HELP!! Sell you town to me :-)

[blushingbride]

I agree with Kaleigh, Octavia and Lynnie and will chime in as a huge supporter of the Philly ''berbs!!!

Since they pretty much covered the details on that area, I thought I''d mention another area just outside of Philly...the Lehigh Valley.

Although, I moved to NYC, I grew up in the Lehigh Valley which is made up of 3 towns - Allentown, Bethlehem and Eason - it''s a fantastic area - affordable housing, great schools and close to Philly, Lancaster, Poconos, NYC, Jersey Shore and Washington DC! I loved growing up there and still enjoy going home to visit my parents every month or so. The cool thing about it is that you can be in center city A-town and drive 10 min. and you hit farmland! It offers everything.

As for what you''re looking for, obviously you''ll get all four seasons. You won''t be sitting in traffic jams on your way to work (even if you live in one town and work in another). The car insurance is very reasonable and it''s an area that really is growing and thriving. It has two great malls (the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley and the Lehigh Valley Mall) and they are starting a third mall where the old Bethlehem Steel Corp. resides - not to mention it''s only a 40 min. drive from one of the largest malls in the country - King of Prussia!

The area offers Wegmans as one of it''s top grocery stores...it even offers international and organic food.

 

[scarlet16]

Hey Cello-
Is the-NYC out of the question? We love it here, and honestly, it fits all your criteria! If it''s not out of the running...I''ll pitch it some more. And when I say NYC area, I''d include tri-state, and areas like Forest Hills.

 

[akmiss]

Date: 4/25/2008 12:04:30 AM
Author: somethingshiny
I don''t mean to threadjack, but I''d never heard of FINDYOURSPOT. I just did it and it told me my best areas are: Seward, Alaska / Ketchikan, Alaska / Lewiston, Maine / Jackson, Wyoming and several more throughout Alaska, Maine and Idaho.

I think you should give Sheboygan a try, because honestly Alaska is our ''dream''.

Believe me, Alaska is great

 

[curlygirl]

cellososweet, I know exactly what you mean. I lived in LA for almost 3 years and felt so out of place and as if I wasn''t REALLY living my life. When I came back to NYC, everything fell into place!

So of course I recommend Manhattan for hardcore city life and Brooklyn for the combo of city/almost suburban living--it seems to be the best of both worlds in places like Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Park Slope, etc.

Secondly, I highly recommend northern New Jersey. I''m from Bergen County and while the majority of the towns are pricey, there are some areas that are still nice but not as expensive. The commute into the city is not horrific and you can be a sahm but still have a life. There are also places like Jersey City and Hoboken which are literally across the river and there are lots of condos going up with views of NYC. VERY easy commute and both places have a lot to offer.

I guess I''m partial to this area because I know it so well. But I also love the Boston area and it would probably be my second choice for East Coast living!

 

[scarlet16]

Date: 4/25/2008 10:13:31 AM
Author: curlygirl
cellososweet, I know exactly what you mean. I lived in LA for almost 3 years and felt so out of place and as if I wasn''t REALLY living my life. When I came back to NYC, everything fell into place!

So of course I recommend Manhattan for hardcore city life and Brooklyn for the combo of city/almost suburban living--it seems to be the best of both worlds in places like Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Park Slope, etc.

Secondly, I highly recommend northern New Jersey. I''m from Bergen County and while the majority of the towns are pricey, there are some areas that are still nice but not as expensive. The commute into the city is not horrific and you can be a sahm but still have a life. There are also places like Jersey City and Hoboken which are literally across the river and there are lots of condos going up with views of NYC. VERY easy commute and both places have a lot to offer.

I guess I''m partial to this area because I know it so well. But I also love the Boston area and it would probably be my second choice for East Coast living!

Ditto to everything Curly said!

I was going to pitch the area if it wasn''t out of consideration, but you''ve done it very well!

 

[cellososweet]

thanks so much guys!!!! I''ll definitely do a lot of research into Philly this weekend.

Please please please elaborate on the NYC metro area. When I was a kid I lived in the UWS (well. . . the lower upper west side. by lincoln center) and I went to school at Professional Childrens for ballet/cello. Of course everything was paid for by scholarships and such and I lived in a "dorm" (really an apartment with a dorm mother). So, it''s a lot different now that I don''t have scholarships to pay for my life (why don''t they give scholarships for every-day living. Haha. . . i''d be a shoe-in).

