[katezbox]

As you can see, I am another relocated New Englander...

I am also in the IT world (a CPA transitioned into a sales role)and still working. I work from home when (like JoJo), I am not traveling. My employer is a large software company based on the West Coast (you can do the math here and get close).

I agree and disagree with my neighbor Richie on cost of living here. Many folks not from NE (but from elsewhere in the northeast) think all home prices are like those outside of Boston and that all taxes are like those in Mass. And in Hudson, I know your home may be... But I also know that there are lovely homes that are smaller (due to the northern New Englander's passion for thrift) and therefor less pricey. Homes in TV can be very inexpensive in the historic area, relatively inexpensive for the more basic designers, the cottage homes - excl. LSL, and some villas. Larger designers and premieres - especially with a view are in the half-million and up range.

About the covenants - that is for you to explore more. We lived in a small HOA-run neighborhood in Conn. I was on the ARB and our goal wasn't to hamstring, but it was to preserve the integrity of the neighborhood. We only said no twice in 4 years - one was for an addition of a sunroom that would eliminate a lovely vista that the whole neighborhood shared and that would nearly double the size of the home making it look out of place. There are earlier threads on this - with some of us liking the covenants, and others not. You can search on them My personal feeling is that in a place where our homes are fairly close together, we need to have guidelines to prevent excesses.

Maybe on that honeymoon, you could add a few days in TV to your itinerary?

k