First visit to NH - with parter in tow - when??

[9thmoon]

Your husband sounds like me.

Merrimack has some large businesses that might work for you.

Keene is a great city (I don't live there).

I would pick a 'suburb'/town outside of the 93/rte 3 corridor and look there.  You would be close to Boston and/or RTE 128 tech corridor in MA. but also close to the major job centers in Southern NH.

I am a little further north then I wanted to be (outside of Concord) but I really like the town.  Outside of the 'big cities' there are lots of towns were you could get a couple of acres and still be in commuting distance. Hell even Concord still has farms.

I should have noted that he's not the only one with the need for some more space between our house and our neighbors' house.  I'm a big privacy freak (though you wouldn't know it from my online persona).  I've been trying to convince him to look at NH with me for a long time (I'm a wanna-be-FSP-er) but multiple problems with neighbors has changed his firm "no" into a "well we can vacation there, at least, and see if we like it", so I'm running with it.

I will pull out my map and review these areas.  Thank you very much!

Incidentally, does anyone have a regional or state-area real estate search engine URL that's helpful?  I have only found some really lame ones with lousy search features. 

[Dreepa]

I used this:
http://www.masiello.com/selectState.cfm

I did most of my searching online (while in CA) my wife came out for a visit (she was anti moving) and we bought a place that week.

[JonM]

http://www.nneren.com

You can include how many acres you want in your search as well.

[cathleeninnh]

Don's biggest problem was 25 years experience and his earnings in the previous year. He is heavy in mainframe experience, likes maintenance over development but would have taken anything instate and for far less than he has made in the past. He is in a support position now and still far less than he made before but I can balance the budget. At least now if he looks around, he has some recent experience at an easy salary to meet or beat.

I would rather be in a more rural area, but we may have to wait for retirement.

Cathleen

[KBCraig]

One thing to remember is that taking a higher paying job can mean a net loss if your associated expenses are also very high (commuting, MA income tax, higher housing costs (and associated higher property taxes)).

Since you both seem to value a bit of space, privacy, and a natural surrounding, I'd suggest that you not focus on income levels, especially compared to where you are now. Find the place you want to live, and then see what it takes to live there, and if jobs are available to support your choice.

That can take a little more time than you have on vacation, so getting to the state first should be your goal, then get busy hunting for the perfect place and the job to support it.

Think unconventionally when it comes to making a living. Just ask Russell and Kat!

Kevin

[Tunga]

Nasuha is a dump. Manchester is kind of a pit too.

Portsmouth, Concord and Keene are the three citys you'd wanna write home about. Laconia is up there too but the high dollar lakes properties makes it exclusive. Same with ocean front Portsmouth places.

The "Kanc" ( a twenty mile long road through the WMNF from Lincoln to Conway is the quickest fix for a fall foliage foray.

North Conway is a mecca for rock climbers and skiers.

Winters are nothing compared to what they used to be. The ski industry would have folded and gone bye bye 25 years ago with out machine made snow.

Although it's snowed I think, in late October for the last three years now.

Bus service into Beantown is easy to find. There's even a Luxury bus with internet, coffee etc if your into taking your work home with you.

[Ron Helwig]

I suggest the Deerfield/Epsom area.

Close to both Manchester and Concord, close enough to seacoast to make trips there quick. Close to some major parks and some good lakes. (I'm building a house on Freese Pond in Deerfield) There's some buildable lots I see for sale...

Ask Margot about education. I do know there's an Objectivist run Montessori school in Epsom.

You'll want 5 acres at least, I'll bet, especially if interested in farming. Just make sure you are allowed to (my deed has restrictions on keeping farm animals, which I'm OK with but wasn't aware of until almost too late)

Deerfield just voted down a big ticket high school. Looking at the results, it seems the Deerfield voters are pretty frugal.

[9thmoon]

I used this:
http://www.masiello.com/selectState.cfm

I did most of my searching online (while in CA) my wife came out for a visit (she was anti moving) and we bought a place that week.

Thanks!
You moved without having a job lined up or anything?  I'd like to chat more about this if you can spare the time.  I could e-mail you or you could e-mail me.  Septembermoon a t gmail . c o m is me.  If you aren't inclined, I am not offended.   

[9thmoon]

http://www.nneren.com

You can include how many acres you want in your search as well.

Excellent.  Thank you!

[9thmoon]

Don's biggest problem was 25 years experience and his earnings in the previous year. He is heavy in mainframe experience, likes maintenance over development but would have taken anything instate and for far less than he has made in the past.