When I lived in NY, brooklyn (and many parts of manhattan that are now tres chic) was a no-no and if we jumped train to go out there we''d get in massive trouble. I still find it funny that alphabet city and hell''s are now gentrified. We girls got lost in each neighborhood once as kids and boy oh boy were we in trooooouble when we got back. It was bad! Haha. . .So, though I love NYC, my perception is skewed. I''ve been back numerous times, but living there is different.

My biggest fear is finding something that is afforable so that my husband won''t have to freak out if I become pregnant and want to stay at home (we are in the "not trying to conceive, but not actively avoiding" camp). I don''t want him to flip out paying the rent alone if I''m home. I think teaching cello/violin would be pretty easy in NYC though, especially if I charge slightly less (that''s what I did here. Going rate is $50/hr. I charge $35 and people come running!). We have student loans too which will come in to the tune of roughly $500/mo. Oy vey!

So, where can we go that''s child-friendly in the city??? Size doesn''t matter, as I said in my original post. A tiny studio is fine with us because I''m super creative with small-space and can make anything work. I helped friends of ours set up their 350 sf. studio so that it had a "bedroom" that was separated by Ikea shelving (gotta love the expedit, i think it''s a big-city small-apartment staple), a nice dining area and a study/living area. They''ve kept it the same way for three years. So, I love a challenge. I know the UES is cheap, relatively. But the 4,5,6 in the morning is hell on earth from what i remember and what people have told me.

So, lemme have it. And, no takers on the Triangle Area of NC??? I thought we had quite a few NC''ers out there.

 

[cellososweet]

p.s.- i was hoping you''d pitch in curly considering you''re exactly where i''d like to be. in the city with a little one.

 

[curlygirl]

cello, there really is no bad part of NYC anymore!!! Every seedy neighborhood has pretty much been gentrified and as you mentioned, places like Hell''s Kitchen, Alphabet City (East Village) and the lower East Side are all hip and happening neighborhoods now!

Brooklyn definitely seems to be the place that most people move to when they are either priced out of or growing out of Manhattan apartments. This is actually where we may end up eventually. But that''s not to say that Brooklyn is cheap, especially the areas I named. You can definitely get more for your money but you still have to spend money! There are up and coming neighborhoods like Clinton Hill that has recently had an explosion of new developments at good prices but I''m not really a pioneer--I usually move to a place after it''s been established!! There''s also DUMBO and Williamsburg which are more artsy/industrial/loftlike but also super duper close to Manhattan so definitely pricey but not as bad as Manhattan.

We live in Murray Hill and love it. We''re actually in the upper 30s between Madison and Park so it''s not as frat boy/post collegiate as the lower 30s and 3rd Avenue. It''s not the COOLEST neighborhood but it is so central to everything and we love it. We own a 910 square foot 1 bedroom apartment which was great as a couple and perfectly doable with a baby but may get a little cramped with another one on the way! But we really enjoy our neighborhood and the ease at which we can get around. I also recommend the Upper East Side for nice, family living--it almost feels like the suburbs up there with all the strollers and nannies wandering the quiet tree-lined streets. I''m not terribly familiar with the Upper West Side but people who live there seem to love it as well. The biggest issue will be when it comes time to send the kids to school. We will have to re-evaluate everything at that point because it''s like $25,000 for kindergarten IF you can even get into a good private school! That''s when I hear New Jersey calling my name!!

Let me know if you want info about specific places and I''ll do my best to help you out. Just be prepared for higher than average prices, especially in Manhattan. The real estate crisis hasn''t really hit us yet!!!

 

[gailrmv]

Cello,
I can tell you more about the Triangle, NC.

Don't come. It's full.


Just kidding, but as it keeps getting ranked high on different lists, more people are coming (especially from the NY/NJ area, strangely enough) and traffic has gotten a lot worse, as has urban sprawl.

First off, Mara had a thread maybe a year ago when she was coming to visit and think about moving here. I'd recommend checking that out as I know Rod, me, and a few others gave lots of detailed recommendations.

In a nutshell: It's a great place. It's pretty affordable, especially compared to most metropolitan areas. It's largely suburban living, but the universities and major companies bring culture and interesting people who might otherwise not be in a city of this size. There are several great universities where you could go for your masters if you wanted.

There are only a few drawbacks. Public transportation is lacking for the most part, so you do end up driving a lot and as I mentioned, traffic is getting worse. I doubt it is anything like SoCal though. I hate driving and I love walking places, and there just aren't many places you can do that. Even if you live close to stores, restaurants, etc, you'll still likely end up driving some places. Raleigh is going through a return to urban life, which is exciting. Each city has its own downtown and unique characteristics and I highly recommend a visit to check the place out. Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill are the main ones; Carrboro, Cary, Morrisville and Hillsborough are also part of the triangle, and metro Raleigh is expanding in all directions.

