[Brrrmont]

Hi all,

I have been considering moving to Vermont (Upper Valley region) to escape the insanity of Long Island, NY (yes, I know, another flatlander), and it would be helpful if you could express your knowledge of and living experience in Vermont.

I have been traveling to Vermont for 20 years for vacations (summer and winter). So I am aware of the dark, gray, cold winters that can be brutal at times and the terrific summers. I have always had good experiences in Vermont (I know, it was just vacations), and I have always met friendly people who live there. Whether they were native Vermonters or not is another question.


I am also aware of the job market, but I would be a math teacher, so I will have a stable salary (not very high though).


I know there are many posts on this topic, but it would be nice to have one place to look instead of searching through all of the posts.

If you can share any kind of experience that would be helpful or just express an opinion, it would be appreciated.

Besides your opinions, I would like to know if the long cold winters are really difficult to adjust to? I do like winter sports, so maybe the adjustment will not be too bad.

Thanks

Oh yea, I came up with "Brrrmont" because my 10 year old said to me last winter while skiing in Vermont "....daddy, they should just call it Brrrmont because it is so cold..."

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by Brrrmont

Hi all,

I have been considering moving to Vermont (Upper Valley region) to escape the insanity of Long Island, NY (yes, I know, another flatlander), and it would be helpful if you could express your knowledge of and living experience in Vermont.

I have been traveling to Vermont for 20 years for vacations (summer and winter). So I am aware of the dark, gray, cold winters that can be brutal at times and the terrific summers. I have always had good experiences in Vermont (I know, it was just vacations), and I have always met friendly people who live there. Whether they were native Vermonters or not is another question.


I am also aware of the job market, but I would be a math teacher, so I will have a stable salary (not very high though).


I know there are many posts on this topic, but it would be nice to have one place to look instead of searching through all of the posts.

If you can share any kind of experience that would be helpful or just express an opinion, it would be appreciated.

Besides your opinions, I would like to know if the long cold winters are really difficult to adjust to? I do like winter sports, so maybe the adjustment will not be too bad.

Thanks

Oh yea, I came up with "Brrrmont" because my 10 year old said to me last winter while skiing in Vermont "....daddy, they should just call it Brrrmont because it is so cold..."

Hi. Check your direct messages.

[mustmove]

Go for it.

[Lilybeans]

Winters get depressing, if you don't like winter, from mid-January to the end of March. Just my opinion, because I always liked wintertime. I live in Florida now, but would move back in a second if I could find a job.

[Homeseeking]

I lived in Vermont for many years. I would love to move back , but I cant afford it. Houses are ridiculously expensive, and taxes even more so. Let alone the cost of heating oil for the long winters.

And Im an RN, and Ive crunched the numbers and I still cant afford to do it.

[DogLady321]

If you like outdoor winter activities you might actually enjoy the winter. But we don't get a whole lot of sun in the winter regardless of how much snow we get.

Finding a job, any job is the biggest challenge in VT.

Compared to other areas of the country the houses are reasonably priced.

Not sure what numbers the RN is crunching but RN's are one of the highest paid people that live here.

Burlington houses tend to be more expensive than Brattleboro houses.

You would definitely want to have a job lined up before arriving here, although you are a teacher, it doesn't mean you will easily find a job. Once folks find jobs up here they usually hang on to them for a long time.

Did I mention that finding a job is the biggest challenge?

Winter lasts 6 months here, whether it snows or not. And the summers are not that pleasant, it can get VERY humid up here but they do seem to be less intense than the summers in CT. This summer has been very wet and stormy.

It's definitely a rural lifestyle up here, no malls nearby and no endless list of restaurants to eat out at.

But it has been a great place to raise children and to get away from the ratrace of Fairfield county.

good luck with your decision.

[mustmove]

I've heard it's not hard to find a Math/Science teaching job up here. Humanities type stuff is much harder.

[goodmuse]

I'm a teacher too, raised in VT (Northern!) in a town of 6,000. Guess what.. of course I spend lots of time in NYC!

You will thorougly love VT - and So. VT has lots of NY expats if you want to find them it's not difficult. Just look for the cafe that sells the NY Times and hang out there on a Sunday. And whoever dresses in black all the time is from Manhattan. ha ha ha...

[Alt Dach]

VT is fine if you have money.If you can just buy a house and still have cash
to heat in the bank u will have no problem.
If you have to do the above on a teachers pay,you will.Simple

[Homeseeking]

Originally Posted by DogLady321

Not sure what numbers the RN is crunching but RN's are one of the highest paid people that live here.

The numbers of a single mom with two kids, single income. I could afford to rent possibly if that is what I want for the rest of my life, but I want to buy a house and have a home of my own and theres just no way with the taxes and cost of housing, oil, etc.