Here is information on planning your move to New Hampshire. More information and ideas on the logistics of moving to New Hampshire will be added with time. I want to thank everyone for all the information and help on this guide. I'm always looking for more information to make moving here easier.
Thank you.
Kate Marshall
p.s. A printable version of everything listed below can be found here.
Here are some great places to ask questions and find out
more about New Hampshire and what is going on here. The forums are a great place to meet other like-minded people,
find out what the Liberty movement is doing and learn a lot about living in New
Hampshire. Keep in mind that all the
forums have very different styles and content.
If you don't find a forum that you like, either wait until another
starts up or feel free to start your own!
Please call or email the people volunteering for the Welcome Wagon. They would love to hear from you! They are eager to answer your questions about coming to New Hampshire. If you are planning on visiting, they can get you information about various events and helpful people in the areas you want to visit. They can also help arrange a move-in party to help you unpack when you finally Make the Move!
There are a number of calendars for Liberty inspired events. These will have various events in New Hampshire listed. Check the calendars if you are visiting, or scheduling a move-in party. Keep in mind that if there are a lot of other events already planned for the day that you want help moving, fewer people are likely to show up.
There are several great events that happen here in New Hampshire each year. These events not only make for a great vacation, they are also a great place to meet and network with hundreds of other Liberty-minded people. You can participate in any of the many (un)organized activities or just spend your time meeting and talking with people from all over the country. Make sure that when you attend these events that you take the opportunity to explore the rest of the state. The Free State Project currently hosts two events each year, and a third non-FSP event is being planned for summer 2008.
The Porcupine Festival is a week-long camping trip here in New Hampshire. It is usually held in June of each year. This is an informal event with a wide variety of events ranging from spontaneous campsite celebrations of Liberty to organized question and answer sessions with well-known Liberty activists. Enjoy cookouts, competitions, raffles, arts and crafts, and Liberty vendor wares. Usually features tours of various regions of New Hampshire complete with tour buses and New Hampshire natives as guides, as well as off-site events like hiking trips and marksmanship training at local gun ranges. There is something for everyone. If camping isn't your style there are local Inn's you can stay at in the area.
The Liberty Forum is a more formal hotel-style convention held each winter. Speakers and vendors from every area of the Liberty movement attend and work on "Moving Liberty Forward." This event is usually more politically oriented than the Porcupine Festival, complete with tours of the State House and observation of the various political committees. A full weekend of speakers, panels and workshops will help you keep informed about the latest issues and organizations in the fight for Liberty in our Lifetime, and features evening dinners with nationally recognized keynote speakers. Informally organized social functions are usually hosted well into the evening by Porcupines and friends of the FSP in their own private hospitality suites.
This summer, there begins a new tradition - The Burning Porcupine - an event to be held here in Grafton New Hampshire that promises to be the least formal of all the events. The 12 Days of Freedom July 14th-25th 2008.
The local papers are very useful to get a feel for the culture here in New Hampshire as well as a good source for finding rentals and other services. Find out what's going on in local and state wide politics. The Letters to the Editor are quite popular and another way to learn what NH people are thinking about the issuses.
