newmarket has a litany of issues these days though, so be forewarned....even if your only renting, Rt 108 is a ***** at rush hour and all the floods have caused major problems w/ 108 being closed for long intervals and many residents being evacuated.
PoleMan - I love the Seacoast. Its truly special. Low-tax NH living with a tiny ocean - its one of a kind in the six New England States. Manchester is very progressive - its beautiful downtown, and you're going to have a lot more "thumping music" bars there and that kind of scene. I appreciate CityGirl's comments, but before I was recently married - I had a lot of fun with the dating scene in Portsmouth. There's always brides-maid parties and UNH "Possies" coming out to play by "The Decks" etc. People come for "events" like that because it IS an event to come to The Seacoast. I DO LIKE downtown Manchester, but outgrew the "Vanilla Ice" thumping music (ok - dating myself, but is it REALLY that different -- no talent, THUMP/GRIND -- repeat process, etc.). Anyway, Portsmouth is better suited to those who can converse over a local ale with a fireplace blazing then to those "thumping". Manchester is growing quickly and the Seacoast is Pricey, but both offer "value". While you pay more on the Seacoast, when we read the paper about crime - we usually guess correctly that it was in ManchVegas. However, when you're looking @ a condo or something, Manch is FAR and AWAY more economic to get into - and has a lot of Jobs. The Seacoast is building out Pease Development area (old AF base) and has a lot of tenants as well.
Newmarket is WONDERFUL and the downtown is quaint - fun, you get to know people fast. It has had issues RE: flooding with the "Two" hundred year storms, but I never heard about it prior to that. I love that town. You MAY consider EPPING. Its a Bedroom community, but UBER convenient to Manch. and Portsmouth. However, that 101 jaunt after a couple beers is a gamble - BIG time. Smokey's prowl it.
Nashua - nice down-town, but you might as well be on the moon. Its SOO far and difficult to get to. It is a nice renaissance they've experienced.
-Jude
i, too, will be moving to portsmouth for a job soon. i went on an apartment hunting trip a month ago, and ended up paying the price to live in portsmouth.
newmarket has bad cellphone reception at most of the apartments i looked at, and would require a land-line if you ever want to make a call from home.
downtown newmarket is very nice, but small. a few cool bars, pizza shops, and various stores. portsmouth definately seems to have much more to offer.
also, the apartments in newmarket are not much less expensive. when you consider that you're adding to your commute and therefore gas and wear-and-tear on your car, portsmouth turns out to be a much better deal.
i, too, will be moving to portsmouth for a job soon. i went on an apartment hunting trip a month ago, and ended up paying the price to live in portsmouth.
newmarket has bad cellphone reception at most of the apartments i looked at, and would require a land-line if you ever want to make a call from home.
downtown newmarket is very nice, but small. a few cool bars, pizza shops, and various stores. portsmouth definately seems to have much more to offer.
also, the apartments in newmarket are not much less expensive. when you consider that you're adding to your commute and therefore gas and wear-and-tear on your car, portsmouth turns out to be a much better deal.
I agree with all of this and also had forgotten the issue of cell reception. While I was shocked at the atrocious cell reception in this day and age through out much of the state of New Hampshire, Newmarket takes it to new heights. There is no reception what so ever downtown no matter what the carrier. There have been debates about towers, but some of the school zoning, i.e children issues, have always gotten in the way of carriers such as Verizon from providing accommodating towers. The rest of Newmarket is quite spotty as well and dropped calls are the norm. There really isn't much point to owning a cell phone if you don't need to utilize it much beyond the town itself.
Rt 108 between the town and Durham is closed for a duration every time there has been flooding (which obviously has been frequent in recent years). The detour route turns a drive to UNH from 5 minutes to 20+ minutes. Many downtown apartments are sorely outdated and out of fire code. The "Green Bean" recently renovated mercifully: terrific breakfast food down across from the Lamprey River, but before recently, there was no ventilation, just a few scattered floor fans and it was unbearable to dine there in the summer months. I could not believe this day and age, such realities could exist in 21st century America.
There are other great restaurants as well, from Riverworks to quite possibly the best pizza I've ever experienced in the northeast, Panzanellas. For such a small town environment, the activity after dark far exceeds that of nearby Exeter, which is despite many good qualities, their far larger downtown business center is a complete morgue after dark. But be forewarned there are plenty of issues that are really frustrating the locals: the roads and infrastructure combined w/ horrible traffic for a small access route like 108, the flooding, higher than norm taxes and controversy over the building of a new high school, collaborating tales of corruption w/ the town council, and of course the issue w/ cell phones. All this by the way has really caused many a concerns over future real estate values in Newmarket. My best recommendation is if it suits your purposes for renting, go ahead. There are plenty of positives to the town and I can see more benefits than any where in the seacoast region for some. But from a buyer's persepective, I think there are too many red flags and buying a home here is a poor investment.
Thanks for all of the great info so far. The more I read, I'm leaning towards Portsmouth. I have never been a big "dance club" person, more of a pub with a dark beer guy.
I'm going to visit and look for apartments this weekend. Hopefully I find something I like! Anymore input is greatly appreciated. Thanks again.
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