[LACarole]

Hi! We are thinking of making the move to Vermont in the next year or so and are excitedly looking at homes available for sale on any and every web site we can find, however, we know nothing of which town we want to live in.... We do know that we want to live in a small town that isn't flat. We live right outside Baton Rouge, LA right now and have had enough flat forever. We really want to find a nice, quiet, quaint small town that basically rolls up the sidewalks at dark. We have a teenager who is homeschooled, so schooling is not important, nor is a job, as my husband is retiring. Nightlife is not important - we're homebodies, for sure, but we do like to camp, hike, ski, etc. and would love to play in the snow. We would love some advice as to where we should start our search. Thanks so much for any help / advice you can give!

[harry chickpea]

How small a town? Many smaller towns don't have a grocery or other stores. Most towns are built in valleys or other spots where there is a little level area. Coming from the south, you will also want to limit your search to homes that get a fair amount of sun exposure. I suggest (as usual) renting for at least six months before investing in a home. You may find that the experience of living in Vt is different than you expect, and it'll give you much more time to look for a home that meets your needs.

[GypsySoul22]

I sent you a pm...it sounds like my town. It's a bit too quiet for me but the PO and deli close at 5, there isn't much going on, but it's beautiful here. The local green is gorgeous with mountain views--skiing and so on is not far. I've only been here a few months but it seems a lot like what you might want.

If your son drives he can go to a neighboring town for bowling or something. Teens play soccer on the green...

Just a small tourist/retirement town. You can pm me if you want more info.

[Mary77]

I live in Milton Vermont. I think it is a nice, safe town for a family. The only thing open at night is the grocery store, Mc Donalds and the library. One of the nice things about Milton is that it's small enough to get to know people easily. It takes about 25 minutes to get to Burlington which is where the malls and good restaurants are.

We moved here from Florida almost six years ago. We were excited about living in a beautiful place with four seasons and experiencing snow. We have enjoyed Vermont but the high cost of living and the long, dark winters have worn us down and we are ready to go back to the South. We plan to sell our house and move to Chattanooga TN by next summer. If you think you would be interested in Milton I could answer any questions you may have. The few pictures that are posted on the City-data.com for Milton don't really show what Milton is like. I should probably take some pictures and post them.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

LACAROLE : I moved from Proctor. Has all the stuff you
mention. The quintessntial NE town. Close to all amenities though,
even if it is Rotland.

MARY77:
We moved here from Florida almost six years ago. We were excited about living in a beautiful place with four seasons and experiencing snow. We have enjoyed Vermont but the high cost of living and the long, dark winters have worn us down and we are ready to go back to the South.

I dreaded our move to FL (family emergency) but now I wish we bypassed VT
completely and just came here. FLa has its share of problems but where we
are on the beach is idylic ! What makes it better is I have been able to
get a real, good job. After suffering the exact same stuff you mention, and
going broke in the process, The south truly is our paradise. I would always
go back to VT to visit, but I will like it much better knowing I can leave and
not be stuck there.

[LACarole]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

How small a town? Many smaller towns don't have a grocery or other stores. Most towns are built in valleys or other spots where there is a little level area. Coming from the south, you will also want to limit your search to homes that get a fair amount of sun exposure. I suggest (as usual) renting for at least six months before investing in a home. You may find that the experience of living in Vt is different than you expect, and it'll give you much more time to look for a home that meets your needs.

We will definitely rent before we buy, but we don't even know where to do that... I would definitely like a small town, but big enough to have a grocery store... Maybe a population of around 4 to 6 thousand, possibly more, but not more than 12 thousand. We are now on the outskirts of a city of 670,000 and just HATE it! I lived in a town years ago with a population of 174 people (and that was spread out over 1.5 sq miles) and then went to a university with only about 14,000 students. I definitely prefer the smaller of my choices, though not the smallest. My husband is from a town that only now has almost 13,000 people. We really would just like to find somewhere - even flattISH - with some kind of view (I'm a photography and landscape painting fanatic!), some nice people who take time to breathe and bbq with neighbors, the ability to enjoy the outdoors without being soaked with sweat within 8 seconds of exiting the air conditioning, the chance to make some lifelong friends and somewhere we can make a HOME, not just a place to lay our heads down and night and run out of on our way to work the next morning. I know that probably sounds corny, but my husband has been a policeman here for almost 30 years and we're really ready for a change of pace. We have 2 daughters, one finishing high school and one just starting high school who is actually homeschooled. We are all just so tired by the pace of everything and feel as though we really want to be somewhere that we can truly be a family again. Thanks again for responding - I look forward to hearing again from you!

[vter]

Hey LACarole, I replied to your DM.
Towns to consider in that population range would be Lyndon, St. Johnsbury, Hartford, Randolph, Montpelier, Waterbury, Morrisville, Middlebury, Brandon, Bennington, Brattleboro, Windsor, Bellows Falls, St. Albans. I didnt mention the greater Burlington area as it doesnt sound like what you are looking for. If you do decide you want to consider the Burlington area, I really like Richmond & Hinesburg.

[pucabear]

Glad you are enjoying Florida. We are enjoying Tennessee. Just think, if we didn't experience Vermont we would not appreciate what we have now!

[harry chickpea]

Cambridge/Jeffersonville - close to ski areas but quiet - shopping in Williston or Burlington or St. Albans.

Norwich - military academy there, husband might like the ambience.

Waterbury area. Lots of tourists passing through town, but some neighborhoods avoid alot of the traffic. Some local shopping - Montpelier and Burlington close enough for major shopping. Might be a little busy, but the day ends for most places (other than restaurants) at five.

Manchester and the East Arlington area. Norman Rockwell painted in the area. You might even recognize some of the faces. Upscale.

[LACarole]

Thanks so much to all of you! We have looked online extensively, so I already recognize some of those town names and can now begin to narrow my search! I appreciate you all taking the time to help me out!