North Shore Massachusetts or Southeast New Hampshire?

[Blaise Doremus]

North Shore Massachusetts or Southeast New Hampshire? North of Boston all the way up the coast to around the Portsmouth/Dover area - what is the hottest area to buy in for real estate investors right now? I'm thinking about buying a duplex or triplex, living in one unit, and renting out the other(s). I know that it's easier to be a landlord in NH and I really like Portsmouth. I'm going to keep my eyes open for foreclosures. 

I'm looking to buy something $500,000 max. I think buying in Boston or any of its bordering suburbs is too expensive. 

[Seth Robertson]

It really depends on your goals. If your looking for cash flow, North shore only has about 3 towns with a chance at achieving that with a 'house hack' (Lowell, Lawrence, & Haverhill) at the price point you're looking at ($500k). Those also aren't the most desirable towns to live in. In New Hampshire, Nashua and Manchester could be good for you as well. I don't know as much about the rest of NH. Keep in mind New Hampshire has a much higher property tax overall but no tax on income. You may be able to find something somewhere else under the radar if you get an off-market deal, but those are a rarity in the current market we're in. 

If you're goal is to house hack and live as close to rent free as possible those are the towns you should look into, It can be very profitable for you in the long run but comes at a price and standard of living. If you're just looking to bet on appreciation over time, you want to get as close to Boston as possible.