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Some people consider this the most conservative newspaper in NH. |
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334 Route 101, Bedford, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 472-650 |
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P.O. Box 279, Berlin, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 752-5858, Fax: (603) 752-4160 |
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14 Church Street, Kingston, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 642-4499 Contact: Electra Allesio |
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171 Fair Street, Laconia, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 524-3800, Fax: (603) 524-6702 |
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1 Monitor Drive, Concord, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 224-5301, Fax: (603) 228-8238 |
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64 Seavey Street, P.O. Box 1940, North Conway, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 356-3456, Fax: (603) 356-8774 |
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46 West Broadway, Derry, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 437-7000 |
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River Road, P.O. Box 301, Claremont, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 543-3100, Fax: (603) 542-9705 |
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333 Central Avenue, Dover, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 742-4455, Fax: (603) 742-3461 |
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334 Route 101, Bedford, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 472-6500 |
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334 Route 101, Bedford, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 472-6500 |
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289 Shaker Street, North Sutton, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 927-4028 |
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60 West Street, P.O. Box 546, Keene, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 352-1234, Fax: (603) 352-0437 |
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65 Water Street, Laconia, New Hampshire Phone (603) 527-9299, Fax: (603) 527-0056 |
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Manchester Airport News |
(website unknown) Contact: Don Willet P.O. Box 6393, Manchester, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 629-4818, Fax: (603) 487-2190 |
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54 School Street, P.O. Box 180, Milford, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 673-3100 |
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150 Dow Street, Manchester, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 624-1442 |
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P.O. Box 39, Colebrook, New Hampshire Phone: 800-521-5501 |
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P.O. Box 10, Warren, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 764-5807, Fax: (603) 764-5807 Contact: Bryan Flagg |
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111 Maplewood Avenue, Portsmouth, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 436-1800, Fax: (603) 427-0550 |
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93 Railroad Avenue, Seabrook, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 474-5034, Fax: (603) 474-9031 Contact: Shelly Carter |
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17 Executive Drive, Nashua, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 882-2741, Fax: (603) 882-5138 |
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Valley News |
(website unknown) 24 Interchange Drive, West Lebanon, New Hampshire Phone: (603) 298-8711, Fax: (603) 298-0212 |
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Student-run newspaper of the University of New Hampshire in Durham |
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The nation's oldest newspaper |
And for those I missed:
USNPL Listing of NH Newspapers
AllYouCanRead Listing of NH Newspapers
You will want to get a good idea of what it will cost to move and what you can expect your cost of living to be.
Start to look into price differences between where you live now and New Hampshire. The more research you do the better. Have a very good idea about how much money you will need until you get settled and start working. Ideally you can save enough for the move itself, several months of estimated living expenses, and have a job lined up before you move. This will greatly lower your stress and give you more options once you are here.
There are many calculators on the web to compare salaries and the cost of living between different states. Check and see the salary differences between where you live now and here in New Hampshire. This information is very useful in evaluating a job offer.
If possible, arrive in New Hampshire with at least enough saved up to cover three months worth of expenses. While the liberty-oriented community is strong, and people here are often happy to help those who help themselves, please try to avoid arriving with no job, no money, and nowhere to live.
Here are a few private and boarding schools in the state.
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80 Academy Drive, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Phone: 603-569-7200 / 800-842-9961, Fax: 603-569-7272 |
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62 Alumni Drive, Back Bay Road Canaan, New Hampshire Phone: 603-523-3548, Fax: 603-523-3565 |
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| Dublin School |
P.O. Box 522, 18 Lehmann Way Dublin, New Hampshire Phone: 603-563-8584, Fax: 603-563-8671 |
| Hampshire Country School |
28 Patey Circle Rindge, New Hampshire Phone: 603-899-3325, Fax: 603-899-6521 |
| High Mowing School |
P.O. Box 850, Abbot Hill Rd. Wilton, New Hampshire Phone: 603-654-2391 extension 109, Fax: 603-6546588 |
| Holderness School |
P.O. Box 1879, Plymouth, New Hampshire Phone: 603-536-1747, Fax: 603-536-1267 |
| Kimball Union Academy |
P.O. Box 188, 57 Main Street, Meriden, New Hampshire Phone: 603-469-2100, Fax: 603-469-2041 |
| New Hampton School |
P.O. Box 579, 70 Main Street, New Hampton, New Hampshire Phone: 603-677-3401, Fax: 603-677-3481 |
| Phillips Exeter Academy |
20 Main Street, Exeter, New Hampshire Phone: 603-777-3437, Fax: 603-777-4399 |
| Proctor Academy |
P.O. Box 500, 204 Main Street, Andover, New Hampshire Phone: 603-735-6212, Fax: 603-735-6284 |
| St. Paul's School |
325 Pleasant Street, Concord, New Hampshire Phone: 603-229-4700 / 888-644-9611, Fax: 603-229-4771 |
| Tilton School |
30 School Street, Tilton, New Hampshire Phone: 603-286-1733, Fax: 603-286-3137/603-286-1705 |
| The White Mountain School |
371 West Farm Road, Bethlehem, New Hampshire Phone: 603-444-2928 / 800-545-7813, Fax: 603-444-5568 |
| Wolfeboro: The Summer Boarding School |
P.O. Box 390, 93 Camp School Road, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire Phone: 603-569-3451, Fax: 603-569-4080 |
Here is a site to compare various public private and charter schools in New Hampshire.
