What's the Best Place To Live In Montana? (Billings, Libby: fit in, to rent)

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by bumper19

We may all want the same thing. It's an outrage that we must discuss freedom loving pockets within states.

I agree. That's a severe indictment of the political mood of our government, and of some of our fellow citizens as well.

Originally Posted by bumper19

When living in kalif (people's republic of), I became a criminal because I owned a previously legal firearm. Imagine that, a bayonet lug made me a bad guy while illegals stood in parking lots of home improvement stores. That was infantile guvament and in my view, a model for socialism which other western states have embraced. I want to live where guvament is not an industry.

Hear, hear... PDRK (People's Democratic Republic of Kalifornia -- welcome, Komrade!) is also working on making dog breeding a crime. (Yes, if all the HSUS-sponsored laws are passed, breeding or selling a dog in CA will be a CRIME. Montana's legislators had the sense to see their real motives, and nixed all 7 of the bills they tried to float in MT last year.)

Hadn't heard about the bayonet lug making a firearm illegal, but I suppose that makes it an "assault weapon" in the eyes of those who fear We The People. I've owned a BB gun that would have been illegal under that provision (I don't know why it had a bayonet mount, but it did -- I suppose for kids who like to play soldiers). How ridiculous is that?

You can tell when government becomes an industry because it starts looking at citizens as revenue sources rather than as what it exists to serve. This alone tells us that gov't is too large, having outgrown its natural budget (the proportion of their wealth that most citizens willingly pay over to "buy civilization").

If gov't takes more money from us than we are willing to spend on gov't, doesn't that in itself tell us that gov't is representing its own interests rather than the citizens' interests??

[mjrohrer]

My wife and I live in Colorado now and are looking for a change. We like Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming. We own a small construction company and specialize in Log Homes and Timberfrme Homes. Our business has thrived in Mountain resort towns. Any suggestions on towns in Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho? We also have small children and are also looking for good schools and conservative values. We are gun carrying, constitution believing, americans who still believe in the american dream!! Thank you!

[GLS]

Originally Posted by mjrohrer

My wife and I live in Colorado now and are looking for a change. We like Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming. We own a small construction company and specialize in Log Homes and Timberfrme Homes. Our business has thrived in Mountain resort towns. Any suggestions on towns in Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho? We also have small children and are also looking for good schools and conservative values. We are gun carrying, constitution believing, americans who still believe in the american dream!! Thank you!

Your post implies that you will be starting up your business in the new location. Therefore, wouldn't your decision on where to relocate be based more on the competition in the new area? You probably know more about where competing log home companies are located, but I know I can't drive through parts of Montana without having the landscape blurred by Log Home company signs.

My wife always remarks, "How can so many log home companies continue to do business in the same area?"

[mtlogger]

Originally Posted by GLS

My wife always remarks, "How can so many log home companies continue to do business in the same area?"

They can't. No one has enuf money to build log houses. What we need is "affordable" housing. Which means rental units. My newest neighbor built his dream home- a three story monster log - now can't afford the lifestyle nor his mortage payments.

Sorry, you have to go where the money is.

My grandson & family moved from Miami. Now there's a place that has plenty of money - mostly from South American investors. Miami's Fed Res Bank has surplus cash every year since the 1970's. But, there's no market in Miami for log homes. You get my drift?

[GLS]

Originally Posted by mtlogger

They can't. No one has enuf money to build log houses. What we need is "affordable" housing. Which means rental units. My newest neighbor built his dream home- a three story monster log - now can't afford the lifestyle nor his mortage payments.

Sorry, you have to go where the money is.

My grandson & family moved from Miami. Now there's a place that has plenty of money - mostly from South American investors. Miami's Fed Res Bank has surplus cash every year since the 1970's. But, there's no market in Miami for log homes. You get my drift?

I can scrape together $500/month if your neighbor wants to turn his "monster log home" into a "rental unit". Is it on the lake? Does it include a boat?

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by mjrohrer

My wife and I live in Colorado now and are looking for a change. We like Idaho, Montana, or Wyoming. We own a small construction company and specialize in Log Homes and Timberfrme Homes. Our business has thrived in Mountain resort towns. Any suggestions on towns in Wyoming, Montana, or Idaho? We also have small children and are also looking for good schools and conservative values. We are gun carrying, constitution believing, americans who still believe in the american dream!! Thank you!

"mtlogger's" response pretty much 'nailed the situation' in all of Montana.

I've lived here in the middle of the Bitterroot Valley since early 1980 and started coming here since 1975. The "Log Home" design and construction business has been reduced by over 85%!!!!! in the last 15 years (most drastic reduction has been in the last 6 years). In 1980 there were approx 25 viable Log Home firms here in the valley, of that number about 5 were large and the remainder varried from quite small to medium size.

As of today, my estimate of viable firms would (5), that's 5 in a 70 mile long valley with a population of approx 35000.

When you consider that this valley (Ravalli county) is supposed to be one of the least effected by the economic up's and down's of the last several years, I can't help but think that other similiar areas in MT; ID & WY have had similiar losses in the Log Home Industry.

The other factor is the cost per square foot of a quality "stick" built home vs a Log home. In 1980 it was about 10 t0 15% more for a Log Home.........today it's approx 100% more per sq foot for a Log Home..all other factors being equal!! (At least it is here in the B.R. Valley) Part of this pricing is the availability of "House Logs".
Today, there are virtualy NO suitable House Logs available in this area of western Montana (not alone in the mountains of the B.R. Valley.) To my understanding, allmost all House logs required by the firms still in operation (at VERY reduced capacity) are brought in from Canada.

IMHO the chances of you and your wife (and your company) making a successful move and staying in the same business and making enough to live on, are VERY slim. My wife and I moved here from Colorado 30 years ago.
The only way we could maintain out standard of living was: #1--I built our new home as a contractor. #2-- I them went to work for an-out-of-state company in the steel industry (where I had been before) and traveled extensivly all over the western US, until I reached 62....then I hung it up!!!

Good luck to you. I'm sorry I couldn't be more positive in my opinion(s).

[stormchaser9878]

Kalispell is a resort town you'll love it.

[Mt-7]

Griz is right on spot IMO, I wonder if this is a good time for anyone to be making such a large change in their life.
Have you any other employment ideas?

[mtlogger]

Originally Posted by GLS

I can scrape together $500/month if your neighbor wants to turn his "monster log home" into a "rental unit". Is it on the lake? Does it include a boat?

For $500 he'll rent you the boat. If you have another $4500 you can prolly take over his mortage.

[MontanaGulcher]

Anywhere not in town. No neighbors except the wildlife, snow drifts, pine and aspen trees, and a family.