I am considering relocating to New Hampshire, but am having difficulty connecting with anything besides mainstream real estate brokers. Where are the rural communities? Are there owner carried contracts out there? (N.Idaho is full of this type of stuff) I keep running into "you have to be pre-aproved for a loan before anyone will show you listed real estate. I would like to be in mid state somewhere, preferably off the grid. Any help would be appreciated.

-- Barbie from N.Idaho (think_peace51@hotmail.com), April 02, 2002

Answers

My first question is why New Hampshire? You don't seem to know a whole lot about it.

Being from Vermont, I'm a bit biased ;-).....there has always been a rivalry between the two states. Many Vermonters avoid NH and vice versa. Personally, I don't like their political climate or lack of environmental laws. Yet, that's precisely what some hate most about Vermont. To each their own.

New Hampshire is very rocky, with high elevations, short growing season and not very good farm land when you get out in the sticks. I spend some time every year camping in the White Mountain National Forest.

What do you want out of a homestead? Of all the NH places I've been, the area around Wentworth is interesting and there are a few homesteaders.

-- Peace and Carrots Farm, Vermont (wsm311@aol.com), April 02, 2002.

Vermont was relatively "conservative" in the '50s with a population largely composed of straight-thinking individualists. In the interim, the likes of Bernie Sanders (New Jersey import, complete with socialist views), Jeffords, Davis and more have been allowed into power. The continuous influx of even more liberalist minds, especially to the larger towns and cities, will insure the ignominous ruin of the way of life I have always associated with the the mindset of Liberty. You have only to look as far as the Woodward shooting by the Brattleboro gestapo and ongoing stonewalling by the investigators for a taste of that.

It would appear that the drug culture will be an opportunistic infection that has spread northward from MA/CT and eastward from NY. The number of drug arrests in Bennington and Windsor counties is on a rapid rise. This of course allows the boys and girls in body armor and ski masks to further justify their often atrocious behaviour and provides justification -- present and future -- for property confiscations.

Rocks. This is New England; they're everywhere!! You find decent soil in the CT valley on both sides of the river. If it were in the cards for me to make a reloc, it would be anywhere northward from White River Junction. As with any long distance purchase, far better to visit, look around then make the buy if it all feels good.

I'd suggest getting Delorme's atlas for BOTH states; will give you a look at the road densities and terrain (contour lines). A Rand McNalley or AAA road atlas will have populations listed beside the listed towns. Good luck.

-- Jake de MA (ringelman5@yahoo.com), April 02, 2002.

On a previous thread someone mentioned a website that gave statistics for population, employment, education, shopping, crime, etc. It seemed to be very helpful tool. Does anyone know what site that was? I looked in the archives but can't find it.

I do like Jake's suggestion of looking in maps and atlases for population counts... never thought of that.

-- Marge (mboyc73@yahoo.com), April 02, 2002.

First is thee some reason it has to be NH ? Upstate NY is much cheaper .Depending on what you do fo work will depend on a job and pay ate .Give us all some more info to help you .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), April 02, 2002.

I spent about 35 years of my life living in New Hampshire and think it is a great state. Unfortunately, I was working for the federal government and when they closed Pease Air Force Base and downsized the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, I figured I better move before I didn't have a job. I have now lived in Virginia for the last ten years and work in Washington, DC. I would move back to New Hampshire in a heartbeat but for now that won't be possible until I retire in eight more years. New Hampshire has a lot to offer. It is a beautiful state, has an ocean, mountains, lakes, beautiful fall foliage, tolerable winters and nice farmland. A lot of the rocks have already been moved out of the farm fields, that's where they get those nice rock walls from. The down side to it from your perspective is that the real estate is on the pricey side and the income opportunities limited. The state is very tourist oriented and this keeps the cost of things up. I lived in Portsmouth, pricey now, and Farmington which is just south of Lake Winnepesaukee. I can't comment much about the central and northern parts of the state other than to say they are more mountainous and rocky and have even less employment opportunities other than in the tourist industry. The summer planting season pretty much doesn't get in gear until Memorial Day and is over in September so gardening doesn't last that long although you can grow quite a variety of things. The month of May into early June is black fly season (sometimes referred to as the state bird) and I found them to be a real pain in the neck when trying to get my garden going. As to real estate. You can go to any real estate agent and they will take you to see properties without being prequalified. The problem you may find is that anything you may be interested in may be out of your price range. That is the biggest difficulty. You might luck into a fixer upper because a lot of people don't want to be bothered with those. There are not many owner-financed opportunities but occassionally you may come across one. As to weather, the farther inland and north you are the more the weather will be like Vermont, cold and snowy. On the coast you don't get much snow but it is very expensive to live in the coastal towns. As to the politics of the state. It is very conservative and I guess that is part of its charm for me. Also, the state motto is "live free or die" so they aren't big about enacting a lot of laws that everyone has to abide by like Vermont does. It is pretty much a leave me alone and I'll leave you alone kind of state. Some people may find it a bit unfriendly. I grew up with that so it is normal to me. I had to get used to having strangers speaking to me in the grocery store and people waving from the side of the road when I moved to Virginia. Since hubby and I are kind of keep to our self kind of folk, this was fine for us. I would not rule out New Hampshire. It is one of the best kept secrets. They don't publicize themselves because they want to just keep to themselves but they don't resist outsiders coming in, they just don't go out and look for them. If you want more information about New Hampshire, e-mail me privately. Good luck on your search.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), April 02, 2002.