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Franklin Pierce Law Center (not affiliated with previous school) |
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White Pines College |
There are also some tech schools and very small schools in the state you can look into.
Businesses and organizations related to electric power in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission handles most of the electricity in New Hampshire.
Here is a list of suppliers that you can also use. FAQs about this list.
Public Service of New Hampshire is the state's largest utility, supplying ~500,000 homes and businesses throughout the state.
The New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association
There's more information about finding housing here on the FSP website.
Here are some sites to check out different places in the state.
There are several Free Staters that do building and renovations here in New Hampshire. Inquire about doing business in the Porcupine community.
Renting for a while in New Hampshire is a good idea even if you are already prepared to purchase a home. This will give you time to check out New Hampshire and find just the right fit for your new life here.
When you check out a place to rent, bring a camera and take plenty of pictures. These pictures will help you remember each place if you are looking at several different places. The pictures will be very helpful when planning your move.
Remember to ask what your utilities may cost if they aren't included in the rent.
When you move in to your new place take pictures and document any minor problems with the apartment. Most places have a form to fill out. Don't skip going over the apartment right after you move in. If you don't document any minor damages when you move in you could be charged for them when you move out even though you weren't responsible for them.
If you don't wish to use or give out your Social Security Number (SSN) there are things you can do. When setting up your utilities you can often have a credit card on file so you don't have to fill out a credit application. They will just charge your card every month or for each delivery. Some companies will let you prepay for fuels to avoid the credit check. Also, some companies will want a deposit if you don't give them The Number.
Don't forget to cancel all of your utilities before you move. I would hate to see someone you don't know enjoying cable, internet and long distance phone calls on your dime. When you schedule the cut-off date get the name of who you spoke with, what time you called and a confirmation number. This will help if there are any problems later. If you have DSL you may need to have it disconnected several days before you can have the phone line disconnected.
When you choose a company as a service provider please keep a few things in mind.
I found that getting some New Hampshire phone books was useful for gathering information.
| Verizon | 800-888-8448 |
| The Talking Phone Book | 877-703-0402 |
| TDS | 888-837-1347 |
| Your local directory | 603-298-0566 |
Collecting them while visiting New Hampshire is probably the best way to get phonebooks.
Always try to get an idea of the fuel costs for any building before purchase. Request copies of the fuel bills from the owners and if they don't have such records, request that thay call their fuel supplier and get a statement.
Most homes are heated with oil or propane or use wood. Natural gas isn't very common, but it is available in some areas (major cities like Concord and Manchester, and some smaller towns/cities along the pipeline.) Some few houses use electric heating here, but it is an expensive proposition due to electricity costs, and should generally be avoided unless you plan to replace it with a fuel-based heating source after purchase.
Any fuel-burning appliance should be serviced yearly (with the exception of very few space-heaters that get serviced every two years) by a reputable service company. New Hampshire does not license oil or wood-heating service companies. Gas-heating licenses have recently been created, but reports from those who have taken the training course seem to indicate that it is more of an exercise in memorization than of testing skill. Once you move, ask your neighbors who they rely on and if they are happy with the service they have received - it gives you a convenient excuse to introduce yourself, and while you are there you can ask for any recommendations for electricians, plumbers, auto repair shops, and other skilled tradespersons.
If you will be having major work done, make sure to ask for proof of insurance. Follow-up by calling the insurance company to verify, since a few unscrupulous individuals will obtain insurance coverage, then cancel the day after they receive the certificate. Five hundred thousand dollars is bare-minimum liability insurance, and most reputable companies will have one million. Some companies (particularly those that deal with commercial accounts) may have two million or even more.