Weather: You've got the occasional ice storm and hurricane, and it does get very hot and humid in summer, but I don't think the weather is perfect anywhere. I've lived several places now and the Triangle has the best weather of the places I've lived.

I have known several people who are SAHMs in the Triangle, and none has mentioned problems with social judgment, etc. I think it depends more on your social circle than the city. Also, I;m sure if you are a SAHM you can seek out others to become friends with, probably anywhere you live.

For any city you can get an idea of the housing costs from apartments.com or realtor.com.

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 4/25/2008 12:12:22 PM
Author: curlygirl
cello, there really is no bad part of NYC anymore!!! Every seedy neighborhood has pretty much been gentrified and as you mentioned, places like Hell's Kitchen, Alphabet City (East Village) and the lower East Side are all hip and happening neighborhoods now!

Brooklyn definitely seems to be the place that most people move to when they are either priced out of or growing out of Manhattan apartments. This is actually where we may end up eventually. But that's not to say that Brooklyn is cheap, especially the areas I named. You can definitely get more for your money but you still have to spend money! There are up and coming neighborhoods like Clinton Hill that has recently had an explosion of new developments at good prices but I'm not really a pioneer--I usually move to a place after it's been established!! There's also DUMBO and Williamsburg which are more artsy/industrial/loftlike but also super duper close to Manhattan so definitely pricey but not as bad as Manhattan.

We live in Murray Hill and love it. We're actually in the upper 30s between Madison and Park so it's not as frat boy/post collegiate as the lower 30s and 3rd Avenue. It's not the COOLEST neighborhood but it is so central to everything and we love it. We own a 910 square foot 1 bedroom apartment which was great as a couple and perfectly doable with a baby but may get a little cramped with another one on the way! But we really enjoy our neighborhood and the ease at which we can get around. I also recommend the Upper East Side for nice, family living--it almost feels like the suburbs up there with all the strollers and nannies wandering the quiet tree-lined streets. I'm not terribly familiar with the Upper West Side but people who live there seem to love it as well. The biggest issue will be when it comes time to send the kids to school. We will have to re-evaluate everything at that point because it's like $25,000 for kindergarten IF you can even get into a good private school! That's when I hear New Jersey calling my name!!

Let me know if you want info about specific places and I'll do my best to help you out. Just be prepared for higher than average prices, especially in Manhattan. The real estate crisis hasn't really hit us yet!!!

Ditto Curly! Great summary of the neighborhoods. However, you missed one which I love and must rave about since it's where I call home and that's downtown - we're talking Battery Park/Financial District - you can even throw Tribeca in there too. I used to live on the UES and let me tell you, it doesn't even compare to downtown.

First, all the major subway lines run down there and within blocks of each other so, it's so easy to get around town!

Not to mention, you have access to ferries and buses which also makes it nice.

Second, all the "wall-streeters" go home at night which makes it quiet and peaceful (for NY standards

).

Third, not only is there Battery Park, but it has the Robert F. Wagner Park and the Battery Park City Promenade - this extends into the Hudson River Park, which is a system of greenspaces, bikeways and promenades that run along the Hudson river. This is probably one of my favorite things about downtown - we walk our dog along the promende and watch the sunset over the Statue of Liberty - it's heavenly! You really don't feel like you are in Manhattan sometimes.

Finally, it has so many new stores/restaurants/hotels which openned up down there such as Hermes, Thomas Pink, Tiffany's, Canali, Whole Foods, Sephora, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Cipriani's, the Palm, W Hotel, the Ritz Carlton and broke ground for a Mandarin Hotel.

In addition, there a lots of new condo/apartments going up which are offering deals - including tax abatement - most are affordable luxuary apts. with the granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors.

Anyway, hope I was able to help - let me know if you have any ques. about the area if you're interested

Good luck!!

 

[Gypsy]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE DC. We lived in Silver Spring and Dupont. Crystal city, Alexandria and Bethesda are fabulous too. I would move back in a heartbeat.

 

[curlygirl]

Date: 4/25/2008 1:48:18 PM
Author: blushingbride

Date: 4/25/2008 12:12:22 PM
Author: curlygirl
cello, there really is no bad part of NYC anymore!!! Every seedy neighborhood has pretty much been gentrified and as you mentioned, places like Hell''s Kitchen, Alphabet City (East Village) and the lower East Side are all hip and happening neighborhoods now!

