Montana - Affordable?

My wife and I are contemplating trying to move back to Montana. We spent a year and a half in the Belgrade/Bozeman/Three Forks area about 8 years ago. We moved back to North Dakota for better jobs and to be closer to family. Now we're wanting to go back out there again, but this time would be moving with two young boys as well. We've been casually looking at housing in areas around Livingston, Bozeman, Three Forks, Ennis, and Helena - my gosh is housing expensive out there! The $180k house I live in right now in ND could fetch $300K+ in some of those areas, and it's just a simple modular home! The median income in MT is roughly $60k, similar to ND, so how are people able to afford living out there, much less in a stick-built home on a couple of acres?!

My dream is to find a small, well maintained house in the Belgrade area that's stick-built, sits on two acres, and has an outbuilding or two for storage. Seems like a total pipe dream right now, but a guy has to dream, right?

PS - all the Montanans on here that read this - please don't jump on me about "PEOPLE NEED TO QUIT MOVING TO MT!!!" - We vote republican and would only bring more conservative practices and beliefs to the state

Montana now had a 2:1 immigration policy. For every one that comes in, you have to throw 2 out, so come on in! Throw out any 2 families of Californians you'd like. Right now real estate is at ridiculous levels. Hard to say whether it'll go down or up even more. If you move away from the tourist areas, housing is alot more affordable. Try Jordan or Harlem. Be prices haven't went up much there. I have a house I'm selling in Troy. I'll let you have it for a mere 350K. You wouldn't like it though. Lots of Trees and no wind. Doesn't even get that cold during the winter. Probably will sell to one of those California locusts, unfortunately. Seriously though. get rural and you'll be OK, esp in the east half of the state.

Ha! Sounds like you've been through ND a time or two. It looks like there are a few houses in Troy for sale on Zillow. Is yours on there?

Work from home has enabled the white collar mountain bike Kayak crowd to destroy all sorts of new places.

Last I heard the median home price in Bozeman is around 800k. I hate seeing what is happening to my home state. The disease is spreading to the eastern half of the state as well.

Charge all the Californians triple for taxes. Then setup an annual review of their wealth and charge them 30% increase each year.

Also they would have to show their papers at every stop by police.

That's the part I don't understand - average income is $60k/year. How can anyone afford the mortgage payment for an $800k house?

Yuppie Californians


Montana has turned purple I believe

No it has not turned purple. From someone who LIVES here and just got done attending an event sponsored by the MSSA. Candidates running for congress speaking, MT Shooting Sports Association, in conjunction with several district Sheriff's assoc., along with our governor, AG, and many other sponsored state officials and organizations.

Looks like it's going well , and in the right direction .

I missed this a couple years ago



https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/montana-election-results/

AG, I didnt mean to sound so abrupt .

Events happening everywhere lately, has me a lot on the intolerable side regarding anything liberal, or Marxist influence.

As Patrice said one time not long ago, things have us on the crabby side when it comes to those subjects ...to put it mildly

We Montanans are fighting tooth and nail to keep the liberal influences out of here. As well as illegal aliens , CRT union teachers, and the like.

At least we have the best legislative gun laws to protect our second A in force , of any state in this country, and the world for that matter.

The event I was invited to attend was eye-opening and encouraging in a decent many things.

One thing, a significant amount of liberals who do move here, find themselves in a completely foreign environment many times , as to our culture and overwhelming attitude on life and lifestyle here. I learned they become tired of the wall they crash against , with the locals , and end up moving away. Others who are liberals turn to conservatives as they settle in. That's why they moved to begin with. So, out of those who are liberals, not many stay here after they crash and burn up against our laws and society who will not give one inch into their Marxist indoctrination.

Now if only we can rid ourselves of that Tester , the fake Montanan , that will be another step in the "right" direction .

Meantime, the whole country is riding out together the horrible inflation in every direction.

My apologies for being a bit terse, Anti Gov.

I do not have you lined up in my scope. Just the communist influences that need to be thrown out of a Huey .

Stillwater mine pays good for my area, and ranch job's some pay better than others.
Crazy house prices in the area, 900 and some square foot house sold for well over $200,000.00
Under ten years ago it would be $50,000.00 or just under.
Just crazy , house goes on the market and 2-3 day's it's contingent sale

My wife watches that show, Big Sky Country where people are looking to buy a home in that area. Awfully spendy for what you get!

Native Montanans aren't buying those high dollar properties. Same as it is here in ID. Californians, Washingtonians etc are selling high there and driving up prices everywhere they go. They still think it's a bargain. Prices the locals completely out. Pray for back to back to back severe winters. That cures a lot of that disease.

I move out of MT in 1982 and it was over priced then for the pay. An acre of alkali flat was $1000-2000 then with nothing on it even then. I can't say I have missed it much.

Not sure I would move to MT. It may lean conservative now but won’t for long as is the first time in like 20 years. It will keep trending to Colorado standards. If you do move I would definitely stay away from mountains! The eastern part is the gem!

Spent a week in Bozeman 8 years ago at my BIL’s place. I have absolutely zero desire to go back-it was as liberal as I could stomach then. Beautiful area, but wow did I feel like punching people.

Wrong again about the area ...( Im smiling.....see ??? )

I have lived in the northern mountains for many years and it is not at all as you think.

If I only went to ANC and said the same thing, I would be gravely wrong in judging the vast rest of the state....well same here.

Missoula is most often mentioned in being liberal , and with the University there, no wonder, like other universities in all other states.

BUT- I'm here to say, there are a huge amount of extremely Conservative folks who live within the town limits , as well as all the surrounding countryside. Every time I go there I see them at favourite places to go, the places packed with locals , most open carrying.

I do not throw the baby out with the bathwater . I LIVE here and see how the lions share of real Montanans live and feel. Every day.

As well as have an active finger on the pulse of the governor, AG, and others in office and in the MSSA...which entails all the gun clubs in the whole state as well as countless individuals who are rigidly upholding our Second A.

We have the best protective SA legislative gun laws in the country.

As our Jack has said , it's best to tackle rotten salmon in your own area before throwing them elsewhere ....

The mountains are great, as are the local hard-working, Constitution abiding citizens.

Wait !! My prediction of the housing collapse in Sept is looking more and more happening every day ........ Land and houses be lot cheaper come oct. 6 buck a gal will take care of it. Not to mention all the other crap bobo will screw up by then. Oh wait not much he can do unless china tries to invade us.

It's a numbers game, just like every state is dealing with. Doesn't matter how conservative and 2A friendly the rural areas are. The cities run the show... into the dirt mostly. Cook County IL runs the entire state of IL, the rural parts of the state are nothing like Chicago, but they're outnumbered. It doesn't take as many people to swing votes in places like the West because of the lower populations. MT is holding now, but at the current rate it's like sticking your finger in the crack of the dam. We keep hoping they'll eventually see the light, but they're doubling down on stupid. Next two and a half years are going to be interesting.

I agree there are great folks and also conservative folks in western Montana in and around those areas. I am just stating as a population they are getting outnumbered whether we like it or not. Montana has been left leaning for 20 years or so do it won’t take much and like others have said the mountain areas of Montana are a huge area of interest for folks from the west coast.
But yes Montana still has some great things to offer no doubt but my preference is no doubt eastern Montana!

Montana is doomed.