New Durham?

TOAD · 07-04-2010, 07:35 AM

The wife and I were house hunting in the great state of New Hampshire on Friday. Looked at a couple of places in Meredith; both bombs. Pictures in the listing did them more justice than they deserved!

We do like Meredith but we also took a shot at a listing that was in New Durham. New Durham is a little more south than we would like to be but the place we looked at in New Durham kind of felt like maybe this could be home. Kind of an idyllic and relaxing setting.

It wasn't

at first sight but we think the place with some of our own personal touches added, could grow on us in a very very short time.

Looking for dirt on New Durham as I found some of the comments about my questions for Meredith both informative and entertaining.

We have checked out the town web site and other sites with info on New Durham. Tax rate is really high with a mill rate of $20. Didn't seem to have a whole lot of infrastructure and seemed like a throw back to the early 1900's. Crime rates seem to be in line with most of the NH communities. It would also be a longer haul for me to pull the boat to get to some of the bigger lakes.

Really not a lot of pluses as far as the town itself goes but we kind of liked the setting for the property we were looking at.

Just looking for some local info and opinions.. Thanks for your help....once again.

ApS · 07-04-2010, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOAD

The wife and I were house hunting in the great state of New Hampshire on Friday. Looked at a couple of places in Meredith; both bombs. Pictures in the listing did them more justice than they deserved!

We do like Meredith but we also took a shot at a listing that was in New Durham. New Durham is a little more south than we would like to be but the place we looked at in New Durham kind of felt like maybe this could be home. Kind of an idyllic and relaxing setting.

It wasn't

at first sight but we think the place with some of our own personal touches added, could grow on us in a very very short time.

Looking for dirt on New Durham as I found some of the comments about my questions for Meredith both informative and entertaining.

We have checked out the town web site and other sites with info on New Durham. Tax rate is really high with a mill rate of $20. Didn't seem to have a whole lot of infrastructure and seemed like a throw back to the early 1900's. Crime rates seem to be in line with most of the NH communities. It would also be a longer haul for me to pull the boat to get to some of the bigger lakes.

Really not a lot of pluses as far as the town itself goes but we kind of liked the setting for the property we were looking at.

Just looking for some local info and opinions.. Thanks for your help....once again.

I haven't heard any "dirt" on New Durham: "Wilderness abounds".

PM me for a somewhat misnamed (and private) forum that has several New Durham members in it.

Just think how close you'd be to Johnson's Restaurant!

BTW: I borrowed your George Washington signature for use in the above-mentioned forum—which could definitely use your kind of help

topwater · 07-04-2010, 09:08 AM

Have you looked in New Hampton? Small town appeal,very near all 3 major lakes ( Squam-Winnie-Winnisquam ), quiet, crime rate very low,Taxes are around $18 per $1,000. Just a thought, built here in 1991 and still love it.

TOAD · 07-04-2010, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by topwater

Have you looked in New Hampton? Small town appeal,very near all 3 major lakes ( Squam-Winnie-Winnisquam ), quiet, crime rate very low,Taxes are around $18 per $1,000. Just a thought, built here in 1991 and still love it.

Yes...have looked at a couple of houses in New Hampton. Neither were a fit for us. New Hampton seemed nice too. The problem we are running into seems to be when the house could be right the location sucks and vice versa.

Ropetow · 07-04-2010, 10:15 AM

Yes, New Durham property taxes are quite high. Part of this is due to the fact that they belong to a regional school district. While regional districts do have their positives from a cost-per-student aspect, the downside can be seen in a town like New Durham, one of the smaller communities in the district, where their voice is somewhat limited.

Argie's Wife · 07-04-2010, 10:21 AM

When you look at tax rates for the various towns you're considering, find out how the homes are assessed.

Some towns assess homes at their estimated market value (100%) and use that number in the formula for the taxes. (That's what Alton does...) Other towns assess at a percentage of the estimated market value. Find out how the assessment is done for some of these towns with higher tax rates before you figure out if they are high or not.

Generally speaking, any town with waterfront property on Winnipesakuee will have a lower rate because the waterfront homes are more desirable (and more expensive).

Slickcraft · 07-04-2010, 11:20 AM

The community profiles shown here
http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/communpro.htm
have a table which includes the 2008 100% full value (equalized) tax rates.

In 2008 the full value rate for New Durham was $18.83, Alton was $11.08.

Rattlesnake Guy · 07-04-2010, 01:17 PM

I thought that the entire state went on a standardized valuation a few years back because of the partial state funding (pronounced donor towns) of schools in some less affluent towns. You want to live in a town with lots of property value and fewer children. Towns like Alton are certainly helped in that regard with water front properties.

Towns that school coop with an affluent town have the potential for the worst case. Little property value with a high spending appetite of the affluent town.

Slickcraft · 07-04-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

I thought that the entire state went on a standardized valuation a few years back because of the partial state funding (pronounced donor towns) of schools in some less affluent towns. You want to live in a town with lots of property value and fewer children. Towns like Alton are certainly helped in that regard with water front properties.

Towns that school coop with an affluent town have the potential for the worst case. Little property value with a high spending appetite of the affluent town.

They are on a standardized method monitored by the state dept of revenue admin (DRA). Real estate values rise and fall at different rates in various towns and each is always in a catch-up mode. Based on actual sales over the previous year DRA calculates an equalization ratio for each town. This is then used calculate the full value tax rate used in the state education calculations.

