Thank you! My kids keep asking about the forecast, and I've been looking for an update from you. Haha

Right? That's an odd assumption.

And to note-- it's no longer standard to "hold kids back" because of the social implications. So it's kind of a moot point.

I feel like if you're so concered about your kid being "bored," then maybe his preschool just isn't a good fit. But it also seems concerning that he mainly plays by himself-- he probably would actually benefit more from another year of preschool so he can have the opportunity to work more on building friendships and social skills and just being a kid. If he's bored and doesn't really have friends, I'm not sure pushing him into kindergarden is the answer he needs. And academically strong or not, a competent evaluator will note those traits as not being kindergarden ready.

Geeze, my man. It's standard procedure. It would serve you well, especially considering that you have experience in the judicial system, to do some research on how it all works.

Ha! Not a realtor, but definitely found myself quickly fed up with dealing with them while purchasing my first property (on my 4th). I rarely work with a buyers agent, make sure I have a solid attorney, and represent myself.

At least your next purchase might go more smoothly and the market is shifting in your favor. Live and learn! Good luck with everything-- sincerely!

Even when purchasing in a residential area, I stalk the property at all hours before deciding to buy... go there at night to see what noises there are, what kind of light shines on the house (street lights illuminating a bedroom, for example), on weekends to see how the neighbors party, etc. I research the utilities available, costs that the current/previous owners paid. Maybe even talk to a neighbor I see working in their yard, ask them what their experience has been. You can also usually pull permit records to see what kind of work the house has had done on it over the years, or if a neighbor is planning a big addition that could block a view you thought you were buying. I might look up the local police logs and local paper to see what kind of drama the town has and ask myself if this is the kind of community I want to invest in. You'd be surprised what you can find. There was one town I looked at buying in (and eventually decided against) that I discovered had a lot of drama at the municiple level with tax increases, tax distribution, permitting, potential growth proposals that would change traffic patterns, light pollution, etc. There was a house we loved that was across the street from farm land. Turned out that the elderly owner was leaving the property to the NRA, which meant high potential for development in the future. We walked away (never get emotionally attached to a property!). The town I currently own in has a lot of issues with over development and the water table being stressed. Many new owners are freaking out because their wells are dry, but had they looked into the meeting logs, Facebook posts, etc. they would have seen that the issues they are experiencing existed for years before they moved in.

You can't catch it all, but there is definitely a lot of due dilligence that can be done before purchasing a property because, as others have said, once you move in, there isn't always a lot of recourse to be had.

Lastly, keep in mind that realtors just want to sell property. They aren't going to be forthcoming with information that makes their job more difficult. You have to do that work yourself (and it's not really as much or as time-consuming as my list suggests).

Same! Even on days with crappy conditions both mountains offer so much fun.

Pat's trails aren't as fun as Crotched, but the vibes are excellent. Nice local spot. Good people all around. Fun themed events. Great for families with kids happily zooming everywhere. They have some fun park features for all abilities, too.

Be forewarned that if you are a snowboarder, there are a lot of flat spots especially on skier's right where you can get stuck if the snow isn't particularly fast.

I feel like a bobcat sounds more like someone about to vomit... there's a gagging element to it (weird description, I know).

A moose sounds more like a growl through a tube and more like what you describe, OP. Maybe go on Youtube and watch different videos of the possible animals and see if something is familar?

Got my vote, as well.

When was trick-or-treating ever an informal event that just happened organically? It's a community celebration. It absolutely makes sense to have a scheduled time so everyone can coordinate: adults can make sure they are home and have candy, and parents can make sure their kids are dressed up and ready to knock.

😆 ... I get your sentiment, but it is a community wide event, so some organization makes sense. I mean, you can send your kids out knocking whenever you want, but people may not be answering and the ones who do may not have candy.

Keene is a gem! But pretty far inland, which means far from Boston and the seacoast. It is closer to Vermont skiing, though.

I grew up in Boston and then moved to Nashua. I loved it. It's come a long way and seems to only be improving. Great shops, restaurants, farmers' market, recreation, and local bars. It's a city with a small town feel. It's also within an hour to Boston, the seacoast and an 1-2 hours to some really great skiing. It's NH, so you're going to be really close to a plethora of great hiking, boating, surfing, and mountain biking options.

Manchester is more central and at the junction of all the highways, but I much prefer the vibe of Nashua. Portsmouth is very nice, too, but you are going to find it's a bit further from the mountains and the commute to Boston will be longer with arguably worse traffic.

NH is conceptually not that big (less traffic and people, so getting places is relatively easy). I'd recommend just planting somewhere for a year or so, explore everything and then figure out where to settle.