[Boston Bill]

Hello,

I'm a Bostonian. I've been visiting VT for 25+ years. I fell in love immediately. I am now in a position to buy a tiny cottage on the ridge above Rochester, vt. I have been just about everywhere in vermont searching for a place to get a toehold. Someday, I would like to live here permanently, but I have a child in Boston and I must stay there for now because of divorce, not to mention I get paid pretty decent.

I have searched many different regions of vermont. I am considering rochester because of its central location, proximity to ski resorts, bucolic views, rural/agrarian unspoiled, cute village with square, amenities, national forest access, quick easy access to 89.

I would be renting the cottage out as often as possible and using it when it was empty.

Any reason NOT to choose Rochester, vt? Have I missed anything?

[suz1023]

I guess it depends upon what you like to do when in Vermont.
If small towns and hiking are your thing it may be perfect, but if the live theatre scene calls to you maybe a larger town might be easier. Rochester is a sweet town in a pretty valley, but it's too for from fine dining for us, with the exception of casa bella I guess.

Have you checked out the plowing situation on the road you may be buying the cottage on? tenants may need to get to work, whereas you wouldn't mind being snowbound for a few days.
Is the cottage insulated well? have a back up heat source? do check in with the neighbors and chat with them about the area and other neighbors to be sure you're not getting yourself a house with a history of carpenter ants or some such thing.
good luck!

[Boston Bill]

It's new construction 2007. Efficient propane with back up wood burning stove. Right on plowed road. It would be a short term rental, ideally at least 3 season.

[joe moving]

there is not much going on there so it might be hard to find a renter. If you think there is enough goingon then that is all that matters unless you are counting on the renter.

but you wouldn't ideally want to stay in Rochester if you were skiing at either Killington or Sugarbush / Mad river glen for the day just because it's a 30 minute drive.

I imagine Rochester is a lot cheaper than somewhere where there is a little more happening like 30 minutes north in the mad river valley area so there is that.good luck!

[cgregor]

If you are quite active physically and like to engage in your community, then you might find Rochester a perfect fit, but if you expect to be entertained by consumption-based activities (like Alpine skiing and driving to get to the slopes), probably not, unless you have an income considerably above the median Vermont income, which is somewhere between $38K and $44K. You might find cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to your liking, and every town's local organizations, from churches to garden clubs to PTA's, appreciate an extra pair of hands. Chevy Chase in "Funny Farm" details the bad side of the expectations game.

[harry chickpea]

My first response was "ROCHESTER?!?!?"

I agree that finding a local renter would be a challenge, but I suppose it might be rentable as a retreat for city folk. Different strokes I guess. You might try to find out if anyone in the area rents and what they get before investing.

[happeemommee]

If having a renter lined up would help you, my family and i are looking for a short term rental from about mid June to August.

[vter]

I really like Rochester. Cute little village with a couple restaurants and a small grocery. But echoing the others....its small. and isolated. You'll be driving EVERYWHERE to do anything at least 30 minutes one way. Some people like that, others don't.
If I were you I'd look into something a little closer to one of our larger towns. Middlebury comes to mind. If you want to woodsy feel look in Ripton. There is lots going on in Middlebury due to the college.