Brooklyn definitely seems to be the place that most people move to when they are either priced out of or growing out of Manhattan apartments. This is actually where we may end up eventually. But that''s not to say that Brooklyn is cheap, especially the areas I named. You can definitely get more for your money but you still have to spend money! There are up and coming neighborhoods like Clinton Hill that has recently had an explosion of new developments at good prices but I''m not really a pioneer--I usually move to a place after it''s been established!! There''s also DUMBO and Williamsburg which are more artsy/industrial/loftlike but also super duper close to Manhattan so definitely pricey but not as bad as Manhattan.

We live in Murray Hill and love it. We''re actually in the upper 30s between Madison and Park so it''s not as frat boy/post collegiate as the lower 30s and 3rd Avenue. It''s not the COOLEST neighborhood but it is so central to everything and we love it. We own a 910 square foot 1 bedroom apartment which was great as a couple and perfectly doable with a baby but may get a little cramped with another one on the way! But we really enjoy our neighborhood and the ease at which we can get around. I also recommend the Upper East Side for nice, family living--it almost feels like the suburbs up there with all the strollers and nannies wandering the quiet tree-lined streets. I''m not terribly familiar with the Upper West Side but people who live there seem to love it as well. The biggest issue will be when it comes time to send the kids to school. We will have to re-evaluate everything at that point because it''s like $25,000 for kindergarten IF you can even get into a good private school! That''s when I hear New Jersey calling my name!!

Let me know if you want info about specific places and I''ll do my best to help you out. Just be prepared for higher than average prices, especially in Manhattan. The real estate crisis hasn''t really hit us yet!!!

Ditto Curly! Great summary of the neighborhoods. However, you missed one which I love and must rave about since it''s where I call home and that''s downtown - we''re talking Battery Park/Financial District - you can even throw Tribeca in there too. I used to live on the UES and let me tell you, it doesn''t even compare to downtown.

First, all the major subway lines run down there and within blocks of each other so, it''s so easy to get around town!

Not to mention, you have access to ferries and buses which also makes it nice.

Second, all the ''wall-streeters'' go home at night which makes it quiet and peaceful (for NY standards

).

Third, not only is there Battery Park, but it has the Robert F. Wagner Park and the Battery Park City Promenade - this extends into the Hudson River Park, which is a system of greenspaces, bikeways and promenades that run along the Hudson river. This is probably one of my favorite things about downtown - we walk our dog along the promende and watch the sunset over the Statue of Liberty - it''s heavenly! You really don''t feel like you are in Manhattan sometimes.

Finally, it has so many new stores/restaurants/hotels which openned up down there such as Hermes, Thomas Pink, Tiffany''s, Canali, Whole Foods, Sephora, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Cipriani''s, the Palm, W Hotel, the Ritz Carlton and broke ground for a Mandarin Hotel.

In addition, there a lots of new condo/apartments going up which are offering deals - including tax abatement - most are affordable luxuary apts. with the granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors.

Anyway, hope I was able to help - let me know if you have any ques. about the area if you''re interested

Good luck!!

bb, good call!! I wasn''t even thinking about Battery Park/Financial District and I actually really like it down there--another place on our list if we can''t stay where we are. DH lived down there before we got married and it''s a nice haven away from a lot of the craziness, especially after work. Yes, lots of new luxury buildings going up especially right around the Wall Street area. Plus Battery Park City is very nice for families. Great suggestion!!!

 

[cellososweet]

TanDogMom thanks so much for the input on NC. Since it is getting so busy, that idea is out the window. I dont'' want to repeat SoCal!!!!

I love Battery City Park, but with a budget of roughly 1800 and then $400,000 range to buy in about two years, I think it is out of our reach. I think we will probably go with NY if we can''t find something in Boston. I''d really like to do Boston because when we are ready to buy, there is always Nashua, Manchester, parts of Boston proper, then Farmingham, Marlborough, etc. That way DH can stay with the same company and not have a horrific commute (well Manchester to Boston isn''t fantastic, but, you get the idea). That would be our goal.

If we do NY-metro, where can we go with a budget of $1,800 besides the upper east side to rent for a few years? And then when we are ready to buy, will we have to move so far out that DH will have a terrible commute??? Where do people go to buy a house. SI is out of the question because DH can''t go on a ferry (he has terrible motion sickness and I mean TERRIBLE!).

