Bozeman vs. Bend, OR (Great Falls, Kalispell: appointed, ski resorts, for sale)

[mknouse]

My wife and I are looking to relocate from Boise, Idaho to a smaller mountain community and Bend, OR and Bozeman, MT keep getting our attention. I am somewhat familiar with Bend because we used to live in Portland and we frequently made trips to Bend but I don’t know much about Bozeman. I can work from almost anywhere but my wife is big in the horse industry and would be looking for a very horse friendly area where she could train, give lessons, etc. The key elements that we are looking for are a VERY friendly community (both personal and business) where we can eat sushi and buy organic produce one day and grab a burger/beer and hit the trail the next. We want a mountain town with some culture that also feels very easy going. We will most likely rent for a year to make sure we like the location and then look for some acreage so real estate prices are also a factor for us to consider.

Any comments? Any input on one city vs. the other or individual city opinion is much appreciated.

- MK

[Rickers]

I think Bozeman would be a better choice. Property may be higher but Bozeman has more to do.

[jimj]

We live outside of Kalispell and have looked at moving to bend, and looked at Bend before we moved here. I personally wouldn't condsider Bend at this point because the housing prices have gotten way out of hand, even higher than most places here. We have stayed in Bend many times and spoke with the locals and the ones we talked to were not happy with the unsavory crowd that lives around there.
I would go to Bozeman,Flathead Valley or Great Falls before I went anywhere in Oregon.

[jcbmontana]

I have family in Bend and it makes Bozeman look cheap, but it's a nice town if you can afford it.

[mknouse]

Thanks for the reply. What does your family enjoy most about living in Bend?

[mknouse]

Originally Posted by jimj

We live outside of Kalispell and have looked at moving to bend, and looked at Bend before we moved here. I personally wouldn't condsider Bend at this point because the housing prices have gotten way out of hand, even higher than most places here. We have stayed in Bend many times and spoke with the locals and the ones we talked to were not happy with the unsavory crowd that lives around there.
I would go to Bozeman,Flathead Valley or Great Falls before I went anywhere in Oregon.

Thanks for the reply. Maybe the house price correction will help out in Bend. I see there are a lot of houses for sale there and some have reduced their prices which is the sign of a buyers market strating to happen.

What do you like most about Bozeman? I am visiting in two weeks to check it out for myself. My ideal town would be a seasonal climate in a beautiful mountain community where people are friendly and down to earth. I also like the idea that Bozeman is a college town as I find that brings a little more culture and youthful attitude to a small town.

[mknouse]

Originally Posted by rickers

I think Bozeman would be a better choice. Property may be higher but Bozeman has more to do.

Just curious on why you like Bozeman over Bend? Are you saying that Bozeman has more activities in general or more outdoor stuff or both? I looked at property values and Bozeman is quite a bit less than Bend right now. Bend seems overpriced. Any other thoughts on what makes Bozeman a great place?

[jcbmontana]

I would actually say the opposite, Bend is much more expensive and has more to do. Bend is about twice the size of Bozeman, so it has more amenties. Both have world-class ski resorts and excellent river recreation, but Bend wins for golf. Bend also has a much better climate (my opinion, of course).

Bend is also two hours from the ocean and close to numerous lakes.

[pastorglen]

I have lived in Bend for the last 4 years. The pros are the beauty of the area with mountains nearby, the abundance of recreational options (fishing, rafting, skiing, snowmobiling, etc.), four distinct and wonderful seasons, relatively mild winters with sun, no pollution, clean & sparkling drinking water, and generally, all the amenities you would need in a mid-sized city as far as shopping & culture. I hear the golf is great here, but I'm not a golfer. Trader Joes - one of my favorite stores, is opening here in February. The shopping is ok, but too spread out and for our size of town- a bit substandard with the exception of the upscale Old Mill District. The arts flourish here- lots of festivals and concerts. . The newly restored Tower Theater downtown is a gem. The parks and recreation district is one of best I've seen anywhere in the country. There are many parks and open spaces in the area- the crown jewel being Drake Park on the Deshutes River near downtown. Speaking of downtown, it has some real charm with neat shops. Also, the hospital here- St. Charles is top notch!!!

