Suggestion on location ? (Havre, Willow Creek: environment, real estate, vacation)

[steveheidi]

My Husband and I along with our daughter are planning to move to Montana or Wyoming. I don’t see it happening for a couple years. I was raised on a large acreage home, and that is the environment I would like to see my daughter spending the rest of her child life. We were able to shoot guns without being a bother to anyone. We are seeking some place nice and friendly but doesn’t mind if we just want to be at home with our family and animals without being bothered.

My husband loves hunting, and my daughter loves shooting.... so we are seeking somewhere that has hunting. I’ve looked at several houses and fell in love, it had a deer roaming in their back yard...but this house did not stay up for sell long.

Id like to move somewhere with the following attributes. Morale and honesty within a community (mind you I am not religious but I do believe in the morals and values in which the bible teaches) Somewhere hunting is easily accessible. I would prefer the wind be somewhat mild but, I can deal with it if I must. I am very easy to get along with...I love the elderly yet I can get along with the younger crowd too. My husband is more anti social but trustworthy and when he calls someone a friend they can depend on him. I’m sorry if I’m rambling I’m just trying to throw out a few things that I feel may make it easier to contribute a honest answer.
Thanks so much for your time and effort in all whom respond.
~Heidi

[8 SNAKE]

What kind of price range are you looking for, and how much acreage? Any large parcels of land within sight of the mountains are going to come at a healthy premium. If the mountains are not important, eastern Montana has wide open spaces and much cheaper real estate.

[steveheidi]

Depends on the land but were not looking for ritzy.........nice would be nice though.......one option would be to buy land and put a modular home on it.....total costing about 200k......but would prefer less. 5 acres would be nice.
Thanks for your response!
~Heidi

[8 SNAKE]

Will employment be a factor for you?

[steveheidi]

Yes it will. we both plan on looking prior to moving.........this will not be for atleast a year possibly two. I would just like to narrow down towns so I can further look into those certian ones more closely.
My husband and I both have a B licence with passenger and air brake indorcements. We were both school bus drivers.
I recently quit after driving for seven years to find something more to my liking and to go back to school for nursing. My husband also wants to be a cop, or security. I hope this helps.
~Heidi

[decembergirl]

With that price range you will be hard pressed to find anything suitable in the western side of Montana, especially with 5 acres. You may want to check out Havre. Border patrol is booming there, might work good for your hubby and don't think you would have a problem finding a nursing job. Its a small college town but its slowly progressing. Good hunting and fishing out there.

[steveheidi]

Thanks so much for responding Decembergirl., I will look into Havre for sure!

[jimj]

The west side still has some places that would fit for you and with markets the way they're going it may be sooner than later. The Montana Highway Patrol is recruiting very heavy right now and so are most school districts for bus drivers and school workers. Most local PD's are also looking for people as well as dispatchers and I believe they're going to expand the 911 center. Most MHP guys get to take their cars home so that's a bonus and I believe they raised the entrance age. If Law enforcement and such is what you're looking for it might be a good time to start looking into it.

[michael11747]

steveheidi, have you researched gallatin valley? bozeman is booming, with high tech firms, health care jobs, gov't, city, university jobs, and the rest of em. now you will not be able to afford 5 acres anywhere near bozeman at that price, but there is an area south of three forks called WILLOW CREEK. it is BEAUTIFUL out there. i don't know the exact prices, but they are affordable. three forks is a nice community, much smaller than bozeman and is only thirty miles away. a lot of people commute from there, since both towns are on I-90. i wouldn't suggest belgrade. they are packing those folks in like sardines. it is also too close to the airport. but that is just me... just north of bridger canyon is the shields river valley, with wilsall at the northern extreme of it. this town is growing, and will continue to grow if prices keep increasing the way they are here. so not only is it beautiful, not too far of a commute, but it is also a good investment for the future, when your kids are grown up. just northwest of 4 corners near bozeman, is the churchill area. A LOT of subdivisions are going up here, with commercial as well as residential. bozeman pass is a good option as well. there is a house in the area on 20 acres in a beautiful area for 250,000. i believe it is a modular, and it is just over the border in park county, but right next to gallatin county and a paved road. anyway, take a look around churchill, three forks, wilsall, livingston, gallatin gateway, ennis, west yellowstone, mcallister, harrison, pony, emigrant, gardiner, and chico. keep in mind anywhere in paradise valley is super-windy (zone 6). any city in paradise valley is literally paradise. winters are rough, but they are rough anywhere in montana. you will definately be able to find a lot near chico at 100k-200k for 5 acres. and if you want to live near the airport and closer to bozeman, look into belgrade. covenants in the valley are STRICT, so make sure there is no time limit to build, that modulars are allowed, and with 5 acres make sure you have water rights, and research the flood plain of the gallatin as well. good luck. the mountains here will make you want to stay! if you ever move here, ask your next questions about hiking trails and trips to ghost towns, caves, mineral deposits, and i will gladly answer, mike.

[Morgum]

Small town extremely friendly people, Trout creek montanta, I stayed there a couple weeks for a stress relief vacation and was amazed. Hunting and fishing, not a problem, river runs through with animals everywhere. Check it out I was astonished such a place even existed. it gave me hope in a life outside of Southern California lifestyle. If I had the choice to raise my family over again I would choose it for my own.