 

[gailrmv]

Cello, I may have made the traffic sound worse than it is. My commute is considered pretty bad for the area and it is 25 miles. When I tell my neighbors I work at XX, they are like WOW, that's a long drive. If I avoid rush hour it takes 30 minutes. If I hit rush hour it is 45-60. There are two specific spots that get clogged up and if I avoid them I am golden. I think the key is if you and your DH can live and work in the same city of the Triangle, or have a job that does not require you to be in certain peak traffic areas during rush hour. Our problem is that I work in one city, DH works in another, and we live in a third altogether. So, don't write off the triangle altogether based on what I said re: traffic! I am sure our traffic is not as bad as the major metropolitan areas. When we visited SoCal I told DH I could never live here because of the traffic.

Oh, and with a budget of $400K to buy, you could have your choice of lots of great houses in lots of great neighborhoods!

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 4/25/2008 6:29:17 PM
Author: cellososweet
If we do NY-metro, where can we go with a budget of $1,800 besides the upper east side to rent for a few years?

Ooof ... Harlem? Washington Heights maybe? Astoria, Queens? Bay Ridge, Brooklyn? The hippest parts of Brooklyn have gone far beyond that budget ... 1 bdrm I assume, not studio. Heck ... when I moved out of Brooklyn in 2002 it was *almost* that in 2nd tier nebes.

And then when we are ready to buy, will we have to move so far out that DH will have a terrible commute???

In a word: YES. Unless your combined salaries is in the mid to high six figure range AND you have MUCHO $$$ saved up for a deposit with even more in savings/investments to qualify with crazy tough co-op boards. Total Nightmare. Which is why almost everyone I know has moved when it came time to buy.

 

[cellososweet]

thanks deco!

Actually, we''re ok with a studio. I made a post about being really creative in itsy-bitsy space. I''ve seen some apts in the upper east side that go for around about our budget and that''s basically it. Unless we do Ft. Greene or Astoria.

I''m definitely not into hip. DEFINITELY. Don''t do leggings. I do love me some funky shoes though. But that''s about it. I''m liberal, but I tend to dress classy because I have a body type that can go from trendy to risque with the wrong time in five seconds flat (gotta love the D''s). I tend to wear boot-cut or straight leg dark jeans (no skinny ones ick for my body!), a nice patterned shirt and a black sweater. Diamond studs and a chunky necklace are good. I like to have a classy bag for my pop of color (red, purple, etc). No super low-cut shirts, no leggings under cut-off denim skirts. I might be young, but I''m definitely not trendy. The best coffee is Lavazza, made at home, black. Don''t need to spend $4.35 to be hip. I love to cook at home and don''t need some pseudo-Ethiopian fare. I like to try new things, but I don''t need to be up on the new trends 24/7. I have a blackberry because it''s convenient, not for the brand. I like my stuff, don''t get me wrong. But I''m not down with the kitsch.

So, with that in mind, any other suggestions???

The renting I''m not too scared about, but you basically confirmed what I thought about the buying.

 

[VegasAngel]

Cello, try out findyourspot.com I''m curious to see what pops up there for you.

 

[scarlet16]

Date: 4/25/2008 7:07:31 PM
Author: cellososweet
thanks deco!

Actually, we''re ok with a studio. I made a post about being really creative in itsy-bitsy space. I''ve seen some apts in the upper east side that go for around about our budget and that''s basically it. Unless we do Ft. Greene or Astoria.

I''m definitely not into hip. DEFINITELY. Don''t do leggings. I do love me some funky shoes though. But that''s about it. I''m liberal, but I tend to dress classy because I have a body type that can go from trendy to risque with the wrong time in five seconds flat (gotta love the D''s). I tend to wear boot-cut or straight leg dark jeans (no skinny ones ick for my body!), a nice patterned shirt and a black sweater. Diamond studs and a chunky necklace are good. I like to have a classy bag for my pop of color (red, purple, etc). No super low-cut shirts, no leggings under cut-off denim skirts. I might be young, but I''m definitely not trendy. The best coffee is Lavazza, made at home, black. Don''t need to spend $4.35 to be hip. I love to cook at home and don''t need some pseudo-Ethiopian fare. I like to try new things, but I don''t need to be up on the new trends 24/7. I have a blackberry because it''s convenient, not for the brand. I like my stuff, don''t get me wrong. But I''m not down with the kitsch.

So, with that in mind, any other suggestions???

The renting I''m not too scared about, but you basically confirmed what I thought about the buying.

I''m gonna push two Queens neighborhoods.

The first my now-FI lived in for several years - Sunnyside (about 25 min. on the 7 to midtown). It was a decent sized (probably 700-800 sq. ft) 1br and went for about $1200. It''s a cute area, very family oriented. The buildings are a little older but there has been a lot of development (a new starbucks opened up about 3 months ago).