I'm a little confused by your question about "where are the rural areas?" Almost ALL of New Hampshire is rural (or at least small-town) with the exception of Manchester, Concord, Nashua, and Portsmouth. Eighty per cent of New Hamsphire is forested, if that gives you an idea. Like anywhere else, I'm sure there are plenty of places that are "For sale by owner." That would be the term to look for on the internet, and I'd also just visit, scout out places, and ask around. Good luck.

-- Jeff (lorianandjeff@aol.com), April 03, 2002.

Colleen, this jumped out at me from your post: >As to the politics of the state. It is very conservative and I guess >that is part of its charm for me. Also, the state motto is "live free >or die" so they aren't big about enacting a lot of laws that everyone >has to abide by like Vermont does. It is pretty much a leave me alone >and I'll leave you alone kind of state.

For the most part this may be true. HOwever, when you get near MetroBeantown, you find a bunch of border jumpers who have moved to NH to avoid taxes yet still work in MA. They have brought their liberalist mindset with them. Go to any of the larger cities -- Nashua, Concord, Manchester -- and you'll find them. You need only look to their present governor (female Demo) to see the proof of the mentality. She has done more in her term to advance the cause of liberalism than the previous ten.

As for being left alone to mind your own business, consider that the incident with Carl Drega 5 years ago up in Colebrook would never have happened if that were the case. Petty mindedness began his troubles due to some uncompleted buildings that local bureaucrats took him to task over and he finally had enough and made some irreversible decisions. Several deaths later, including at least one state trooper and several town officials, Drega no longer had to worry about the harassment. And the press had a field day with exaggerations about the state of his property and the articles found there after the shootout was over. For Carl, the state motto meant something; I don't believe that many GraniteStaters take it near that seriously.

I suppose it boils down to keeping your head down, paying the taxes and fees and licenses and assessments etc., ad yeccch and maybe you'll be left alone to mind yer biz. For a while....

-- Jake de MA (ringelman5@yahoo.com), April 03, 2002.

www.BestPlaces.net I believe this is a web site with specific city information.I hope this helps.

-- Ron (lauron518@aol.com), April 03, 2002.

Thanks to all who responded. To answer some of the questions...Yes, upstate NY sounds interesting, I would love to hear more.. I do know some about NH. I grew up there till age 9, in Berlin. The remaining family there, my cousins, all moved to the Manchester area. My goal is to be within driving distance to visit them and my family in the D.C. area. Idaho is just too far anymore.....traveling just aint what it used to be!

The Idaho climate is similar to NH,so I know about the short growing season. The plant and animal life is similar too...including the moose. The terrain, too, is similar...except that the mountains are bigger in the west. I think the politics are somewhat similar, but the taxes are alot higher in the east! My property taxes on 7.3 acres are $400. a year. Thats with a modest house. The unimproved piece thats 7.1 acres is only $17. a yr! But then we have a state tax too...theres always something to balance it out.

This forum is neat...I need to learn how to use it I think. Is it used like instant messaging? Some of the responses I received on my email site and some are here too....I cannot reply to all effectively. So will post here for the most part.

Thanks to everyone for helping. I am a single homesteader and appreciate help when it comes along. Peace out.

-- Barbie from N. Idaho (think_peace51@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.

A good book you might like to read is Escape to a Small Town by Lisa Rogak,Williams Hill Publishing 1-800-639-1099 ISBN:0-9652502-2- 9.She has section on ME,VT,NH and NY.Good luck

-- Ron (lauron518@aol.com), April 04, 2002.

I live in southern NH. All of the following observations mostly apply to the area south of Manchester. In general, real estate prices are high. Prices for new homes on 1 acre lots start above $180K, and property taxes are around $24 per $1000 valuation. The property tax is about 50% higher than neighboring towns in MA. There is no NH state income tax or sales tax. The previous post about people working in MA but living in NH to escape taxes is incorrect. In that situation, your MA employer is required to withhold MA state income tax, and you still have to pay the higher NH property tax. The only reason to do this is if you can buy a home for a lot less in NH, but the real estate prices on either side of the border are a lot closer now.

-- Bill in NH (elco_437@att.net), April 05, 2002.

Patty....AKA fodfarms@slic.com...I have attempted to respond to you twice and keep getting the mail returned as being on a "bad recipient list". If you are able, please try again to respond to me. I am interested very much in learning about upstate New York....I believe its within reasonable driving distance to my family....(Manchester, NH and the D.C. area), which is my goal in relocating from Idaho to the east. Anyone else who has info regarding homesteading in upstate NY, I appreciate your input. Its a long (and expensive) way from N.Idaho to the Northeast for looking around etc. I am planning a trip to Manchester in June to get a feel for the place and visit relatives, however I already got the feeling that the area is NOT gonna be homestead friendly...maybe the White Mountains up north. Thanks for any help.

-- Barbie from N. Idaho (think_peace51@hotmail.com), April 06, 2002.