Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm not a financial adviser, but I would seriously reconsider buying a home if I planned on moving in 3-5 years. What you spend on closing costs, mortgage interest, RE commission, and monthly repair/maintenance will be hard to recoup in that time frame. I have ex. neighbor/friends in the military that tried this and took a huge bath on a house they could not sell. Renting for 2 years turned out to be a nightmare so they sold at a big loss just to be done with it.
Under $300 + new construction + and NE charm = mission impossible IMHO. New construction here is horribly bland and cookie cutter. Also new construction doesn't mean no problems. I lived in my parent's upscale new construction home in the 80's and it was a nightmare of water problems and builder mistakes/shortcuts. A poster here recently stated he paid an additional $70k in water damage repairs on a new construction home.
under $300 + new construction + and NE charm = mission impossible IMHO. New construction here is horribly bland and cookie cutter. Also new construction doesn't mean no problems. I lived in my parent's upscale new construction home in the 80's and it was a nightmare of water problems and builder mistakes/shortcuts. A poster here recently stated he paid an additional $70k in water damage repairs on a new construction home.
This is true! The houses are typically vanilla and cookie-cutter in NH. Not to say they aren't very nice in their simplicity, but it's a New England thing to have a "plain" looking house. The nice thing about these houses is they usually have plenty of yard, woods, possibly conservation land, even. But the houses themselves have always been MEH to me. There aren't many unique builders here.
The old houses, of which there are plenty, are way cooler.
Yes I agree the older houses have charm...we live in an older house now and love it. I would definitely agree to renting, however my husband's relocation package makes it worth buying (and selling in the future). Without going into all the details, basically they pay fore everything...closing costs, realtor fees, and MUCH more. They will do the same on our end selling here...and if we are relocated again in a few years.
I do know the new construction is cookie cutter. I meant to imply new construction OR something with charm I did not know some have issues with possible water damage, so I'll keep that in mind, thanks!
This is true! The houses are typically vanilla and cookie-cutter in NH. Not to say they aren't very nice in their simplicity, but it's a New England thing to have a "plain" looking house. The nice thing about these houses is they usually have plenty of yard, woods, possibly conservation land, even. But the houses themselves have always been MEH to me. There aren't many unique builders here.
The old houses, of which there are plenty, are way cooler.
I've noticed this! Coming from the south, and even a little here in the Midwest, I've noticed 'curb appeal' is a little lacking in NH. Guessing that's fairly common and expected?
Obviously whatever we buy I hope will be something someone would want to buy in a few years' time.
I think that NH has the potential to be a great place to raise a child. However, the parents will need to get actively involved in the education process. They shouldn't be leaving it up to just the teachers to be in charge of their academic pursuits.
My early years were spent in Manhattan, however my stepfather took us to museums and we also spent many happy hours in Central Park hunting for butterflies, wildflowers and four-leaf clovers. And that translated to my having an intense interest in biology and also antiques and art. And being in a rural area means more fresh air and exercise for the children also. When we lived in Concord, MA, I used to frequently bicycle to school.
You may want to look at Mont Vernon. Lovely town and its kids go to the Amherst schools from 7th grade onward... We've been in Amherst for 17+ years. Have had great experience with the schools...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I did not know some have issues with possible water damage, so I'll keep that in mind, thanks!
