[gummybearsandrainbows]

Hi,
So my husband and I have made it official and are putting a bid on a house in Newport VT.

My husband is from NY, so he knows more about the east coast, but not VT specifically. I've lived in Utah and Nevada my entire life so I am not sure what to expect on the east coast or in VT.

Were currently looking at a house in Newport near the Main St/ Dept of Motor Vehicles area. Does anyone have any input on this area? What is it like, what are the people like? What is the crime rate? What kind of crimes normally take place in Newport? From what I read, most of the crimes committed are robberies, is this correct? We are a mixed race, liberal family, non religious, middle class and own a cosmetic company. In Utah we had some issues with the mixed race, liberal, and non religious part, here in NV we don't have an issue at all. Being that I have kids, I am looking to live in an area with people who are like minded or open minded or who just don't care. From what I have read, VT seems to be a "Live and let live" non religious, type of area. Is this the same with the Newport area?

Over here in the West, everyone goes to Walmart or Smith's (Kroger) to go grocery shopping. But I hear there are no Walmarts on the East coast, is that correct? Where do most people do their grocery shopping, and are groceries more expensive over there? A gallon of milk here runs about 2.50, 7.00 (about) for a pound of salmon, eggs are around 1.50 a dozen.

What kind of family fun things are there to do in Newport and the surrounding area's?

We are getting rid of everything before we move, so I will be furnishing an entire house when I get there. Are there places with nice furniture, paintings, and home accessories for cheaper prices? Here we have places like Ross and TJ max, we also have places that sell slightly damaged items for much less (Example a 3,000 Serta mattress that got slightly damaged during shipping, selling for 1,000 or less...Or a large room rug that would normally be 400.00, selling for 75.00). I also really enjoy the boutiques that sell used refurbished furniture or vintage furniture.

I also really love new age shops with things like crystals and tarot, incense etc... I also really like used books stores, coffee shops, farmers markets, and boutiques. Does Newport offer any of these things?

I am a member of the Vegas and Nevada online yard sale or garage sale pages, I looked on Facebook and could only find pages like this in area's that were 2-3 hours away from Newport...Are there any yard sale or garage sale places on Facebook closer to Newport?

Are there carnivals or fairs during the summer? Other fun family things you can recommend?

What's the health care like over there? We are uninsured but healthy. We haven't gotten sick in several years. So we normally just go to the instacare or urgent care for anything that arises, and that runs about 80.00 a visit over here. If you have strep throat or the flu, they see you, treat you, and send you home with a prescription. Or if you have a broken bone it's 80.00 plus what ever supplies they use to cast it. A pediatrician doctors visit is about 35.00-60.00, and a family doctor runs about 125.00.

What is the cost of electricity, water, sewer ect...

I know I have asked so many questions. I am just trying to get a feel for the environment over there . Thanks so much for your input and your time.

[vter]

Newport. Economically depressed. Highest unemployment rate in the state. The town has been trying to revitalize but because of a scandal (google Jay Peak EB5 scandal) there is a huge empty lot right downtown that looks like will remain empty for a while. It is going to be an uphill struggle.
Crime? Petty crimes due to heroin/other drugs. Big bust up there yesterday. 26 arrested.
Area is beautiful. Lake Memphremagog is gorgeous. Get passports so you can head north of the border and enjoy the Eastern Townships of Quebec and Montreal.
Can't comment on schools, other costs etc.

[cgregor]

Medical coverage: Get connected with Vermont Health Care For All as soon as you've stocked your fridge. They are the impetus behind the Universal Primary Care bill in the legislature right now. If enacted, it will guarantee you affordable primary care for all family members regardless of whether or not you've lost your job or have pre-existing conditions.

Register to vote.

Go to the library and get your library cards. Let them know you're new in town and want to get connected with people who do what you like to do, be it snowmobiling, hunting, knitting, parenting, film discussions or heating with wood. They'll be familiar with what's going on.

Cultivate relationships with the convenience store clerks.

Join the local parent-teacher organization. Keep in mind that if you don't like the quality of the schools, you will be among those people best placed to improve them. Don't run away from the challenge; if you do, you'll always be a victim.

Consider whether you want to have Newport dollars going out of state-- that's what happens when you shop at places like Wal-Mart (and there are Wal-Marts in Vermont, sad to say).

You can get a Vermont driver's license that will make going to Canada a lot easier. I think it costs a few bucks more. Haven't used mine yet, so I might be misinformed about the ease.