The other is Forest Hills. We have quite a few friends out there. Very good friends had a well-over 1,000 sq. ft. place for $1800. If you stay near Austin St. (Continental), it''s about 45 min. on the E or F train Express. We looked into buying and there was a 2br, newly renovated place for $400K (didn''t buy b/c I was working full time and going to night school so it didn''t make sense to commute that far). I''d actually consider the area again if we were going to buy.

If you want to stay in Manhattan, I think you can do a studio apt. for about $1800, but it''ll probably be walkup. Look in far Hell''s Kitchen (maybe in the mid 40''s on 8th & 9th), LES/Alphabet City, Upper West (in the 90s-100s) and Upper East (east of 2nd Ave). Those are probably your best bet. Also, Craigslist has been a dream for us - I''ve scored 2 fantastic apts on there! I actually just checked our management company''s website (Bettina Equities) and they have a couple of apts. right around your price range.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 4/25/2008 7:14:37 PM
Author: VegasAngel
Cello, try out findyourspot.com I''m curious to see what pops up there for you.

Ditto!

(I did it myself last night out of sheer curiosity ... and guess what popped up first: Providence, RI ... wacky since my friend just picked it and I''ve been thinking about it so much. And after Providence came my old HOMETOWN & neighboring town ... really weird and/or kinda cool)

 

[cellososweet]

it''s funny that you menioned findyourspot. I''ve done it and thats where talk about Sheboygan came in earlier. Top picks were Boston, Providence, NY, Manchester NH, mmmm Hartford, CT Worcester, MA (which is already a no. been there and it''s not my deal) and some off-shot places in Oregon and then there''s Sheboygan.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 4/24/2008 9:29:52 PM
Author: Allison D.
Cello, based on what you''ve said, I think the Merrimack Valley region of MA/NH might be a good fit for you....runs along the northern end of I-495 from the MA seacoast to where it meets I-93. Towns include Newburyport, Amesbury, Haverhill, Methuen, and a few southern NH towns, too (495 runs along the MA/NH border).

It''s far less congested than Boston/surrounding towns and much less so than South Shore (plymouth area, etc). The town I live in is about an hour''s drive from the mountains/camping/white water to the north. I''m within 20 minutes of the ocean and can get to Portsmouth, NH/Southern Maine in about 35 minutes. It''s a 30-minute drive into Boston on the weekends. Logan Airport is about 40 minutes from me in one direction; smaller regional Manchester (NH) airport is about 30-40 minutes in the other direction. From this region, you can reach destinations (by car) as follows: NYC 3.5-4 hours, Providence, RI - 75-90 minutes, Portland, ME - 90 minutes; Burlington, VT - about 3 hours; Lake Winnepesaukee (NH)- 1 hour.

Most of these towns nestle against the Merrimack River (makes for nice scenic running trails). From Haverhill, MA, the Downeaster express train runs into Boston with only one along the way, so it''s very commutable into Boston without driving. There is also a regional transit system that services the valley; I''ve never used it myself, so not sure how serviceable it is.

Housing in this area runs in your target range; average median home price in my town is about $270-ish? I''d say more realistic is mid 300s if you want something in the 1600-1800 or so sq. ft. range.

Jobs in your field are pretty attainable in this area. Nicer townhouse rentals in this region run in the $1600-1800 range for a 3 BR; average 2 BR rentals run around $1200, give or take a bit.

The only drawback (if it is one) to the area: people who''ve been in this area forever can sometimes be a bit hard to get to know. They''re polite, but definitely Yankee reserved.

Hope this helps.

I second Allison''s post! The southern NH/northern MA areas are really nice and housing is pretty good. I''d also recommend the seacoast area of NH, specifically the Dover and Portsmouth areas. There''s tons to do and the beach, mountains, lakes, and bigger cities like Boston and Portland, ME, are pretty close (about an hour''s drive). Durham, NH, is a college town -- home to UNH. It''s a really nice town, but it might be slower paced and a tad further from a bigger city than you might want (although the smaller city of Portsmouth is really close by). Durham isn''t too far from Route 16, which runs into I-95.

A few other NH towns to look into are Salem, Windham, Londonderry, Derry, Manchester, Nashua. I''ll reread through your post and see if I can recommend other places in this area.

The best thing about New England, to me, is that you''re never too far from the things I mentioned -- the beach, mountains lakes, great cities, quaint little towns, great shopping and food, AND you really can''t beat having all 4 seasons. It''s beautiful here.

