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My husband has taken a job in Wakefield Ma. We have a daughter who will be a senior next fall so we need to have a good high school. I have been looking at houses from Wakefield to Pelham Nh. Was wondering if I could get some input. We want a house around 500K. I fly out next week to actually check houses out for 2 weeks. From what I have seen i love the homes in Pelham but not sure about the taxes, heating and my husband working in another state. Our daughter will only be home for another year so it is going to be our empty nest home. I really like what I have seen about Newburyport, the downtown and all the activities. My husband travels at least one week a month so I don't want to be out in the middle of woods either but do want 1/2 acre or so. I just don't really know where to start. We live in Phoenix so I don't think it could be anymore opposite. The winter will be the biggest shocker I am sure. We are ready for this new adventure but need to find a good town to start it
Property taxes are higher in New Hampshire even though house prices may be lower. I don't think heating costs would be very different.
Wakefield and neighboring Melrose are good places to live--nice solid towns. You have a few stores but if you go out to rte 1 you have a lot of stores and a mall. It's not very far to drive. Melrose has the commuter rail right into Boston. Reading is another town right near Wakefield and it's very pleasant. Lynnfield is another one, very pretty but not much going on.
Newburyport is quite a distance to the north but there is always something going on and it would have train service to Wakefield. The Newburyport area also has the beaches in the summer and it doesn't get crowded and touristy.
I am from Massachusetts and now live in the greater Phoenix area. In_newengland gave some good information. Winter will be the biggest change (aside from the humidity!) you will face with the weather. Fall will be beautiful. You will be closer to water (if you're into that) and the public transportation will be better there. I hope you and your husband enjoy your new adventure in New England. Lots of history there.
You're moving your daughter for her senior year in high school?
I'm inclined to think, if at all possible, the husband should just rent for a year, and simply move permanently to the area next Spring. I don't know how long you have lived in AZ, but if it has been a considerable amount of time, or even her whole life. I don't think the adjustment of any school/new area would be worthwhile in such a short period of time. I'd think differently if it were her junior year, or if she otherwise doesn't care for her school.
There's no school outstanding enough in NH (that's close enough to Wakefield) to make considering NH worthwhile. I also wouldn't encourage a long commute if you're not already familiar with the area, climate effects and traffic patterns. If you really like NH, I'd wait a year or so after learning the area, before considering real estate there.
I can understand the appeal of Pelham, in that there's land and great variety in housing (old and new construction), and it's not too far from highway access and shopping via Salem. Keep in mind, Pelham and a few surrounding towns are located on a high water table. (i.e. Basement flooding after heavy periods of rain). Opt for a waterproof basement if you can.
Otherwise, I would recommend Reading; even Winchester or Middleton if you don't mind a more modest home.
I am thinking that the heating/AC bill would be about the same, but invest in some good winter jackets and outerwear. Mostly our winters are not hard to handle, but on occasions, we do get some big storms and cold spells. Get your shoulders, back and arms in shape for the shoveling lol.
Thank all for your inputs! Looking at houses online is all I have been able to do. We have had a couple of people from my husbands work give us some names of real estate agents and no one has called back. I find that strange!
Yes we are moving my daughters senior year and she is really excited. She has always wanted to go to school on the east coast so it kinda works out for us. Which is one of the reason we want to hopefully find something in Ma. If we move to Nh will will be paying more for out of state tuition.
I know I should not compare our home here to the homes we are looking at there. It is hard though. We now live in a 3800sf house with outdoor bar and bbq and beautiful pebble tech pool. I by no means want the same size house, was thinking more like 2000 to 2500sf with 2 bathrooms A lot of the houses have one or one and a half. I have never lived in a older home so I am not sure what kind of things to look for that can be future problems. I do find the older homes to have so much charm. My husband wants a newer home hence the homes I been looking at in Pelham Nh. I had found a home I thought would be perfect in Newburyport but it went off the market yesterday.
Believe me I have tried to get the husband to give us one more year. He thinks between the costs of him renting there and flying home could be money we could be put towards our house.
How are Amesbury and Salem? I know it will be a drive for my husband but he is the one moving us to the other side of the US
Newburyport is very pretty, maintains a safe and clean community, and has an above average public high school. It is certainly worth considering. However, I will say this - in terms of Newburyport, you are paying a lot for the reputation. It is largely considered overpriced, and a somewhat "elitist" community. The residents of Newburyport are fiercely proud of being from Newburyport, but they fail to realize that the only people who care they are from Newburyport, are other people from Newburyport. Does that make sense? I am not being critical, it is just that the community is quite insulated and tend to think a bit too highly of themselves.
That being said - it is a beautiful, clean, safe, coastal community. So of course, it has it's pro's and cons.
