If you're paying cash, that's great! And my situation with my MIL isn't exactly apples-to-apples, because she lived in Westchester, NY and travel here to NJ involved stressful driving on the GWB and NJ Turnpike. Up there where you would be, you'd be "just down the road apiece" from your kids. I think an hour drive is standard to get anywhere up there in New England.
In our search for something near our kids in VT, we're not counting out places an hour away.