[casualobserver]

Carol,

If anybody wants low cost burden in New England, they should want New Hampshire. No income tax other than on interest and dividends (of a fairly high amount). Property tax figure roughly 1.8% of the house's market value. Sales tax only on restaurant food. Personally, I think the White Mountains of NH are underappreciated relative to the Green Mountains of Vermont.

LACowboy, no doubt about it, you pay through the nose and then some. But a technical correction nit on your income tax rate.......I believe it is 9.3, but there is a 1% "mental health tax" on incomes over $1M. I say this only to preserve Vermont's status in Wikipedia as the highest pure state income tax of 9.5.

[possumator]

Yes, I think Vermont is largely overrated when compared to New Hampshire. The white mountains are quite pretty. And while NH has only a short seacoast, it is mostly accessible to the public.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by possumator

Yes, I think Vermont is largely overrated when compared to New Hampshire. The white mountains are quite pretty. And while NH has only a short seacoast, it is mostly accessible to the public.

Reputations do have a way of influencing others' impressions of a place. However, I have lived in both NH & Vermont and I much prefer Vermont.

[casualobserver]

Circling back on some of the previous topics in this thread, I would appreciate a little further education.........if a VT house listing said........lp gas, baseboard heat, hot water heat.........would you think that is some sort of duplicative system or that simply you use lp gas to fire a boiler which then pushes the hot water through a baseboard radiator system? Would the latter be a decent way to heat in VT?

Isn't lp gas more costly than oil? Why would someone pick lp gas over oil?

Finally, can I trust there is good building code in VT, so that if a house was built in the last 10 years or so, it would have an excellent snowload rated roofing system, insulation well past usual R-11/R-19 targets, double insulated windows, etc., or would I be at the mercy of whomever built it?

[chaz longue]

Originally Posted by casualobserver

Circling back on some of the previous topics in this thread, I would appreciate a little further education.........if a VT house listing said........lp gas, baseboard heat, hot water heat.........would you think that is some sort of duplicative system or that simply you use lp gas to fire a boiler which then pushes the hot water through a baseboard radiator system? Would the latter be a decent way to heat in VT?

Isn't lp gas more costly than oil? Why would someone pick lp gas over oil?

Finally, can I trust there is good building code in VT, so that if a house was built in the last 10 years or so, it would have an excellent snowload rated roofing system, insulation well past usual R-11/R-19 targets, double insulated windows, etc., or would I be at the mercy of whomever built it?

I'd guess it's - lp gas to fire a boiler which circulates hot water through a baseboard system. The hot water may be heated with lp gas too.

First, I'd suggest you look at the S.P.I.R. Your own agent can get this out of the MLS for you. This should tell you a lot about the property which the publicly distributed parts of the MLS data report don't contain. There should also be other documents available - a deed, plot plan, survey, etc. Then I'd suggest a call to the fuel provider to get a sense of how the bills run.

Then, I'd strongly suggest any offer contain a carefully-written contingency which ends with the sentence "inspection to be to purchasers satisfaction". I use this in offers and contracts, and specify a date after which the contract contingency (should the offer become a contract) is deemed waived absent written notice by the prospective buyer. This is a long winded way of saying you should reserve the right to have a professional property inspection, and to withdraw your offer (by a certain date) if not satisfied with the results. Then you're not at anybody's mercy!

Picking the right Professional Property Inspector is important too, I believe.

I hope that helps!

David Beckett

[casualobserver]

Thank you, David. A property purchase in Vt is a possibility that has not yet matured into a probability. I am just hanging around the forum to develop an initial familiarity.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by chaz longue

Then, I'd strongly suggest any offer contain a carefully-written contingency which ends with the sentence "inspection to be to purchasers satisfaction". I use this in offers and contracts, and specify a date after which the contract contingency (should the offer become a contract) is deemed waived absent written notice by the prospective buyer. This is a long winded way of saying you should reserve the right to have a professional property inspection, and to withdraw your offer (by a certain date) if not satisfied with the results. Then you're not at anybody's mercy!

I agree with David! My husband and I have heard of property in other areas being bought & sold with such ferocity that inspections didn't occur. There is no way I'd buy a home anywhere without the contingency David mentioned.

[melaniek93]

wow! i've been thinking of moving up to possibly St. Albans or the surrounding area to be close to the boarder because my mom lives on the Canadian side. We presently live in VA but y'all have pretty much scared me away for the moment....I am being realistic about the COL..I do know that it is more expenssive up there...but to read that if I dont have a job first I shouldn't move and that everything is so much more expenssive and apts are hard to find...I may be misunderstanding all this but isnt St Albans a nice place for a family of 5 to start new in a little country setting and yet still have good education and employement?

[Sporin]

Originally Posted by melaniek93

wow! i've been thinking of moving up to possibly St. Albans or the surrounding area to be close to the boarder because my mom lives on the Canadian side. We presently live in VA but y'all have pretty much scared me away for the moment....I am being realistic about the COL..I do know that it is more expenssive up there...but to read that if I dont have a job first I shouldn't move and that everything is so much more expenssive and apts are hard to find...I may be misunderstanding all this but isnt St Albans a nice place for a family of 5 to start new in a little country setting and yet still have good education and employement?

Seriously, why would any rational person move to any new local without having a job and housing in place first?

That's a "common sense" thing, not just a "Vermont thing."

IMO.

[melaniek93]

i tend to think i am a rational person and to be honest i have been researching...it's still a ways away and i haven't really made my final decision...i guess i haven't put that much effort into the job search and living because i do have the option of living with my mom while school is out and be able to actually go to job interviews in person and be able to do my research in person aswell.....is this not a good plan? not quite sure but any input would be much appreciated....