Moving -- maybe Montana? (Billings, Missoula: houses, to live, price)

[Findingourniche]

I have gleaned more information from your forum than from all the official Montana sites and real esate sites so far. Thank you for your insight. If any have the time, I would appreciate any info or suggestions or advice. Our background: Currently live (nine years now) in a beautiful Utah valley (elev 5000) about 50 miles from Salt Lake City -- population 2700 that is booming and getting too big for us. (Before that we lived and worked one year in Czech Republic.) Family of six including children ages 3 months-7 years old and a 200lb English Mastiff. My husband is taking a job with an online software company that allows him to work from home, but we need to be within 2 hours of an airport (domestic & international travel 2-3 times a month), have cell phone coverage and high speed internet access. I am a stay-at-home mom. We want to live within a days drive of family which is one reason we're considering Montana. Our ideal home would include .5-2 acres and a view of either mountains or trees. Activities include gardening, violin, English Mastiff Rescue, PTA, family bike rides, family history, bagpipes, traveling in our old RV and church. We love our small town but are quickly being outnumbered by out-of-staters and can no longer afford the housing here. We could barely afford our 1977 one level modular 1500 sq ft .25 acre wood-heated home when we bought it six years ago and now it would sell for $300,000. Problem is that we can't afford the $125,000 .25 acre lots here. And there is currently not a single home priced below $300,000 in our town. We blamed the Californians initally and now we're looking to relocate and become someone else's problem too I guess Well, we're resigned to the fact we need to move if we'll ever have a larger home, a view besides the mansions next to us that blocked our mountain view, a half acre to squeeze some chickens and a goat onto, and a small town where we know everyone. We're headed to Montana next July (I know... it won't be winter!) for a family reunion in Lewiston and would like to have some places to check out while we're there. Is there room in Montana for us?

[L&C]

Try a midwestern plains state, they have negative population growth.

My guess is that if you move to Montana, you will experience the same type of growth that you are experiencing in Utah and will want to move out of Montana in a few years or, you will quickly become tired of the 6 month long winters with temperatures that commonly get down to -40 degrees F.

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Not sure about Lewiston, but Lewistown might do the trick in this case.

Sure, pack it in and come on up... we'ld love to have you.

Montana has all of the comforts of home, high speed internet, airports, paved roads, wireless, wi-fi and the list goes on.

We are, unfortunately, just a little short on out houses and wild indians.

Lewistown Montana has all your shopping list indicates.

Nevermind the nay-sayers... every northern tier state has some sort of winter, wind, ice and friendly folk.

The only real trouble spots with regard to explosive growth in Montana, is on the west side (Missoula, Florence, Hamilton, Mission Valley, Polson, Kalispell), and along the I-90 corridor through Bozeman/Billings.

Out east, it's wide open and pretty conservative, just like how Montana used to be on the west side.