Now, Beverly, Salem, and Danvers are a much shorter drive to Wakefield, and offer some comparable amenities to Newburyport. Salem is a small port city, rich in history, and has a vibrant downtown area. It is safe, clean, and a bit more accurately priced for it's market and income than Newburyport. That being said, it is a bit more crowded, and has a college population there which can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming for those people not used to a large college aged population. Beverly is just north of Salem, and is better priced. It is also a bit "grittier" in places, but that is not to say it is "dangerous" or "tough" - it is quite the opposite. Beverly is a lovely small city, but it does have some areas that are less aesthetically pleasing to the eye. In terms of Danvers, it is very nice. It is inland, not on the ocean, and a bit busier and more suburban than these other coastal towns, but nonetheless, it is an easy commute, it has a good high school, and the community has many restaurants, shopping options, and consumer amenities.
Now, you asked specifically about Amesbury. Amesbury is a small, prototypical, New England town. It is situated near routes 95 and 495, and would be a little bit of a commute to Wakefield. Boston are traffic can be daunting, but since Wakefield is on the north end of route 128, your husband should be able to avoid most of it. Amesbury has a nice, small downtown, with a couple small restaurants, and a quiet atmosphere which sort of dies down by 7pm every night. There isn't too much going on there. But, you could find an older, New England style home there, and it could be a good project for you.
I would, if I were you, also just check out the communities of Boxford, Topsfield, and Ipswich. These areas would be a relatively easy commute to Wakefield, are in good school districts (Masconomet Regional and Ipswich) and could offer either "newer homes" or "older homes". Ipswich is near the ocean, and has Cranes Beach, whereas Boxford and Topsfield are inland.
All I will say is this - I have moved around a lot. A lot. This area of Massachusetts you are looking at, the "North Shore" area of Boston is very expensive, both in real estate and cost of living. So, you could encounter some costs and expenses you are not accustom to. Your dollar might not go as far here as it does where you are moving from.
If you look at older homes......you have to think about little things.....like if it has old fireplaces, will your heating bill be absurd because all the heat floats right out of an old chimney with an old seal. How about the roof? How about the water heater? Is the water heater running on electric, oil, or something else? Has it been renovated? Are the old pipe copper? Are the windows drafty? Does the forced air system run cleanly and how is the static pressure? Is it on city sewer or a septic system? In old New England, all of these questions and more must be asked.
Look around, examine the areas, maybe check out some of the towns people have mentioned herein, and see what feels right to you. Once you find a community you feel connected to, then start to focus on the real estate and school systems in the area. If this is going to be your "empty nest house", you might also want to compare the tax burdens of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire as it pertains to retirees and "non parents". In other words, in some communities you get tax breaks if you are paying a school tax in your property taxes but you don't have a child enrolled there. How about estate taxes? Inheritance taxes? Death taxes? Again, not that you or your husband plan on checking out anytime soon.......but if this could be where you retire after being empty nesters, this is all worth considering. Which states offer the most benefits for retires in terms of exemptions on Social Security Benefits? I don't know what you or your husband do for work, but what about state applicable taxes when you retire on a potential out of state pension?
So anyway.....that is just me......those are things I would consider.......but at first, I would just make the drive from Portsmouth NH south to Wakefield. Stop into the communities along the way. Talk to waiters and waitresses, to store managers, and shop owners. Buy flowers from the side of the road, and ask the person selling them what they think of the area. Enjoy yourself, check it out, ask questions, and just see what feels right to you.
Congrats to your husband on his new job, and best of luck to you and your family with your relocation.
Thank all for your inputs! Looking at houses online is all I have been able to do. We have had a couple of people from my husbands work give us some names of real estate agents and no one has called back. I find that strange!
Yes we are moving my daughters senior year and she is really excited. She has always wanted to go to school on the east coast so it kinda works out for us. Which is one of the reason we want to hopefully find something in Ma. If we move to Nh will will be paying more for out of state tuition.
I know I should not compare our home here to the homes we are looking at there. It is hard though. We now live in a 3800sf house with outdoor bar and bbq and beautiful pebble tech pool. I by no means want the same size house, was thinking more like 2000 to 2500sf with 2 bathrooms A lot of the houses have one or one and a half. I have never lived in a older home so I am not sure what kind of things to look for that can be future problems. I do find the older homes to have so much charm. My husband wants a newer home hence the homes I been looking at in Pelham Nh. I had found a home I thought would be perfect in Newburyport but it went off the market yesterday.
Believe me I have tried to get the husband to give us one more year. He thinks between the costs of him renting there and flying home could be money we could be put towards our house.
How are Amesbury and Salem? I know it will be a drive for my husband but he is the one moving us to the other side of the US
To clarify, do you mean Salem (town) NH or Salem (city) MA? I presume you meant NH, because they are quite different, and I think the NH town is offering what you're looking for (although there are things I like about both).
I suggest asking about NH towns in the NH forum, if you haven't started a thread already.
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