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I moved here from Kentucky three years ago, but wouldn't have if I had known what I was getting into! The biggest problems are the weather and the prices. The long winters are definitely a challenge, but the worse part is the lack of sunlight... I always took sunlight for granted, but here the lack of it (for most of the year, really) can feel unbearable, like a strange form of torture. (Even though I take tons of vitamin d and try to get outdoors as much as possible.) Imagine dying of thirst or suffocating- it feels like that.
And the housing prices are WAY more!! I live in a small, run down place I would NEVER have considered in Kentucky, and it costs TWICE as much.
I don't mean to get down on it- I do love the ocean, the walkability, the small town charm. The people are very friendly here- which I like- but not so quick to become friends. I have a ton of acquaintances by now, but no friends. But if I had known what it would be like to live without sunlight, I wouldn't have moved. The prices and coldness are just the nails in the coffin. I want to get back to the south more than anything.
Hope I don't sound too negative, but this is what I wish I knew before moving. I'm sure others love it.
I would suggest not trying to live in Portsmouth. It is a great town but very expensive. Distances are not far ski you could live several towns away and still be under a 30 minute commute.
I would suggest not trying to live in Portsmouth. It is a great town but very expensive. Distances are not far ski you could live several towns away and still be under a 30 minute commute.
I did see that some towns were within a reasonable distance.
Exeter
Newmarket
Dover
Durham
Are the ones that seemed closest and the best possibilty for housing.
I have heard that Portsmouth housing costs -- rents and sales -- are through the roof. Almost Boston-like. Can a nice Portsmouther (Portsmouthite?) quote some typical monthly rents (include heating, as winter heat is included in many city rents, as it is here in NYC) and apt. conditions within the Portsmouth city limits and within walking distance of the nice downtown? Thanks.
My husband and I pay $1405 a month for a tiny place within walking distance of downtown & a couple hundred more for heat and electricity.
It is a nice, safe place, but by Kentucky standards the apartment would be considered quite dilapidated (ancient carpets, broken kitchen counters, etc.). There is a dishwasher, but no laundry facilities or hookups.
We looked at a number of places & this seemed like the best bargain.
I moved here from Kentucky three years ago, but wouldn't have if I had known what I was getting into! The biggest problems are the weather and the prices. The long winters are definitely a challenge, but the worse part is the lack of sunlight... I always took sunlight for granted, but here the lack of it (for most of the year, really) can feel unbearable, like a strange form of torture. (Even though I take tons of vitamin d and try to get outdoors as much as possible.) Imagine dying of thirst or suffocating- it feels like that.
And the housing prices are WAY more!! I live in a small, run down place I would NEVER have considered in Kentucky, and it costs TWICE as much.
Oh come now, when I said the amount of grey days in NH was torture I was immediately "corrected" and had about 5 people tell me that's not true there are plenty of sunny days in winter that allow you to get out and do winter like sports like skiing and sledding and snow shoeing in 9 degrees (cough sorry -3 with windchill)! Someone is lying! I mean pitch black at 3 pm for months on end! No such thing!!
and btw.... thats not old and crappy.. that's charming and unique!! Take that old fixer upper that has so much personality, sink 100 grand into it , clear those trees so you have those mountain views and watch your prop taxes go up 2 grand a year and hope the house is liveable enough to get you through winter without $500 a month in heating.. der
My husband and I pay $1405 a month for a tiny place within walking distance of downtown & a couple hundred more for heat and electricity.
It is a nice, safe place, but by Kentucky standards the apartment would be considered quite dilapidated (ancient carpets, broken kitchen counters, etc.). There is a dishwasher, but no laundry facilities or hookups.
We looked at a number of places & this seemed like the best bargain.
We were paying almost $1000 way out in Keene (2+ hours from Portsmouth) in a tiny 1 bedroom apt with old industrial carpets, no screens on the windows, no dishwasher, no dryer or washer etc.. its the best deal we could find. We looked for months and some of the places were SSCCAARRRYYY compared to what we settled( yes thats the perfect word) for. Most people coming from the south are gonna find real quick how much cheaper it is compared to there. I pay $1000 a month for where I live now, completely tiled , all stainless steel, all upgraded, beautiful walk in glass shower with custom vanities etc. Up there for barely less they had converted a closet into our bathroom and we had to beg for them to take our then 6 lb toy poodle because if NH isn't one thing its pet friendly. Oh and heating bill? Whats that, my electric total is like $70 a month and that includes hot water, a/c heat and dishwasher and washer.. I feel your pain.
We were paying almost $1000 way out in Keene (2+ hours from Portsmouth) in a tiny 1 bedroom apt with old industrial carpets, no screens on the windows, no dishwasher, no dryer or washer etc.. its the best deal we could find. We looked for months and some of the places were SSCCAARRRYYY compared to what we settled( yes thats the perfect word) for. Most people coming from the south are gonna find real quick how much cheaper it is compared to there. I pay $1000 a month for where I live now, completely tiled , all stainless steel, all upgraded, beautiful walk in glass shower with custom vanities etc. Up there for barely less they had converted a closet into our bathroom and we had to beg for them to take our then 6 lb toy poodle because if NH isn't one thing its pet friendly. Oh and heating bill? Whats that, my electric total is like $70 a month and that includes hot water, a/c heat and dishwasher and washer.. I feel your pain.
Point taken about bang for your buck, but you have to live in Florida. Yuck!
Point taken about bang for your buck, but you have to live in Florida. Yuck!
I Have a love hate with Florida... I hate the summers but love when we have days of 70 all day.. I live in a very expensive town , the most expensive in the state and it's still cheaper than NH lol.
Oh come now, when I said the amount of grey days in NH was torture I was immediately "corrected" and had about 5 people tell me that's not true there are plenty of sunny days in winter that allow you to get out and do winter like sports like skiing and sledding and snow shoeing in 9 degrees (cough sorry -3 with windchill)! Someone is lying! I mean pitch black at 3 pm for months on end! No such thing!!
and btw.... thats not old and crappy.. that's charming and unique!! Take that old fixer upper that has so much personality, sink 100 grand into it , clear those trees so you have those mountain views and watch your prop taxes go up 2 grand a year and hope the house is liveable enough to get you through winter without $500 a month in heating.. der
For once I don't completely disagree with you. The grey days and early sunset in the winter can be very depressing and is NO joke. Doesn't help that I am pretty sure I have Seasonal affective disorder. However it does help to get out and do stuff in the winter whether its cold or not and having snow on the ground actually makes the dreary winter days a little brighter, but when you work from 8-5pm every day its hard to get out and enjoy the sunlight!
I do think if you didn't live in the black hole that is Keene your perspective on NH would be a little more positive. Even I wouldn't want to live there an I LOVE NH.
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