Another thing to keep in mind when dealing with skilled trades is that they are often willing to accept barter in exchange for work. I know a plumber who replaced a water heater in a restaurant in exchange for fee meals there. Others may be interested in trading work-for-work, if you have a skill that they need (eg, computer repair, or landscaping). It doesn't hurt to ask, although the larger companies are less likely to be interested, and the smaller shops are rarely not interested in some level of barter (of course, you might not have anything they want).
Just got off the phone with my brother, the real estate agent, asking how things are going with his FSP customers, feedback, etc. and what he said tends to jive with what other agents I've talked to say about us:
We are very difficult customers. So, I thought I'd write a little piece on the areas of difficulty, so that people can be aware of them, and try to be a bit more informative when proper, and circumspect when proper.
#1) Free Staters need to understand and accept that they are not like other real estate customers. We need to make our goals and intentions about what sort of property we are looking for clear when we talk to an agent.
Several Porcs have mentioned to me that their agents are generally incredulous at the idea that you would want property that is unzoned, preferably even with no local building inspector. Not all Porcs are looking for this sort of property, but those that do need to understand that this is NOT NORMAL for buyers to want this sort of land, unless they are buying large amounts of raw land. For this reason, you need to be very clear about this if this is your goal, so that the agent doesn't waste his or your time showing you properties that don't meet your criteria.
#2) Real estate agents are not suitable targets for libertarian evangelism. The agent is interested in your business, and making you happy. He or she is not interested in sipping the kool-aid. You do not want to give people the idea that libertarians are just another brand of Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, or Hare Krishna. Real Estate agents know EVERYBODY in their communities, and if you convince them you are a fruitcake, that will color your entire experience in the future in that town. It is as wrong to evangelize libertarianism to your real estate agent as it is to ask them out on a date, or even more wrong. Believe me, if you want to come here and fit in, and get elected, it is very important that you do not come across as some sort of evangelist for the great libertarian way. People will have plenty of time after you move in to get to know you and decide that you are a nice person with quaint or eccentric ideas who means well, or discover that they agree with you on many if not most things.
#3) Covenants: lots of properties have em. Those that have been under human habitation and development for longer are more likely to have covenants. Even subdivided lots, particularly HIGH VALUE VIEW LOTS, have covenants on them to preserve the real estate value. This is because for the majority of the world, a great view is ruined if someone builds a pig farm or a trailer next door. Unless you are buying raw undivided land, of 10 or more acres, you should always assume the lot has covenants. It is extremely rude to go off on rants about "big brother" at your real estate agent when you find out the lot has covenants (see rule #2).
#4) People assume you are normal until you open your mouth. First impressions matter, and if you decide to disclose that you are libertarians, or Free Staters, to your agent, or worse, break rule #1, 2, or 3, you need to be prepared for issues. It is a matter of relevant issues vs boundary issues. That you want no zoning, no boilding code, no covenants, is information your agent needs to know, and know that these things are non-negotiable, is necessary. You do not need to tell them your political orientation or memberships in certain groups. If an agent presses you on why you want the things you want, all you have to say is, "I'm wierd that way" or "I just don't believe in them" and leave it at that. Believe me, they will not think you are wierd for that sort of response, because this is the old Yankee country: people are used to people not wanting to talk about their personal business that is irrelevant to the matter at hand. "discretion is the better part of valor" and all that jazz. When they ask that sort of question, it is NOT an invitation to evangelize libertarianism (see Rule #2).
#5) Dealing strictly through e-mail is ODD. Real estate agents want to talk to you on the phone if they can't get you here to show you property. They treat email like a fax machine: to send further detailed info, but not a replacement for verbal or personal contact. Agents also find that people who deal strictly through e-mail are no better than "lookie looeys", i.e. not real customers who are interested in buying. Agents are generally socially oriented people, often extroverts, so the typical behavior of libertarians to be introverted unless we are talking in our libertarian universe, comes across as odd.