Remember that if you can like Vermont in February, you'll love it the rest of the year. Remember also that in Nevada you couldn't get cooler by standing still but in Vermont you can get warmer by moving more. Your hubby probably already knows about layering, but if not, ask just about anybody in Newport. It helps to take up cross-country (also known as "Nordic") skiing or snowshoeing.

And if you want to buy a house cheaply, research tax sales.

Enjoy!

[domc]

This area is the poorest part of Vermont. Relative. We have lived here for over 5yrs. Lived out west for over 30yrs until then. Grew up nn LI, NY. Plan to retire here in 12yrs. Bought a large farmhouse on two acres for $89,900 four years ago.

If you like -10 to -35 degrees and a windchill Jan and Feb, you'll love Vermont as we do. Hate the heat. Weather is changing to the warmer side over the winters and you never know what kind of winter we will get when the season starts.
Currently in Feb 2017, 3 feet of snow on the ground but spring is around the corner and oh boy, are we going to have a nasty mud season.

This area has no more problems than any other part of the US. Drugs, petty crime, but overall I feel we are in one of the safest states in the country even though there are absolutely no gun laws. Hunting is a big sport here.

Be prepared to drive everywhere. Most things are an hour away. Plenty of shopping in Newport & next door Derby. No big box stores, Walmart just opened (yuck) but we don't shop there. A lot of people try their best to support local franchises or businesses.

Active Arts, Jazz festival in summer along the Lake. Plenty of boating, skiing, hiking, outdoors stuff including in the winter.. 3 star restaurants on the lake on the decks.

Healthcare experience so far is excellent and we are entering our senior years in about 10yrs. Healthcare is way less expensive than out West. Vermont is in the forefront of experimenting with making things cheaper for Doctors & patients.
We currently have a Republican Gov. that understands the situation as well as to control costs.

Property taxes are high, but no higher than I've experienced out West or down south of here. Complaining about Taxes is a thing here and has been since the beginning of the country. Nothing has changed. Out west, not so much because of a different Tax structure. I find general living expenses to be cheaper in the Northeast Kingdom than I find out West. Such as a cup of coffee, going out for lunch, or general local shopping & dinners. People live frugally here. If the house needs paint outside, it can wait till it's falling off.

Lots of elderly in this area as well as Vacationers in the summer. We are a tourist destination and if you are in the business of tourism, you can make a decent living. A lot of Mass. people have second homes for the summer here. New Yorkers on the other side of the green mtns.... Burlington.

Weather is 6 months of winter and 6 months of spring with about 2-3 weeks of summer in July. Humid compared to out West.

Farming, Dairy, local food, farmers markets, gardens, flower shops, are everywhere as soon as the snow melts.

That being all said, I feel that if economic development starts here just like in Burlington, costs will sky rocket for EVERYONE including the poor here. Jobs will not pay enough to support the community even if it's 1,000 jobs paying at $15 an hr. That's not enough. The best thing to do is to start a business or trade here to support yourself especially during the winter months.

Oh, did I mention, this is Mountain country?

[gummybearsandrainbows]

Thanks everyone for your reply!

I own a online cosmetic company, so I'm not really worried about commuting for work. I just need a really good internet connection and I'm fine. I did call Comcast to make sure that the internet works at the house I am currently bidding on and they do. Are there a lot of power outages during the winter? If so, how long are they for? Would a generator be a smart decision, considering I work online?

I appreciate all your input about the health care and the things to do up there.

WOW!! -35 degrees????? I don't do well in the cold, I actually really really like the Nevada weather but my husband (since he is from the east coast) loves the east coast weather. So that will be a bit hard to get used to lol, but I welcome the change and am excited for my new adventure .

[domc]

Yes, generator is needed to at least keep the heat on (if during winter) and to keep the internet running for our business.
Small portable generator to run refrige and computer and some lights.

I get better internet speeds here than I have ever did. 230Mbits download at a cost of course. Blazing fast. Most internet is reliable if you live in a village or close near a village. Newport, no problems. I've never had on internet outage in 5yrs.

Power outages are common. Longest one was 15hrs but that was unusual. If weather related, about 5hrs. Unless we get the hurricanes. <grin>

Burlington area, south of here, or the west side of the green mtns you will get more mild weather. Lots of grey clouds in the winter (second to only Seattle, Wash) but the reward is Sunny Spring and Sunny summers that will rarely get over 80 degrees. 85 in July for a few weeks. Average temp 75 degrees.

You can check out Saint Johnsbury about an hour south of Newport, VT. Next biggest town. More medical services. I live in between these two towns.

