Has Anyone Moved to New Hampshire and Regretted It? (Keene: apartment, homes)

[touretteboy65]

Hello Everyone---I'm in a quagmire. We're approaching t-minus one year to my retirement and trying to decide where to move. We currently live in Florida and both of us (my wife and I) want to move out of the state. My choice is New Hampshire; your state is awesome! I've been there several times and recently took my wife there in June. She liked the area as well (Lakes Region). Her biggest concern is the winter weather, and she wants nothing to do with it. I recently emailed a person that posted on your site back in 2007 about her moving from southwest Florida to Keene. I asked how to describe to me her experience about the move. Needless to say, it didn't go well and she and her husband moved back to Florida after just 11 months. She talked about lack of services (and a host of other problems, some that I think were valid and some I think were not), and of course, the winters. Once my wife read her email, that essentially put the nail in the coffin. Now, it looks like we'll have to settle on moving to Virginia, which is OK (?) with me, but not really. We have two young daughters (6 & 4), and I wanted to move them to an area of the country that has a TRUE 4 seasons and is no longer part of the South. I was looking foward to raising them in an area with little to no crime, good schools, and beautiful New England style homes. I really liked the Lakes Region and so did my wife, however, it's those darn winters you all have that stops her in committing to such a move. I will be retiring with a pension, so income is not a HUGE concern, but I will still need to work full time for additional income and benefits for my wife and kids. Virginia will tax my pension, so any savings with lower property taxes will be eaten up with their pension tax. Without going on and on, I would like to ask any of you that were in a similar situation a few years ago that have made the move and your honest opinion of it all. Are you more happy? Less happy? All things considered, do you think it was all for the better? Thanks for any input.

[lisa g]

There was a woman from FL who posted enough here to convince many of her instability. This is a woman who changed her mind about how she felt about NH life - largely due to her not doing her homework before moving combined with her own personal issues she blamed NH for. If this woman's mail (likely ranting about her hate for NH) was the convincing factor for your wife, I am so sorry - that would be like making a major life decision because a psych patient has convinced you of it.

But - yes, it is NH, and we do get snow. So if your wife does not want to endure snowy winters, the bottom line is she will probably not be happy here. If you want your wife to experience it first, you really should visit during the winter. I would sooner decide based on experience than email you received - especially if it is from the woman I am thinking it is from.

[CaseyB]

Ahem, there WAS a former forum member who moved to New Hampshire from Florida. If this is the person you were in contact with, then you should dismiss outright 95% of her observations. What started out as probably valid complaints about her apartment and landlord, quickly grew to include wild allegations about the whole state.

I agree with Lisa, though. If your wife can't stand cold weather, what's the point? If it were just the 2 of you, I'd say come and try it out (rent) for a year. But since you have kids, I don't know if that's really an option for you.

[SpiritedOneder]

Hi!
I am originally from New Jersey, been in SouthEast Florida for over 20 years.
Am ready for the Northeast again, and want to be in the country. Hence, New Hampshire.
You need nurses (which I am), and, it seems you have a lovely family-type atmosphere. Even
though I am alone, I intend to 'adopt' people into my life and make them 'family'...something
lacking in the South Florida atmosphere.
Just wanted to note, after doing my homework, I think the area near the southwest border with
vermont and near to Lebanon and Claremont, look absolutely fabulous!
I can't wait!
Any input?

[Mrtwigg]

Define "Lack of services " ???

[touretteboy65]

Originally Posted by Mrtwigg

Define "Lack of services " ???

Few utility companies to choose from (phone, cable, internet services, etc). Snow clearing, etc, etc, etc......

[touretteboy65]

Is there a Northern vs Southern mentality? Some have told me that people living in the New England area would give the cold shoulder to those that have moved from the South to the North. I feel it's just one's personal opinion and how they perceive the response of their new neighbors. My experiences with New Englanders have been mostly positive.

[elston]

I lived in the Lakes Region of NH for more than 20 years....(Laconia and Belmont)....it does get cold and a good amount of snow. When I retired I moved to San Diego....but after about 5 years....I grew to hate it out there.....and longed for northern New England. I relocated and now live in southern Maine.