#6) If you haven't figured it out already, real estate agents are out to make money. They have lives of their own, families, and their interest is in maximizing their income. Thus, they tend to prefer to focus on homes and properties that are high value, which tend to have a lot of characteristics that we as libertarians don't like. They focus on them because to the rest of the world, those characteristics are more valuable than not having them. If you are insistent on not having those characteristics in the property you buy, then be clear about it, but also do not take it personally that the agent doesn't have a lot of regard for such properties.
My brother is different, he focuses mostly on selling land rather than developed properties, but he also has the same money motivations as everyone else, and is very busy and does very well at his trade.
#7) You are not going to find 1-2 acre lots for $1000 per acre or less with no zoning, covenants, or codes in any community that has lots of infrastructure and services, or is very close to an economic hub community.
Get over it. We don't like it, but that is one of the things that we need to change here in New Hampshire, and we can't do it without your help. You certainly won't find built homes in neighborhoods without those things. It isn't the end of the world. Some of us tried to create a community that would enable this quickly, but the loudmouths ruined it for us.
#8) Real estate agents will typically not respond to your email for a few hours, if not a few days, and because they make good money, they tend to go on vacation occasionally, like normal people. When they are working, they are typically out showing properties, and in much of this state, do not have the ability to receive emails, and sometimes even cell calls, when they are on the road. If you want a bump up the priority queue, then get off the keyboard and give your agent a phone call. Put a personal touch on it, and you will get more attention. Make a trip in state to go and look at properties.
Mike Lorrey
I'm a Porc. I'm also a real estate agent. I'm so glad to see so many people who have moved here, and more in the process. I would like to make a few comments here that may help in the property acquisition process.
First of all, the For Sale By Owner process is awesome! I'm an agent, and I've sold my own property prior to being an agent successfully. There are several things to consider when you approach a FSBO on your own.
Make sure you get a Property Disclosure. It doesn't matter that the owner is selling it by himself, he needs to disclose to you all material defects on the property. If he doesn't have a disclosure for you, ask for one.
Second, get comparable sales for that neighborhood. There are town records that will show you not only the history of the property, but of sales records on that street, in that Z.I.P. code. FSBO's may know what comparables are there, but some simply price the home at what they need to get out of the sale (that can be good or not so good for the buyer.) What a seller needs in order to move has nothing to do with the value of the property. (But try to tell them that!)
Third, FSBO's may be in a great position to negotiate since they are not paying a commission. But they probably know that if they don't sell on their own, they will need to employ a licensed RE agent to get the exposure they need. That's the hard part of selling yourself. You have to pay for all your marketing yourself.
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING A PROPERTY ALREADY LISTED ON THE MULTI-LISTING SERVICE - - -
I have a few thoughts that I hope you will consider. The "old fashioned" method of contacting the listing agent who has the property listed is . . . well, old fashioned. It also does not necessarily give you, the buyer, the representation you need. For instance, if you want to put an offer on a property when you are dealing with the listing agent, he/she cannot advise you on the price to offer, cannot show you comparable sold properties in the area, nor make any suggestion on contingencies. The listing agent WORKS FOR THE SELLER. They have the seller's best interest in mind. They do NOT have your best interest in mind, and in fact, they by law are not allowed to advise you. This is not good! This is also one of the most misunderstood aspects of buying protocol with listing agents.
MAY I SUGGEST - - -
If you are considering, or in the process of buying real estate in New Hampshire, find an agent that you can work with. If you contact an agent, and he immediately wants to sign you up as a Buyer's Agent, tell him/her that you only want him/her to work as a "non-agent" until you decide if he/she is someone you are comfortable with. You DO NOT HAVE TO SIGN a buyer's agency form. You can refuse, and the agent will so state. But when you find someone you can work with, a BUYERS AGENT has more negotiation power than a NON-AGENT. This works towards the buyer's best interest. Buyers need someone to represent them in order to get the best price, AND the best conditions for the sale.