If you get closer to making a decision and northern New England is on your list, I''ll see if I can chime in with other advice.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 4/24/2008 10:54:27 PM
Author: cellososweet

Allison D.- I loved loved loved Manchester when I was there. And Bedford. And Nashua (swooon). Perhaps starting off in Boston and making the move there when we are more established in our careers might be a good move.

Nobody for Hartford yet??

I don''t know much about Hartford, so I can''t help you there.

Now, Manchester, Bedford, and Nashua are towns I know a lot about. Merrimack is also another town to check out. I can''t say there''s a ton to do right in these towns, but they all have good shopping, very easy access to main highways, and they all have parts to them that are quintessential New England. There are wonderful, smaller towns nearby that I could mention but none of them have public transportation. They''re still close to the things that Allison and I have mentioned, but they''re a far cry from places like Boston.

If you want me to give you more specific info. about any of these places, I''d be happy to. Just ask away!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I didn''t read the whole thread but I love North Carolina. We get the seasons but winter is short and mild. Very low cost of living. I love that I can get to the mountains in 3 hours or the beach in 3 hours. And Charlotte is a HUGE banking city. HUGE!

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 4/27/2008 8:37:12 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I didn''t read the whole thread but I love North Carolina. We get the seasons but winter is short and mild. Very low cost of living. I love that I can get to the mountains in 3 hours or the beach in 3 hours. And Charlotte is a HUGE banking city. HUGE!

Just out of curiosity, Tacori, which part of NC do you prefer -- the mountains or the beach (or somewhere in the middle)? It seems like such a great place and it would be hard to decide which area to settle in.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/27/2008 8:47:23 PM
Author: ZoeBartlett

Date: 4/27/2008 8:37:12 PM

Author: Tacori E-ring

I didn''t read the whole thread but I love North Carolina. We get the seasons but winter is short and mild. Very low cost of living. I love that I can get to the mountains in 3 hours or the beach in 3 hours. And Charlotte is a HUGE banking city. HUGE!

Just out of curiosity, Tacori, which part of NC do you prefer -- the mountains or the beach (or somewhere in the middle)? It seems like such a great place and it would be hard to decide which area to settle in.

Well we are in Charlotte (which isn''t mountains or beach) and we are very happy here and will probably stay here forever. We have friends who love Raleigh/Durham. Asheville is really nice but employment might be more limited. My brother has a friend in Wilmington which is lovely (Dawson''s Creek was filmed there).

 

[sap483]

I grew up in Hartford, went to college in Boston and now live about 30 miles (SW) outside of Boston. I would recommend each of these areas to you. Hartford is very affordable for car insurance, much more so than MA, although MA insurance was recently reformed so it will most likely be getting lower. For example in CT as a brand new driver I paid $800 a year and my parents would pay $800 in total for both of them. When I moved to MA, I was paying close to $2k with a clean driving record. I now pay about $700 having always had a clean driving record. On the other hand gas prices and some tax rates in CT tend to be higher. Housing prices in CT vary greatly from town to town. In general the towns in Fairfield county tend to be more expensive. Some of the northern counties such as Hartford, Tolland, etc are less expensive, but do have some expensive towns within them.

In terms of traffic, I would say that there''s a decent amount of traffic getting in and out of Hartford and some of the other larger cities in the southern part of the state. It''s not as bad though as Boston traffic. There is public transportation by way of busses available from many suburbs though, and they do have an HOV lane on some of the highways so if you carpool you have some advantages. Of course in Boston and it''s surrounding areas you have more options for public transportation including busses, the subway and a commuter rail. I travel to Boston for work currently and it takes about 40 minutes via the commuter rail. It costs me about $14 a day though. However if I drove into the city it would take be almost 2 hours during rush hour, and I would pay between $25 and $30 for parking. It was worth moving out of the city for us though because we were able to buy a home on 1.25 acres of land for under $400k. While it''s an older home that needs to be renovated and it''s pretty small, it''s a good starter home. We could have definitely bought a condo for that amount but we really wanted the land. So if that''s important to you then you may want to consider living outside of Boston.

If living directly in Boston is an option for you financially and you don''t care about land, then it''s a great place to live. You really don''t need a car, and have so many options in terms of dining, shopping and entertainment. There are several really great hospitals in the area, and the asset management industry is really thriving (my clients are all investment companies, investment advisors, or mutual funds). When I think of Hartford though, I think more of larger insurance companies. While there are a few asset management firms, it''s more limited than Boston.