The area over near Keene is a bit out of the way and IMHO the highways poorly connect it to the rest of the state and the major population centers. (amenities) That area and the area of MA and VT that it borders is very beautiful but very rural.

It does get cold in the Lakes Region.....there are some significant storms....and sub zero weather. That is a small portion of the time but you will see the thermometer drop to 10 or 20 below (colder considering wind chills) on a few occassions.....and during the winter it will regularly drop to single digits or the teens at night and warm into the 20's by daytime. NH does an excellent job of maintaining the roads.....I ran a health care facility and my employees had to get in to work 3 shifts 362; it was never a problem....on the very few times workers had to come in late....one shift worked over to cover for them. There will be a few snow days for the kids when school gets cancelled and they get to do snow stuff.....Not A Problem.

My return to northern New England had to do with my own situation...family back east....BUT also because I love new england....and realized that as a retired person.....I can stay in and wait till the plow guy comes and plows me out.....that I dont have to be anywhere at any special time....and that a real big storm.....is beautiful and if you can stay cozy in your home.....it isnt a bad thing.

I really liked NH, (I wouldnt move north of Laconia area if I were you)....and I love southern Maine. Good Luck to You.

[nicolem]

We moved here over 10 years ago. One of the reasons we moved here was because we love fall and winter and are big outdoors people-running, hiking, snow shoeing. That being said-the past few years are taking their toll on my husband and me. Since 2005, NH has had record precipitation-both rain and snow. We have had three major floods, a lack of real sun the past two summers. Winter 2007-2008, our town had over 140 inches and last winter, while less snow, we were still well above average. I think even more than the snow is the real lack of sun the past two summers, at least compared to previous summers. While we are not people who like hot and humid weather, we would like at least to see the sun a little and not all of this rain. I hope this is just a cyclical pattern and perhaps things will change up a bit. We are even considering moving-while not specifically because of the weather, it is certainly part of it. We would be looking to move NJ/PA area where the winters aren't as heavy and we get some more sun and grow a decent garden.

I like NH and I am not trying to bash it, just trying to explain that these past few years weather-wise have been trying for even two winter lovers such as my husband and myself.


Regarding cable and internet-if you move to rural areas you will have limited choice and could be stuck with only Fairpoint which IMHO is not a good thing. There are threads here which elaborate on the mess that is.

Please take Lisa's advice and visit-more than once in the winter. My husband and I love winter, had been here dozens of times before we moved and my husband went to college here, so we were quite comfortable with what winter would bring. We really enjoyed our first 4 or 5 winters here. However, as I stated, the past few years have been enough to make even us reconsider living here.

Do I regret moving here? I cannot honestly say yes or no. Sometimes I feel that way and sometimes I don't. I know my husband feels the same way. If you have specific questions I would be happy to answer via dm because I don't want any of my dislikes to turn into a NH bash fest. This is what happened with a former member who moved here from Florida and then back. Keep in mind that some people are just plain miserable in life regardless of where they are. Also some people do not research, jump into decisions and then instead of taking responsibility for their actions-without research, feel the need to bash.


Nicole

[WannaComeHome]

lol, reading your thread title, my first thought was 'yes, there was one person who regretted it - but from all of her posts she seemed to be an unhappy person no matter where she was'. CaseyB- I love your <ahem>

TB, as far as NH is concerned, they aren't standoffish to people from the south- they'll probably love to here a southern accent if you (or your wife) have one! What folks are, are reserved. Friendly as all get-out if you need help, but until they get to know you (which can take a year or more, since they want to see if you're going to hang around or if you're going to make changes in their established way of life- read: insist on things that cause tax raises) they aren't right there in your face all the time. Good folk though, and honest folk. I tend to think it's more 'southerners' that have concepts about yankees than the other way around.

As to moving to VA... well, coming from FL you might be ok. the weather stinks. It's hot, it's humid (it feels like a laundromat), it's sticky... and while the winter doesn't get the snow, it gets ice more often, and has a lot more wind than NH, so it feels just about as cold. I figure, you might as well be in NH if it's going to be cold! Definitely visit for a few winter vacations. Remember to get decent cold weather clothes and you'll be fine. Oh, and usually the central and north get more snow than the south-central/seacoast, although that's a more expensive and crowded (for NH) area.