The future Maine VS NH

[PatMcD]

Creat the life you want to live. Don't use other people's choices as your standard.

This. And any discussion about where you can make the most money never makes any sense to me. We could all make more money in the Boston area.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

I have to LOL at people talking about $300k houses... are you insane? Buying a house is a lifestyle choice. You will pay accordingly, but your choices are your choices, not anyone else's.

Create the life you want to live. Don't use other people's choices as your standard.

A lot of truth here. When my wife and I were looking at houses we set a modest price range and let that dictate what kind of property we were going to look at. I could have afforded a lot more and purchased a McMansion in one of the more expensive Seacoast towns, but I knew that some day once I had kids I would want a boat to take them fishing, a hot rod to rebuild with them and take them to the ice cream stand in, etc. So we bought enough house to live comfortably with the growth of our family in mind, that would still afford the ability to have some toys, and while we live in a nice house, we spend most of our time out in the yard or on the deck because we live in NH and it is beautiful here.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

This. And any discussion about where you can make the most money never makes any sense to me. We could all make more money in the Boston area.

Absolutely. There is more to life then making money. I'll take my family's life where we are over a Boston suburb every day of the week.

 

[RadiCS]

I was lucky enough to find a foreclosure with lots of acreage. Did a lot of work to it and it was nice not having to get permits.

Since moving to NH, I have purchased newer cars and a camper. The money I saved just on that was worth it. Real estate taxes are high but not much worse from the Northshore.

Having 3 cars and camper insurance was cheaper than two cars in Mass.

My biggest gripe is car registration and inspection stickers. I know every year we try to get rid of inspection stickers but the Auto lobby stops it.

 

[Broc]

There are jobs everywhere, what is the pay for a comparative job in MA and which economy only survives because of another state. I get it you love NH but NH only exists because of MA other than that you'd all be innkeepers or tied to the tourist industry up there somehow.
In a downturn market, several of which that we have seen in the last 30 years, I am glad I owned property in MA because all those MA residents who bought second properties in NH helped your real estate market decline to levels below the "bottom feeders" line while trying to offload them. Buy in NH and plan on staying for a awhile.

1. Downturn in housing doesnt matter. The OP wants to buy his last home.
2. Who GAF if the rest of NE exists thanks to MA. So what if it does? MA is going nowhere, so things wont change that much.

You only have one valid point that could apply to the OP, and that is jobs. Yes, MA is the place to be for certain job sectors such as tech. But, unless the OP tells us what he does for a living we wont know.

 

[Broc]

Lots of great replies.

Montana has been a great place to live as and offers some of the benefits described. Aside from the gun laws, getting out of the Massachusetts rat race has been nice. When people talk to you they care about hour interests, not your income or career.

Montana is economically crippled aside from Bozeman and Missoula which are both mini Cambridges on the brink of housing "cool offs". And sadly other than flat and ugly Eastern Montana land prices are generally higher than they are in Maine. Now, I have absolutely no fear of gun control but as I mentioned it would be nice to be closer to my parents as they and my nieces and sister.

With NH it seems like 10+ acres without having to build starts to get out of my price range quickly. (I'd like to be at $300k or less)

You might be able to buy a farm and rent part of the land to a farmer.

I have no idea how easy that is to do, but you could probably save some taxes...and live on a farm.

 

[watchman]

But, unless the OP tells us what he does for a living we wont know.

He likes to work in the gun retail sector