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I posted previously about moving from Nevada. It looks like I will be moving to the Concord area this summer though it isn't definite yet. My wife and I were looking in the Canterbury and Loudon areas as they are close to Concord but not big towns so we aren't in the hustle and bustle of a big city.
How is the commute between those cities and Concord during rush hour? How are the schools in those cities? From what I recall property taxes are a little less than Concord, but is one town better than the other?
There really is not much of a 'rush hour' to speak of in either location. Once you get off whatever exit you want in Concord, traffic on the city streets can be a little rough but not really something to worry that much about.
Loudon however can have some very heavy traffic during tourist seasons when NASCAR is in town.
However, this data can be misleading since property values also vary by town so you can use it as an overall guide but in the end you really need to be comparing specific properties.
Getting up and down Rt. 106 can be a real challenge when there's a race going on in Loudon. Other events such as bike week also create considerably more traffic in that area. Just something else to consider; hope that helps with your decision.
Thank you. I know from previous posts that natural gas is not used in a lot of the state. Has natural gas made it to Canterbury or Loudon?
IIRC, there is natural gas in some parts of Concord, Canterbury, and Loudon, but many areas are unserved.
Given the cost of installing NG lines for residential service, natural gas will probably never "make it" to most existing neighborhoods which don't already have service. I wouldn't let the (un)availability of NG drive my choice of house/location; I'd rather deal with cleaning a pellet stove than live in a cookie-cutter HOA development just because of a $1K/year saving on heating costs.
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Originally Posted by Snowman185
My wife and I were looking in the Canterbury and Loudon areas as they are close to Concord but not big towns so we aren't in the hustle and bustle of a big city.
I wouldn't rule out looking to the west as well, perhaps even as far out as Henniker?
Getting up and down Rt. 106 can be a real challenge when there's a race going on in Loudon. Other events such as bike week also create considerably more traffic in that area. Just something else to consider; hope that helps with your decision.
How often are their special events that make 106 busy?
I have also started looking at Belmont, but I suspect that will really add time to the commute to Concord.
IIRC, there is natural gas in some parts of Concord, Canterbury, and Loudon, but many areas are unserved.
Given the cost of installing NG lines for residential service, natural gas will probably never "make it" to most existing neighborhoods which don't already have service. I wouldn't let the (un)availability of NG drive my choice of house/location; I'd rather deal with cleaning a pellet stove than live in a cookie-cutter HOA development just because of a $1K/year saving on heating costs.
I wouldn't rule out looking to the west as well, perhaps even as far out as Henniker?
I have a pellet stove now, and I am not too impressed with its ability to keep the house warm. It got down to -6, and it kept the room the stove was in barely warm enough, but didn't heat the rest of the house. Since the electric heat doesn't work where I am living now, it got pretty cold.
Natural gas is something I would really want, but I agree about the cookie cutter homes. I know where I lived, natural gas was retrofitted if the owners would pay for the installation. It was $700, and most places did it. The house I am in is one of the few homes that didn't.
Saving money on heating costs is important.
I did start looking at Belmont, but I will also consider the West. What is Henniker like?
How often are their special events that make 106 busy?
I have also started looking at Belmont, but I suspect that will really add time to the commute to Concord.
NASCAR is 2x each year (July and September) and bike week starts the weekend before Father's Day and finishes on Father's Day.
Seriously, you might want to consider looking in Concord. There is way less hustle and bustle than one might think in a state capital, especially as you get into the outskirts of town, closer to Hopkinton, Penacook, etc. The downtown is very walkable, with independent shops of all sorts (coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants-from upscale to soup & sandwich shops, art studio, yoga, etc). There is something for everyone, and definitely worth a look.
Not all pellet stoves are equal, not all houses are equally well-insulated
How many BTU/hour did that pellet stove put out? No system in place to distribute heat around the house? I wouldn't focus on fuel type; you can find old houses with natural gas that cost more per year to heat than a recently built foam-insulated house with a FHA furnace burning propane.
Personally, I'm not particularly concerned about heating costs, the only reason I like Natural Gas is because it means no concerns about fuel deliveries being able to make it up my driveway in February!
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Seriously, you might want to consider looking in Concord. ... There is something for everyone, and definitely worth a look.
A condo in Concord would go a long ways towards keeping down heating costs. I agree, that the city doesn't have the large-town drawbacks of Manchester or Nashua.
Canterbury is lovely, but personally if you want to be outside the city and have the budget to look at Canterbury I'd look at Bow/Contoocook/Hopkinton for the better schools. And Concord itself is worth a look.
I think most of Canterbury feeds into Belmont HS. Personally Loudon wouldn't make my list.
You can be in Concord proper and still find a lot of nooks that will feel rural, like up off Bog/Horsehill Road, etc., without having to deal with 106. I can't explain it but I've just never liked 106, even when there isn't an event. I'd much rather drive 132, or I-89, or any number of other roads.
"Hustle and bustle" aren't commonly used words in Concord, outside of Loudon Rd/Ft. Eddy and a few other avoidable spots.
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Not all pellet stoves are equal, not all houses are equally well-insulated