The way a buyer gets the most attention and loyalty from a real estate agent is when they work for the buyer as a buyer's agent. This is to the buyer's advantage. If you just contact the listing agent, you may pay more for a property, or not get the conditions you want .
The other thing that most RE agents don't say, is you can fire you RE agent. He/she works for you, and if you don't like their service, well . . . they be gone! The agent may want you to sign for 6 months, but if after 3 days it is apparent that there is no chemistry there, fire them! On the other side, an agent who is truly working for you may be busy at times, but they are in your paid-service. After all, when the sale closes, they do get paid for the transaction.
I hope this bit of info helps. I am happy to answer any other questions you may have. I have a lot of helpful info on communities, schools, and RE info on my website www.DaveSellsNH.com and I'm sure I'll be at this summer's Porc Fest. I am more interested in Porcs finding what they want than getting a sale.
Live Free or Die,
Dave Walthour
I personally failed to follow many of these tips when it came time to move *my* furniture, and my moving party turnout was... smallish. Since I hope to buy a house next year, I'd better start stocking up now on beer, to be dispensed on a weekend, not to conflict with PorcFest. And oh yeah, get started on that whole "nice person" dealio.
- Sandy Pierre
See Pay it forward. You will get often get help, but we're not a moving service. Be considerate.
It can be helpful to have copies of any legal documents your children might have:
Information on moving your pets.
A few of places to find pet friendly hotels:
Just keep in mind that State law requires all dogs need to be registered with the town. Please check into the laws before you move.
The Welcome Wagon would like to help you when you arrive.
If you want to talk to someone you can call any of the regional contacts or Margot Keyes who is the Welcome Wagon coordinator.
603-736-8877
If you would like help moving in please check the calendars and post your event.
One is on New Hampshire Underground
The other is New Hampshire Liberty Calendar
If you contact the Welcome Wagon they will put your move on the Liberty calendar. After the move they remove your information form the calendar.
You can post your moving party on the Underground calendar yourself. They will remove your address and contact information at your request including any of the forum postings after your move.
New Hampshire based organizations that actively promote the cause of liberty in this state.
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The NHLA ia a non-partisan coalition working to increase individual freedom in New Hampshire. PO Box 4241 Manchester, New Hampshire |
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Hosts New Hampshire Taxpayer Radio, a weekly two-hour non-commercial
radio show. The program is broadcast every Thursday except holidays
from 5-8pm on WLMW 90.7FM. |
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Like the national Libertarian Party, seeks to restore governance of our nation to the people.
PO Box 5293 Manchester, New Hampshire |
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PO Box 119 Manchester New Hampshire |
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The New Hampshire Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy |
NH Common Sense |
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This is for women to get together for support and to have fun. |
Not all areas of New Hampshire have high speed internet. Some places you can get cable or DSL but not both. Other places satellite or dial up are your only options. You will need to call around to check service.
Most of the internet sites will tell you to call anyway. If you ask around on the forums you can get an idea of what areas have what service.
Great phone option for Free Staters in New Hampshire: Liberty oriented VoIP service!
Verizon is a major phone and internet provider in New Hampshire.
1-800-870-9999
Monday - Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm EST
TDS is another phone and ISP. If you are in a TDS area, you can not get Verizon, and vice versa.
1-888-634-8410
Comcast cable is in some areas, but not all of New Hampshire. Rural areas are generally not served.
1-800-266-2278
DirectTV
With many of the nation-wide companies listed here, you'll get bounced around a bit until you get to someone that handles New Hampshire. You will need to have the full address of your new place to get any real information from them.
While you have the right to vote, as a US Citizen, RSA 654-12 section B details how those without "proof of residency" (i.e., if you opted not to have your mailing address printed on your DMV ID) can register.
You'll need a photo ID. They accept virtually anything though, from a DMV ID to something you printed up at Kinkos and had laminated the night before that looks official, i.e., an ID for your own business, they really don't care, so long as it's current. Bring along your birth certificate just to be extra sure. There's a blue form you sign, the woman must recite an oath with your right hand raised which you say "yes" to (where you've sworn that you're telling the truth), and then you're registered.
