my trip to Montana this summer (Missoula, Bozeman: appointed, fit in, for sale)

[LSUTigers]

After years of waiting, i finally got to go to Montana this summer for a college graduation trip. Central Montana was the main place that looked like what I was expecting Montana to be like. There was some beautiful country out there that didn't have a log cabin vacation home every 50 yards. Do yall think that in 20-30 years that central Montana will fill up like Western montana has? I hope it doesn't because i'd like to retire out there someday.

I was disappointed by western Montana. It felt more like a tourist trap than Montana. I couldn't believe how many Californians have moved in and ruined it. I might be able to get a good job with a company that is located in Bozeman, but i'd have to rent a place for years until i built up enough equity and the housing market corrects itself (if ever). However, i don't see a major correction happening in the real estate market around Bozeman because most of the people moving in have already made their money so they aren't affected by economic shocks as much as the rest of the country.

Is Bozeman a good place for a man in his early 20's to settle down and start a family? I spent 3 days in Bozeman back in July and I just didn't think that i fit in too well with the 20's crowd there. Lots of hippies, people with tattoos, etc (not to make judgement, just not my style). So is there any significant amount of single women in Bozeman that are ready to settle down? Would the best place to look for them be at church? Thanks for your replies.....

[rickers]

I am so sick of people blaming people from California for every thing they don't like about Montana. I really don't think it's the Californians that are doing any so called ruining. It may just be that people from back east and southern states just like you that are causing this so called ruination. I believe that most people that move to Montana are from Washington and Oregon and whether or not newcomers are doing any ruining is doubtful. If you move here you will be a party to the so called ruining of Montana so please don't starting blaming people from just one state for something you seem to know very little about. I welcome people to move to Montana. Did you expect Montana to be a Museum of towns with Log houses with Jed Clampett types singing songs by the fireplace. If you want to blame someone for the flocks of people moving here, blame our government for allowing floods of people to sneak into our country. Montana is a very hard place to live. Almost as many people go back home packing tails between their legs and whining, as the number of people moving here. Notice that Montana's real population figures aren't rising very fast compared to many other western states. Also If you want to live in a place where there are no hippies or folks with tattoos, then you're out of luck because that kind of place is only in your mind !

[truckingbronco]

Go Tigers!

[jimj]

Originally Posted by truckingbronco

Go Tigers!

Go where????

[truckingbronco]

Originally Posted by jimj

Go where????

To Montana to live the dream, duh

[LSUTigers]

to rickers: Well excuse me! If you knew who I am you would know that I would NEVER ruin a state as beautiful as Montana. Both sides of my family have agricultural backgrounds for generations, and we have a working beef cattle farm back home. When i went to Bozeman and looked around there is land 10 miles north of Bozeman on Springhill Road going for $20,000+ per acre! That's about 20 times what it should be valued as purely agricultural land. If these land prices stay at such high levels, it will be the death knell of agriculture in western Montana except for hobby farms. Low land prices are needed in the long run for farm land to recycle itself from retiring farmers to new ones.

True, it is not only California that is sending lots of people to Montana, but it's the California mentality that is tarnishing western Montana. I expect this trend of rising land prices in Montana will be a permanent one, albeit with temporary slowdowns during recessions. They aren't making more land (except in Bahrain) but there are more people every day.

To the other posters, it's Geaux Tigers!, not Go Tigers! :-)

[montanahogrider]

Well sir, you have to excuse Mr. Rickers from being rude. You see he is one of those Tattooed hippies living in Hot Springs that you described. Even I have Tattoos and a ponytail. Its a generational thing. Yes I think that central Montana will continue to grow at a tepid clip, like Rickers says, a lot of folks get one look at winter here and there gone by spring. Right now in Gardiner it's -9 degrees below zero. I would suggest you find a job here and stay a complete winter before you make your permanent decision to live here. There are some nice property's in central Montana yet, But to keep the price low you need to not be in a city area or a tourist destination. Eastern Montana has some beautiful small and big Turnkey ranches for sale, so if thats what you want to do, Be out throwing hay at -20 degrees someday, then you have found the right state. And as a life long Montanan, I will be one of the first to shake your hand, after your first winter of course! lol. Ranching is a great job here, but the profits are a little thin. In warmer areas such as where you are from, you don't have to buy much feed, shelter, vet services and so on.

[montanahogrider]

Vaya Tigre

[rickers]

Could you explain what exactly "a California mentality is" ? And how it differs from any other state mentality ? This should be enternaining ! The Montana state motto is "Oro y plata , that means gold and silver in Spanish. If you think western Montana is tarnished then go ahead and start polishing ! This so called California mentality if it even really exists would have been adapted when California was flooded by folks moving west from eastern states. I am totally offended and disgusted with people laying blame on other people, (yea let's just call them all Californians), for something nobody can do jack about. All of you blame layers need to get a life ! If you want to see the part of western Montana that has not been as many put it, "Californicated" yet just don't go to Missoula or Kalispell. Did you even go near Lincoln county or Sanders county ? You can't stop progress, we can only guide rampant unwise growth planning. If you don't like the denser population areas of Montana then eastern Montana may be the place for you. Blaming people from California is a cop out. I am sure that the American natives who found this place first felt the same way about people moving in and "ruining" the place. You may not like the fact that the pristine garden of Eden you thought you would find doesn't exist in western Montana. Some people may move to a new state and try to make changes, but even the people who don't try to make changes still make changes just by their presence.
What was the now famous Rodney King statement ? Can't we just all get along" !
I'll be dead and gone way before Montana gets as bad as all of nine states that I have lived in. I am 56 an my poor old ticker is a time bomb so I can't afford to be getting all angry at anything anymore. So I refuse to get all worked up over things I have no control over. But I still get offended when I hear all the California bashing, it is so juvenile and ignorant !

[jimj]

Originally Posted by montanahogrider

Well sir, you have to excuse Mr. Rickers from being rude. You see he is one of those Tattooed hippies living in Hot Springs that you described. Even I have Tattoos and a ponytail. Its a generational thing. Yes I think that central Montana will continue to grow at a tepid clip, like Rickers says, a lot of folks get one look at winter here and there gone by spring. Right now in Gardiner it's -9 degrees below zero. I would suggest you find a job here and stay a complete winter before you make your permanent decision to live here. There are some nice property's in central Montana yet, But to keep the price low you need to not be in a city area or a tourist destination. Eastern Montana has some beautiful small and big Turnkey ranches for sale, so if thats what you want to do, Be out throwing hay at -20 degrees someday, then you have found the right state. And as a life long Montanan, I will be one of the first to shake your hand, after your first winter of course! lol. Ranching is a great job here, but the profits are a little thin. In warmer areas such as where you are from, you don't have to buy much feed, shelter, vet services and so on.

Cool, I didn't know we had turkey farms!
I always wondered how my turkey was so well frozen!
Darn, just re-read the post.. You said "turnkey"! Oh well back to the hot buttered rum I guess.......