That's a tough one to explain to interviewers, too!  They don't understand why you'd be willing to take less money to get your foot in the door.  I'm glad he was able to find something and he's in a better position now.

[9thmoon]

One thing to remember is that taking a higher paying job can mean a net loss if your associated expenses are also very high (commuting, MA income tax, higher housing costs (and associated higher property taxes)).

Since you both seem to value a bit of space, privacy, and a natural surrounding, I'd suggest that you not focus on income levels, especially compared to where you are now. Find the place you want to live, and then see what it takes to live there, and if jobs are available to support your choice.

That can take a little more time than you have on vacation, so getting to the state first should be your goal, then get busy hunting for the perfect place and the job to support it.

Think unconventionally when it comes to making a living. Just ask Russell and Kat!

Kevin

I'm worried about income levels and property values because if our lifestyle couldn't change significantly, the cross-country move wouldn't be worth it, to my spouse.  Why move cross-country to end up in the same sized dump of a house with lousy, disrespectful neighbors, jobs we hate, etc., right?  I view it a little bit differently but I can't dismiss the logic there.

We aren't fancy-lifestyle people.  Our cars are paid off and we commute a whopping seven miles.  Our one luxury indulgence is our pets... unfortunately they preclude us from renting.  Unless things are wildly different in the NE region (and nothing I've been able to find on any real estate rental websites seem to indicate this) folks will be reluctant to rent to a family with three dogs while they shop for the perfect job and the perfect house.  It is looking a bit like a leap of faith. 

[9thmoon]

Nasuha is a dump. Manchester is kind of a pit too.

Portsmouth, Concord and Keene are the three citys you'd wanna write home about. Laconia is up there too but the high dollar lakes properties makes it exclusive. Same with ocean front Portsmouth places.

The "Kanc" ( a twenty mile long road through the WMNF from Lincoln to Conway is the quickest fix for a fall foliage foray.

North Conway is a mecca for rock climbers and skiers.

Winters are nothing compared to what they used to be. The ski industry would have folded and gone bye bye 25 years ago with out machine made snow.

Although it's snowed I think, in late October for the last three years now.

Bus service into Beantown is easy to find. There's even a Luxury bus with internet, coffee etc if your into taking your work home with you.

Winters might be nothing compared to what they used to be... but they'll still be far more than I'm used to.  It's true that we don't have a single flat, straight stretch of road in Seattle, but it snows two inches here and the whole city shuts down. 

Another vote for Keene... thanks!

[9thmoon]

I suggest the Deerfield/Epsom area.

Close to both Manchester and Concord, close enough to seacoast to make trips there quick. Close to some major parks and some good lakes. (I'm building a house on Freese Pond in Deerfield) There's some buildable lots I see for sale...

Ask Margot about education. I do know there's an Objectivist run Montessori school in Epsom.

You'll want 5 acres at least, I'll bet, especially if interested in farming. Just make sure you are allowed to (my deed has restrictions on keeping farm animals, which I'm OK with but wasn't aware of until almost too late)

Deerfield just voted down a big ticket high school. Looking at the results, it seems the Deerfield voters are pretty frugal.

I don't have kids but I ... want to be in the kind of community where homeschooling is welcome.  Maybe I'll have some some day, and if I do, I'll want that support.

I'd love to have five acres but (this is the Seattle in me speaking) I'll bet I could not afford anything like that.  I'd be thrilled with a whole acre. 

What is it that restricts farm animals?  Zoning?

This area does sound good.  I'll use those websites linked above to check out real estate.  Thank you!

[Ron Helwig]

I suggest the Deerfield/Epsom area.

I'd love to have five acres but (this is the Seattle in me speaking) I'll bet I could not afford anything like that.  I'd be thrilled with a whole acre. 

What is it that restricts farm animals?  Zoning?

My deed has the restriction in it because the land is part of a (sort of) subdivision where the original owner put the restriction in.

I think you'll find that an acre isn't all that big, and that you can afford around 5.

My place is only 2.2 acres, but is surrounded by undeveloped (and politically undevelopable) land.

Good hunting!

[citizen_142002]

I have to admit that while I don't spend much time in Nashua, I'm not fond of it either. Of course we are debating between cities that are all quite nice compared to those in other parts of the country.
For someone interested in cheap land, in an area where livestock are commonplace, Winchester might be desirable. Of course it could be a hike to any kind of tech job, anyone know what the commute times might be from Win. to a job that would suit moon's needs?
P.S. There are already Porcs in Winchester, and it's not far(20min) from Keene.