Need yet more info on Burlington Vermont.
 

Hi

I posted an inquiry about the Burlington area a few weeks ago. My wife and I will be relocating there so I hoped some locals could offer advice. Many of you did and it was great advice as my wife just returned from there.

She spent alot of time down around Westbury and over by Essex, Underhill and in between Perhaps because of the time of year, very few houses were available. She was looking for an older house with charm and no luck I'm afraid. A tough market, even small run down homes were fairly expensive. No big deal though, she was more concerned about getting a feel for the area.

On the plane ride home, the woman seated next to her suggested looking north rather than south or east. She mentioned St. Albans since it was only about 30 minutes away with very little traffic. After checking a few real estate sites on the net, it seems like houses are conssiderably cheaper north of the city.

So now I'm hoping to get info on the area to the north. Anyone familiar with the towns. How about St. Albans?

Hoping you can give me as much great advice as you did in round one. As for that Burlington traffic you're complaining about. You may want to take a spin around the Chicago suburbs, you'll see how lucky you are.

Hey Dan,
Not to sound too discouraging, but my boyfriend bought a house last summer after a year of looking (he was renting and could afford to wait for the "right" house). We thought too that come spring more homes would come on the market, but it didnt seem that way. Maybe this year will be different though! I'd be happy to refer you to the Real Estate Company he used as he was pleased with them.
As for St. Albans...hopefully some others can pipe in, as I've only driven through. Some friends of friends just bought a house in Fairfax (just SE of St. Albans). It's a nice small community and they like it there. Was your wife in Westford (you mentioned Westbury..there is no Westbury in VT!)? Thats a nice community as well. St. Albans is a small "city" and about an hour from Montreal, and a half hour commute to greater Burlington.
Good luck!!!

Thanks for getting back to me, you gave me great info the first time around. I meant to say waterbury.

The area to the north sound interesting. I'm a little concerned driving 50 or 60 miles round trip though because of snow, deer, and from what I hear, even moose. Do you know if its a 4 lane highway up there?

Burlington to St. Albans is a straight shot on Interstate 89.
Moose are not a problem in this part of the state. Over in the Northeast Kingdom there a few colisions a year, but it's not a "problem"! There are deer everywhere-I certainly wouldnt let that deter your decision to live a little out of the way.
As far as snow is concerened...again not a problem. I assume you've driven in snow if you live in/near Chicago. If you don't have four wheel drive, make sure you have a front wheel vehicle...snow tires would help as well. Take it slow, and you'll be fine. Life goes on up here when it snows!

I don't know if I'll be much help...but...I'll try. My brother lives in Fairfax. The town itself is VERY small with wonderful old homes, but they are very expensive. It is a quick drive on the 89 to Burlington (I don't have a map in front of me - I think it's called the 89)! If you are moving there from a city, I'm sure it will be a big transition. There is one small video store, drug store, etc. It is, however, a very close community and many of the residents are transplants who work at IBM, as my brother does. And it is a quick ride to Burlington for movie theaters, shopping, and close enough to Stowe. The last time I was in St. Albans, I was surprised at the somewhat upscale restaurant we went to; however, prior to that I thought that it was a very depressing old town with, just that much more removed from Burlington. On the upside, Montreal is very close if you need a big city fix.

We are always amazed when we visit and pick up one of those real estate magazines and see how much a little cape cod type house costs. You could own a mini-mansion in Buffalo for those prices. Oh well, Buffalo is definitely not Vermont. Good luck and I hope this helps a little.

I would point out that real estate listings are likely at their lowest in the winter months. Nearly no one moves in the winter. Prime time is between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

It would also be prudent to consider real estate and state income taxes when determining where to live. Real estate taxes vary enormously from one town to another, even between contiguous towns.

Waterbury is only about 27 miles from Burlington, nearly all via Interstate 89, which is almost always efficiently cleared of snow.

I would recommend NOT limiting your home shopping to the web. Though much is available on the web, much is not. Mail subscriptions to local newspapers would be a better bet.

Again, I would strongly advise acquiring jobs first, then renting a home, then shopping for a home purchase.

And, also that you consider New Hampshire, Maine, even Western Massachusetts.

One huge consideration - job opportunities/salaries are likely far more appealing in the Boston area. And, there are many appealing places to live, just beyond (or father from) the "urban sprawl", but still within a reasonable commute at more reasonable COL considerations. Even in Maine and New Hampshire. Or, the far western, southern, "burbs" of Boston.

It's more than a little curious that you're hoping for a "laid back New England type town", though with Home Depots, Best Buys, etc.... Even so, there are a plethora of possibilities.

Another thing to consider is benefits. Not only should you pay attention to company contributions, it is absolutely essential to consider the coverage provided by the "plans". And, the farther you get from the "burbs", the fewer "participating" physicians and hospitals.

While you may want to "get away from urban sprawl", whatever that is, have you considered all the rest you'd be getting away from?