Another thing I just thought of was maybe you''d be interested in living just 15 minutes outside of the city. FI and I lived in a city called Quincy, MA for almost two years. Rent is far more affordable than the city and it''s on the red-line subway (the T) so it''s easy to get in and out of the city. It''s also a 10 min drive into the city when there isn''t traffic. The city is on the water and has some parks and beaches. What''s nice about Quincy too is that it''s a good place to invest in a multi-family. FI bought one when he graduated and lived in it for a couple of years. With the rent from the other units he was easily able to afford his mortgage. We still have kept it for rental income. So maybe that would be an option for you?

I hope this helps a little...

 

[Selkie]

Date: 4/24/2008 9:29:52 PM
Author: Allison D.
Cello, based on what you''ve said, I think the Merrimack Valley region of MA/NH might be a good fit for you....runs along the northern end of I-495 from the MA seacoast to where it meets I-93. Towns include Newburyport, Amesbury, Haverhill, Methuen, and a few southern NH towns, too (495 runs along the MA/NH border).

The only drawback (if it is one) to the area: people who''ve been in this area forever can sometimes be a bit hard to get to know. They''re polite, but definitely Yankee reserved.

Thirding Al''s post. And as for those "reserved" Yankees, I find them to be really genuine. And once we get to know you, we warm up!

I''ll put a plug in for the North Shore area of Boston. This would be Salem, Danvers, Andover, Gloucester, Beverly, Ipswich, Rowley, Newburyport, etc. The commuter train runs through all those towns into Boston, and the driving commute is at most an hour. You''ve got a range of small cities to small towns, all with a lot of open space, history, natural beauty, and proximity to beaches, mountains, museums etc. Enough colleges and cultural activities to keep things intellectually interesting.

I have several friends in tech and banking in the area, and there''s definitely plenty of opportunity. My mother has been a nurse in the area for 40 years, and has always had her pick of jobs.

Sounds like an exciting time for you, I''m interested to find out where you end up!

 

[luckystar112]

You know it's funny but I've always considered yankees more personable than people from the south. Of course, I'm only talking about the Boston area compared to the Houston area....I haven't experienced the wrath of the New-Yorker yet.

I know it's not only me, because almost everyone we've met in Houston isn't from here...and they all say the same thing. One friend said she thinks Houston is where dou$& bags come to die.

Of course, that means I'm on of them.

But I won't be here for that much longer, hopefully!!

Thanks to this thread, FI and I are SERIOUSLY considering Providence. When we go up to Maine next Christmas we're going to take a day trip to go check it out (it's only 2.5 hours away). And according to findyourspot.com, the average home price is only around 250k, which is totally do-able. One of the biggest concerns we have about moving up north is the difference in housing costs. We're so spoiled right now!

 

[cellososweet]

You guys are such dolls! I really appreciate all of your input. We''re really pushing for the Boston area. No offense to NYC metro, but buying within a few years is important to us and we want to couple our new home with a reasonable commute and I think Boston is a bit better in that regards. I still feel that we will be mostly priced out of NYC metro when we are looking to buy (since I''m a little more partial to more space if I''m paying a mortgage. renting, don''t mind so much. But if I''m paying a mortgage, i''d like to have a little space/yard,etc).

So. . . . we''ve been emailing for some sublets for the summer time. Found a couple of really good ones in Boston proper (back bay/fenway,etc). I have an aunt in Marlborough that is willing to look at apartments for us for a sublet to make sure they are legit, so that is good. I have to call her today One of them is Fenway for $1200 and it allows us bring our cats which is awesome! It only lasts for 6 weeks though, which is a bit of a short amount of time to get settled, but. . . we always have that aunt if things fall through. Though I would hate hate hate to take advantage of her kidness, she''s expressed that she is always there if we are in trouble

I''ve been in contact with some temp agencies and my husband has been in contact with some of his contacts in Boston (geez. how many times can you put "contact" in one sentence??) Haha. . . So. . wish us luck. I''ll keep you updated in another thread. I have to break the news to my friend that it doesn''t look like we''ll be coming to NY. I know she will be upset because she was really looking forward to me coming up there and being crazy with her, but in all honesty I''m not very wild and if she is a true friend she''ll understand that this former navy-brat just wants some stability and a place to finally call home. Afterall, I''ll be a better friend if I''m comfortable and happy where I live. And besides, it''s only 3 hours away from Boston and it''ll be nice to have a place to escape and vice-versa. And besides, her twin brother starts Harvard Business for his MBA in fall, so she''ll have an excuse to pop by.

Thanks a bunch everyone!

P.S.- Any ideas how the Brookline area is?? We didn''t make it down that far but a prospective sublet is there. Thanks!

 

[cellososweet]

ohhh good luck luckystar!!!!