Real Estate Investment in Massachusetts & New Hampshire

[Blaise Doremus]

I'm considering purchasing a duplex or triplex house in southern New Hampshire or the North Shore of Massachusetts, living in one of the units, and renting out the other(s). Any advice on where to buy? $500,000 is my max. I think Boston and its bordering suburbs are too expensive for me. Not sure where I'm going to be working. 

It's also easier to be a landlord in New Hampshire, so I would prefer buying there. The Portsmouth, NH area looks good/growing. The further south I am, the better. I want to pay attention to foreclosures, which could be very cheap.