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We are moving to NH in September. We live in Colorado now but my husband and I are from New York and New Jersey.
I have never even been to New Hampshire so this move is bitter sweet. Good Job for hubby but...Love Colorado...scared of the long cold winters in NH. Colorado does have some winters but can get days of 60 degrees in January and lots of sunshine all year.
Can you tell me about the weather in NH? How are the winters? Are their a lot of gloomy days with no sun?
How are the summers? high Humidity...or not so bad? mosquitoes? (I grew up on Long Island so I am familiar...)
Are there parts of NH that have less brutal cold weather? Is that even a possibility?
Husband will be working in Manchester so the commute must be convenient. Looking for some nicer neighborhoods with a nicer updated ranch style home or craftsman type home... and a big yard.
Would love a walkable downtown area, shopping, near beach and lakes. My husband runs marathons so area that is scenic would also be great.(?)
Are the areas near the water a long commute to Manchester?
Looking forward to lots of visits from family now that we are back on the east coast. Can you all fill me in on what I have to look forward to?
Yes, it will be colder and snowier here than your description of Colorado. Expect several months of temps 0 to 40 during the day. Mix of cloudy and sunny days. Not remotely as overcast as the Pacific Northwest, if that's what you're thinking. The further south you are, the less cold it will be, but it's still cold here in the winter.
It does get humid here during July and August, probably similar to what you experienced in NJ and LI. And yes we have mosquitoes from May-Sept.
I lived in Cheyenne, WY for 3 years and the winters are not even close. Much sunnier winters in CO, and the sun seems warmer because of the 4,000+ ft altitude too. Winter is "messier" in NH. The snow sticks around for quite a while. More cloudy days. Days are a bit shorter too (we are at a higher latitude than CO).
Bugs are about the same as in CO. Humidity isn't too bad. Couple of hot and humid spells in the 90s every summer. I prefer the dry heat of CO myself. Near the coast will be a bit cooler, and probably up in the North Country in the mountains will also be cooler.
You will not find huge subdivisions with endless ranches in NH like you do in CO. Ranches are harder to find here, relatively, although I think they are becoming more popular as the NH population ages.
If you live halfway between the coast and Manchester, you will have about a 30-40 minute commute to either. Scenery is everywhere - beautiful place.
If Colorado had an ocean, I'd probably retire there....
Wetter than Colorado, so summers are more humid, all six weeks of it, and winters are slushier. That said, most suburban areas have good plowing systems and roads are pretty good after a storm. Summertime, head to the beach or into deep woods and you're fine. Darkness and dreariness is a concern, winter generally stars in mid-to-late December and ends sometime in early April, learn to enjoy winter activities, and stock wood for cozy evening fires.
As for the house, "Craftsman"? That's a funny way to spell colonial. There are ranches here and there, but not enough to give you a huge range of choice. Two story houses are the norm, likely due to the need to make the most of cleared land and to trap rising heat for cold nights. Unless you're quite sickly, enjoy the extra bit of exercise twice a day.
You don't say what part of Co you live in. The weather varies a lot around the state.
I lived in Estes Park, Co. for 28 years before coming to NH in 2012, also originally from NYC.
As far as winters go, I find it easier here. Co. does get lots of warmer, sunnier days during the winter, but the wind ruins it. It could snow 2 ft. and mostly be gone in a couple of days. In NH, it doesn't warm up much. The temps don't get above the 30s hardly at all, so the snow stays. The total snow may not be much different, nor the average temps, but winter in NH is severe for only part of a 3 month winter. In CO., it's winter for 5 months, or more. In Estes in particular, and if you live along the front range, you know the wind is relentless. One calm day a month is a lot. I thought the wind was the worst part of Co. winters. No where near as windy in NH, unless you live on Mt. Washington.
Much more humid and buggy here than Co. The mosquitoes are the worst part of N.E. summers.
Budget prob in the low to mid 400,000's
We now live in Castle Rock about 45 minutes north of Colorado Springs.
The snow melts quickly here and doesn't stay around for long. A winter day lends itself to opening the sunroof in my car and enjoying the sun.
What towns east of Manchester are vibrant with lots of amenities. Looking for great restaurants, a nice town center with shops and things to do. Looking forward to a short drive to the beach!
What towns east of Manchester are vibrant with lots of amenities. Looking for great restaurants, a nice town center with shops and things to do. Looking forward to a short drive to the beach!
You may want to have a look at Exeter, about 35 to 40 minutes east of Manchester and only a short drive to Portsmouth and the ocean. One of the nicest town centers in the state with lots of hiking trails for hubby. Housing is a bit more expensive than many areas nearer to Manchester, but $400,000 can buy you a decent house. It's home to the No. 1 ranked prep school in the country.
You may want to have a look at Exeter, about 35 to 40 minutes east of Manchester and only a short drive to Portsmouth and the ocean. One of the nicest town centers in the state with lots of hiking trails for hubby. Housing is a bit more expensive than many areas nearer to Manchester, but $400,000 can buy you a decent house. It's home to the No. 1 ranked prep school in the country.
Yep. My first thought was "drive east on 101 until you can't afford the housing".
Property tax rates are so variable that you need to look at them for each town. Exeter has a $25 mil rate so your property tax bill about half of your mortgage. I have enough co-worker friends in Denver that a Denver transplant won't be shocked by it but somebody coming from other parts of Colorado wouldn't be used to that.
You can't buy in North Hampton for that price point. I think Exeter and Newmarket are probably as close as you can get to the Seacoast for $400K and have a town center.
The climate in Exeter is moderated by the ocean. It's not quite the same as being right on the coast but it won't be as cold in the winter or hot in the summer as farther inland.
One thing to pay attention to in New Hampshire is energy costs.
Natural gas is far more expensive than in Colorado. Oil heat might be cheap this year but that is unlikely to last. Propane is similar to oil in cost. Electricity is also expensive. The efficiency of your house matters. Insulation. Windows & doors. Heating type. A modern DC-inverter air conditioning system. 2/3 of the houses you'll look at will have lousy thermal performance and use inefficient heating & cooling systems. It's not like Colorado where most of the housing stock is newer.
Nice info provided by GeoffD I agree that Exeter may be very suitable for you, with a number of in-town restaurants, shopping, etc. You're not ON the beach, but it's just a short hop away. Being in Exeter also puts you close to Rte 95, which you can then easily access Newburyport, MA to take part in the many festivals, art shows, concerts on the waterfront, as well as everyday shopping & dining choices. Newburyport also hosts visiting Tall Ships on a fairly regular basis--this weekend the tall ship El Galeon is visiting until Monday evening, and on June 2, The Lynx will arrive: El Galeon arrives in Newburyport to kick off holiday weekend - News - The Newburyport Current - Newburyport, MA
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I agree that Exeter may be very suitable for you, with a number of in-town restaurants, shopping, etc. You're not ON the beach, but it's just a short hop away. Being in Exeter also puts you close to Rte 95, which you can then easily access Newburyport, MA to take part in the many festivals, art shows, concerts on the waterfront, as well as everyday shopping & dining choices. Newburyport also hosts visiting Tall Ships on a fairly regular basis--this weekend the tall ship El Galeon is visiting until Monday evening, and on June 2, The Lynx will arrive: 