DRA uses the actual sales data vs assessed values to also calculate other town unique statistics which if out of tolerance lead to a revaluation.

Lakesrider · 07-04-2010, 03:32 PM

Does it matter where you live? I mean are you still employeed? Retired? Just wondering because you looked at New Hampton, and New Durham. A bit of a drive from each other. Look at Moultonborough. Very quiet, low taxes. we love it there. Not far from Squam, Winnisquam, a bit of a drive to New Found though.

TOAD · 07-08-2010, 06:32 AM

Well I was hoping to get inside scoop&poop and opinions about New Durham. Looks like this went down hill and got into a tax discussion.

Agree that the mil rate for the town is high but the valuations seem to be low.

Anyway still looking for yea's and nea's concerning New Durham. Will be heading back up this coming Sunday to give the place a really good look-see. Thanks to all for the input so far.

07-04-2010, 07:35 AM	#1
TOAD Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Soon to be Moultonboro Posts: 258 Thanks: 1 Thanked 81 Times in 34 Posts	New Durham? The wife and I were house hunting in the great state of New Hampshire on Friday. Looked at a couple of places in Meredith; both bombs. Pictures in the listing did them more justice than they deserved! We do like Meredith but we also took a shot at a listing that was in New Durham. New Durham is a little more south than we would like to be but the place we looked at in New Durham kind of felt like maybe this could be home. Kind of an idyllic and relaxing setting. It wasn't at first sight but we think the place with some of our own personal touches added, could grow on us in a very very short time. Looking for dirt on New Durham as I found some of the comments about my questions for Meredith both informative and entertaining. We have checked out the town web site and other sites with info on New Durham. Tax rate is really high with a mill rate of $20. Didn't seem to have a whole lot of infrastructure and seemed like a throw back to the early 1900's. Crime rates seem to be in line with most of the NH communities. It would also be a longer haul for me to pull the boat to get to some of the bigger lakes. Really not a lot of pluses as far as the town itself goes but we kind of liked the setting for the property we were looking at. Just looking for some local info and opinions.. Thanks for your help....once again. __________________ "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.....Unknown....but attributed to George Washington

07-04-2010, 11:20 AM	#7
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,318 Thanks: 1,233 Thanked 2,103 Times in 960 Posts	Tax rates The community profiles shown here http://www.nh.gov/nhes/elmi/communpro.htm have a table which includes the 2008 100% full value (equalized) tax rates. In 2008 the full value rate for New Durham was $18.83, Alton was $11.08.

07-08-2010, 06:32 AM	#11
TOAD Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Soon to be Moultonboro Posts: 258 Thanks: 1 Thanked 81 Times in 34 Posts	Well I was hoping to get inside scoop&poop and opinions about New Durham. Looks like this went down hill and got into a tax discussion. Agree that the mil rate for the town is high but the valuations seem to be low. Anyway still looking for yea's and nea's concerning New Durham. Will be heading back up this coming Sunday to give the place a really good look-see. Thanks to all for the input so far. __________________ "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.....Unknown....but attributed to George Washington

07-04-2010, 09:08 AM	#3
topwater Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 302 Thanks: 85 Thanked 116 Times in 48 Posts	Have you looked in New Hampton? Small town appeal,very near all 3 major lakes ( Squam-Winnie-Winnisquam ), quiet, crime rate very low,Taxes are around $18 per $1,000. Just a thought, built here in 1991 and still love it.

07-04-2010, 10:15 AM	#5
Ropetow Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Rochester, NH / Bartlett, NH Posts: 322 Thanks: 228 Thanked 33 Times in 13 Posts	Yes, New Durham property taxes are quite high. Part of this is due to the fact that they belong to a regional school district. While regional districts do have their positives from a cost-per-student aspect, the downside can be seen in a town like New Durham, one of the smaller communities in the district, where their voice is somewhat limited.

07-04-2010, 10:21 AM	#6
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	When you look at tax rates for the various towns you're considering, find out how the homes are assessed. Some towns assess homes at their estimated market value (100%) and use that number in the formula for the taxes. (That's what Alton does...) Other towns assess at a percentage of the estimated market value. Find out how the assessment is done for some of these towns with higher tax rates before you figure out if they are high or not. Generally speaking, any town with waterfront property on Winnipesakuee will have a lower rate because the waterfront homes are more desirable (and more expensive).

07-04-2010, 01:17 PM	#8
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	I thought that the entire state went on a standardized valuation a few years back because of the partial state funding (pronounced donor towns) of schools in some less affluent towns. You want to live in a town with lots of property value and fewer children. Towns like Alton are certainly helped in that regard with water front properties. Towns that school coop with an affluent town have the potential for the worst case. Little property value with a high spending appetite of the affluent town.

The Following User Says Thank You to Slickcraft For This Useful Post:
Rattlesnake Guy (07-08-2010)

07-04-2010, 03:32 PM	#10
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Does it matter where you live? I mean are you still employeed? Retired? Just wondering because you looked at New Hampton, and New Durham. A bit of a drive from each other. Look at Moultonborough. Very quiet, low taxes. we love it there. Not far from Squam, Winnisquam, a bit of a drive to New Found though.