By the way, your voter registration is not valid for proof of residency. I've tried this, and talked to others who also failed at doing this. Apparently a legal document which is tracked and recorded carefully is less legitimate than a hand written (but notarized) piece of paper which is not tracked.
Snow tires, or all seasons, are all that are generally needed. I use Cooper all-terrains on my Cherokee, and while I have chains, I haven't used them once since I bought them several years ago.
Yes, if you live in a house with plumbing through outside walls, or with poor insulation, you should leave your faucets open a crack to drip. This isn't to keep the water flowing, it is to allow any ice building up to have some place to push the water. Ice forming in the pipe will take up more space than the water it is made from, so it will expand linearly along the pipe and cause water pressure to build up if you don't give that trapped water some place to flow. It isn't the ice that breaks the pipes, it is the pressurized water.
If your roof is poorly insulated or poorly ventilated, it will tend to form ice dams. What happens is the heat flowing to the shingles melts the snow, and flows down to the edge. At the edge, it contacts the open air and freezes, forming an ice dam. This dam backs the water that is still flowing down up under the shingles, and can soak into the roof interior, ruining insulation, sheet rock, etc. This snow will melt a lot around chimneys, sky lights, and above where can lighting is mounted in the ceiling of the top floor.
If this happens, you need to get a snow rake with long extendable handles and rake the snow off the roof.
Also, remove the gutters in the fall, as they will tend to fill up with ice and exacerbate the problem.
Snow shoveling is a pain in the butt. A lot of people hire a local person with a plow on their pickup to plow their driveway. Most people have a snow blower or snow thrower of some sort. Important features are a tall auger to handle deep snow and the ability to throw snow a good distance. You also want your snow blower to have powered wheels. Whether you get this as a walk behind unit, or a setup that you can mount on your riding lawn tractor doesn't matter much. Keep the battery charged.
Modern homes do not always lend themselves to wood burning of any volume. Modern energy efficient design seeks to minimize the draftiness of a home, but fuel burning devices need significant airflow. If your home has one or two fireplaces plus a wood stove, you may find that you can't run all of these at one time. One of the chimneys or the stove will develop a draft to feed the fires burning elsewhere. State of the art devices like Renai propane heaters or pelletized wood stoves try to bring cold air into the stove from the outside for burning. There are wood stoves and "zero clearance fire places" that use only outside air and do not create the concerned listed.
Salt or sand? A perrenial question for New Hampshire motorists. The New Hampshire highway department likes salt, as do many motorists, because it doesn't require cleaning the roads in the spring and doesn't cause pitting of the vehicle paint job. Problem is that if your car is insufficiently undercoated, it will corrode. Plastic body technologies are helping to alleviate some of this, but suspension parts are still metal, as is the exhaust system and other components like brakes. Salt is also bad for the environment. Salted snowmelt by the roads can cause trees to die and interfere with wetlands animals like frogs and salamanders.
You can buy salt at your local hardware store in several varieties: mined rock salt (sodium chloride) or synthetics like potassium chloride or calcium chloride. Salt is useless in areas where water will pool up, it melts through the ice to the bottom, and the top freezes back over, and is generally more slick than it was originally. However it is really good for helping to break up ice enough to chop the rest of it away.
While it isn't good for the roads, I recommend sand for driveways. It absorbs sunlight, so it does some melting, but more importantly it provides traction on top of the ice that remains. Just be sure to have a good scrubby door mat to scrub sand out of your shoe soles.
There isn't city trash pickup in most of New Hampshire, although Manchester is an exception. Elsewhere, you can contract with a company to pickup your trash or you can bring it to your local dump - the local dump is called a "transfer station". You can drop off your garbage and recyclables there. In most places you will need to get a residence sticker from your town clerk to use the transfer station. The town clerk should have information on what you can bring there and when it is open. Check the hours of operation while in the office. The transfer station for the town I live in is only open 3 half days a week. The plus side of the transfer station is that most of the people in town go there, so it is a great place to get petition signatures.