On the downside, the cost of real estate is through the roof. People are trying to make a killing off the Californians who bring their money with them and think the prices are cheap and that has sent all the real estate up to the point where it is not not affordable at all to live here. Having said this, nothing has been selling here the last year so prices are finally coming down off their peak in 2006.. Also, I would not say that the people are all that friendly in Bend. There is a sort of rugged individualism- don't bother me and I won't bother you attitude. We have found it difficult to forge friendships and the general manners and friendliness of the city is a C- in my opinon. There is a mix of YUPPIES, ENVIROMENTAL WACKOS, HIPPIES, and a retirement population of which many are quite transient. There is also a rowdy crowd that hangs in Bend. There are clearly two classes in Bend- the haves and the have nots, yet I suspect this is par for the course anywhere. Bend has been "discovered" and many Californians are infiltrating the area including some Hispanic gangs which is quite distressing. We are now seeing for the first time grafitti in the area and some violent crime. We are way undestaffed on police. Drug use is a problem- particularly meth. The traffic situation is worsening as the city has never effectively planned for the growth. Driving from East to West in Bend and vice-versa is becoming a real challenge. There is a new Parkway (Hwy 97) that by-passes the old route going North and South which is good. The Fall and Summer seasons are great with lots of sun. Yet, we also are disappointed in the attitudes and CA influx which is changing the flavor of the area dramatically. To the North is Redmond- nothing special. To the South is Sunriver (a destination resort-retirement community) and LaPine of which most of their population are people who want to live out in the hinterlands and be left alone.

Overall our experience has been good here, however we actually have heard about Bozeman and it perks our interest quite honestly. We think Bend is growing too fast and the idea of a city half this size with many of the same features is attractive to us.

As a correction to a previous post- The coast is a 4-5 hour drive from Bend (depending on the weather). Portland is 150 miles- about 3 hours. We feel a bit isolated here, yet I suspect that is even worse in Bozeman.

[Mt-7]

Originally Posted by pastorglen

I have lived in Bend for the last 4 years. The pros are the beauty of the area with mountains nearby, the abundance of recreational options (fishing, rafting, skiing, snowmobiling, etc.), four distinct and wonderful seasons, relatively mild winters with sun, no pollution, clean & sparkling drinking water, and generally, all the amenities you would need in a mid-sized city as far as shopping & culture. I hear the golf is great here, but I'm not a golfer. Trader Joes - one of my favorite stores, is opening here in February. The shopping is ok, but too spread out and for our size of town- a bit substandard with the exception of the upscale Old Mill District. The arts flourish here- lots of festivals and concerts. . The newly restored Tower Theater downtown is a gem. The parks and recreation district is one of best I've seen anywhere in the country. There are many parks and open spaces in the area- the crown jewel being Drake Park on the Deshutes River near downtown. Speaking of downtown, it has some real charm with neat shops. Also, the hospital here- St. Charles is top notch!!!

On the downside, the cost of real estate is through the roof. People are trying to make a killing off the Californians who bring their money with them and think the prices are cheap and that has sent all the real estate up to the point where it is not not affordable at all to live here. Having said this, nothing has been selling here the last year so prices are finally coming down off their peak in 2006.. Also, I would not say that the people are all that friendly in Bend. There is a sort of rugged individualism- don't bother me and I won't bother you attitude. We have found it difficult to forge friendships and the general manners and friendliness of the city is a C- in my opinon. There is a mix of YUPPIES, ENVIROMENTAL WACKOS, HIPPIES, and a retirement population of which many are quite transient. There is also a rowdy crowd that hangs in Bend. There are clearly two classes in Bend- the haves and the have nots, yet I suspect this is par for the course anywhere. Bend has been "discovered" and many Californians are infiltrating the area including some Hispanic gangs which is quite distressing. We are now seeing for the first time grafitti in the area and some violent crime. We are way undestaffed on police. Drug use is a problem- particularly meth. The traffic situation is worsening as the city has never effectively planned for the growth. Driving from East to West in Bend and vice-versa is becoming a real challenge. There is a new Parkway (Hwy 97) that by-passes the old route going North and South which is good. The Fall and Summer seasons are great with lots of sun. Yet, we also are disappointed in the attitudes and CA influx which is changing the flavor of the area dramatically. To the North is Redmond- nothing special. To the South is Sunriver (a destination resort-retirement community) and LaPine of which most of their population are people who want to live out in the hinterlands and be left alone.

Overall our experience has been good here, however we actually have heard about Bozeman and it perks our interest quite honestly. We think Bend is growing too fast and the idea of a city half this size with many of the same features is attractive to us.

As a correction to a previous post- The coast is a 4-5 hour drive from Bend (depending on the weather). Portland is 150 miles- about 3 hours. We feel a bit isolated here, yet I suspect that is even worse in Bozeman.

Me thinks that in Montana 150 miles is considered a drive around the block!