[Hackopotamus]

I don't know much about Newport but I was born in VT (Waterbury Center) and later lived in Springfield.

You are going to be in for a big culture shock moving to very rural VT. That area of the state is pretty remote, according to the map it's 85 miles to Burlington, the closest city. Mostly two lane road so it will take you a couple hours.

How did you come to pick that town? Not much up there. Newport is 4,500 people. Springfield is double that and is a very small town that rolls up the sidewalks at 7PM.

As mentioned, it is going to be very cold! You are right up by the Canadian border. Lot's of snow too so driving, shoveling, scraping your windshield and all kinds of other fun stuff to get used too.

Another thing to get used to is the lack of wide open spaces. VT is very mountainous and lots of trees. Every time I go back to visit I start to feel claustrophobic after a while. It's funny because I was 32 years old when I left but I'm 60 now so I guess I'm used to the west now.

Another thing is the humidity. As you know, NV is very dry. Even when it's 115 degrees out your are not soaked with sweat because it evaporates so quickly. In VT your are going to be sweating a lot in the summer. You will get a lot of rain too. And bugs. Lots of bugs. The plus side is also lots of beautiful lakes and streams. Great fishing. Actually, lots of great outdoor things to do.

Small town life is different as well. I know a lot of people say Vegas is really a small town excluding the strip (which I kind of agree with) it is nothing like life in a rural VT town. You really will meet some Larry, Daryl and Daryl's there!

I moved to northern NV because I wanted to get back to small town life. I had considered going back to VT but just didn't want to deal with the winters. VT also has really high property taxes. My buddy in N. Springfield has a modest house (about 2000s/f) on 2 acres and his property taxes are $12K a year!

Just really curious as to why you picked Newport.

[gummybearsandrainbows]

We just wanted to move back to the East Coast because we have 3 kids and a business, and with being closer to family, they are willing to help us so I don't have to have so much hired help down here. Thanksgiving and Christmas just isn't the same without family, and to be honest I would really like to go on a date every now and again lol. So moving to the East coast will take a load off our shoulders and be of a lot of help that we either don't have here or have to pay to have. As for Newport...we were looking at houses and got a approval for a home loan for a specific amount. We noticed that we got more for our money in Newport than we did anywhere else...I also really like the fact that it is a small town because I have kids and I feel more comfortable raising them in small towns. The fact that there is a lake is also a plus.

As for Rural area, I have lived in small towns and rural area's all my life. I was born and raised in a small town in Utah with nothing but dirt roads. When I met my husband we moved to a very small town in Nevada and then a few years later we moved to a rural small town in Nevada. So I don't think there will be much difference in that aspect.

The bugs are HORRIBLE here lol. They are worse here in this rural town than anywhere I have ever lived in NV, I mean it is HORRIBLE!! Spiders upon spiders EVERYWHERE , scorpions everywhere, Beatles, Cockroaches . There are so many bugs out during summer time that in some places during night time, it looks like the ground is moving. I can't imagine VT being that bad but then again I have never lived there lol.

I have to drive in to Vegas to get anything other than groceries, that's an hour away on a 2 way lane, and I don't mind...I like the drive actually.

I do agree the taxes are horrible. Taxes for my house right now is 900 a year, taxes on the house I am currently looking at is 5,000...so yes, the taxes are high! But considering the fact that I will be closer to family, it is worth it .

The 2 things you mentioned that will take some getting used to, will definitely be the humidity in the summer and the cold winters. I have never experienced humid or wet summers and can imagine that can be pretty miserable lol. I also really dislike the cold.

[Hackopotamus]

So, an hour out of Vegas on a two lane. Pahrump, Overton, Searchlight maybe?

When I say bugs, I don't mean creepy crawly ones. I'm talking about flying ones. Mosquitoes, horse flies, ones that swarm around your head and then bite you. VT will also have plenty of spiders, cockroaches, beetles, etc. No scorpions though.

When I lived in Henderson I had a scorpion get into my bed and sting me in the foot. Man, did that hurt!

Rural west feels different (to me anyway) than rural east. Maybe because the west is so wide open you can travel longer distances easier.

$5K in taxes! Yikes! Have you considered looking at NH? Property taxes are cheaper, no state sales tax and no state income tax.

[atlaw]

We lived in Vt a lot of years. Hardest life I've ever known. Went to Newport in Jan and didn't dare turn the van's motor ff. 40 below. and dark. and poor. You gotta be tough to live there.