Heading to MT, but where? (Billings, Great Falls: rent, condo, house)

[NW Crow]

If growing vegetables is important, you might also look at La Grande Oregon (more rain, longer growing season than N ID / MT). Maybe near Klamath Falls too. Mead WA.

Of the places I mentioned in MT, Thompson Falls and Eureka probably have lowest elevations, maybe slightly longer growing seasons and among highest rainfall.

Most gardens offer only a tiny amount of self-reliance. Would need to work at least an acre fully and can to make a large impact. And you'd have to largely eat what grows well, which isn't that many things unless you are above average on gardening talent and devoted time & money. A greenhouse would be important but not a sufficient solution by itself.

[historyfan]

Sunshine is prevalent year round across the southern latitude of MT, except the overcast West Yellowstone region in winter. You can grow a glorious garden in Eastern MT, if you irrigate it-- Billings, Bridger, Miles City or futher north all have decent growing seasons. I consider anywhere you can grow corn or watermelon decent.

This last year had more rain than usual & was cooler, so gardens were not as productive because of the slow start or rotted seed. & also on the downside, there are occasional huge grasshopper eat everything in their path years which seem to follow dry springs.


I think heating a greenhouse for winter use would be cost prohibitive. They work well to extend the growing season by a couple of weeks. Mostly are used for starting plants and converted to shade houses if used in the summer.

[Jayne Cobb]

Originally Posted by ccharmel

TY TY, Jayne... Awesome reply. I definitely need to rethink this, because I'm into gardening, etc... Gonna need "sun", lol I'm gonna have a greenhouse wherever I land, so Montana might not be as good for me as I thought. Lots of considerations. Have a blessed day.

I'm big into gardening, too! If one only utilizes standard/conventional gardening, then yeah, MT, ID and a lot of those upper, cold latitudes will be tough. Couple months growing season, maybe 3.


But maybe check out walipini, underground greenhouses. For example, Jerome Osentowski is in the mountains of Colorado and uses his greenhouses equipped with what he terms a climate battery to heat/cool them. https://crmpi.org/about/the-forest-g...me-osentowski/ Also using permaculture principles he grows tropical fruits and such in them. Again, in the COLORADO mountains. Crazy stuff.


So I'd imagine one can really grow things anywhere depending on your budget, imagination, etc.

[Dangerous Dave]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

If growing vegetables is important, you might also look at La Grande Oregon (more rain, longer growing season than N ID / MT). Maybe near Klamath Falls too. Mead WA.

Of the places I mentioned in MT, Thompson Falls and Eureka probably have lowest elevations, maybe slightly longer growing seasons and among highest rainfall.

Most gardens offer only a tiny amount of self-reliance. Would need to work at least an acre fully and can to make a large impact. And you'd have to largely eat what grows well, which isn't that many things unless you are above average on gardening talent and devoted time & money. A greenhouse would be important but not a sufficient solution by itself.

I'd maybe look into all of Oregon in general if gardening is that important. The freezes are over a lot sooner than in MT, snow isn't as big of an issue if you're in the Willamette Valley or closer to the coast, and there are still plenty of less populated areas where property isn't that expensive.


If you're steering clear of leftists, they're mostly in Portland and Eugene. The rest of the state is pretty "red".

[Slater1]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Dave

I would also look into North Idaho. There are places in the Silver Valley and also north and south of Coeur d'Alene where you can still get land cheap, and if you are into fishing, you're a little close to some of the best inland fishing in the US.

Excuse me for interrupting this thread. My question is for Dave the real estate agent. I've been to MT 4 times during my life: 79, 89, 05, and 19. Each time was during the summer. Now I want to retire there, but I should rent for a year and then decide, but my question is important since I wish to pay cash up to $195K and not have a mortgage since I am retired, age 62.

Question: Will my money buy a lot less if I rent for 9 to 12 months and wait instead of buying sooner? Thanks to everyone being for respectful to us who need to leave our current states.

[historyfan]

Originally Posted by Slater1

Excuse me for interrupting this thread. My question is for Dave the real estate agent. I've been to MT 4 times during my life: 79, 89, 05, and 19. Each time was during the summer. Now I want to retire there, but I should rent for a year and then decide, but my question is important since I wish to pay cash up to $195K and not have a mortgage since I am retired, age 62.

Question: Will my money buy a lot less if I rent for 9 to 12 months and wait instead of buying sooner? Thanks to everyone being for respectful to us who need to leave our current states.

I'm not Dave, but purchasing a home for 195k in MT might be very difficult.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by Slater1

Excuse me for interrupting this thread. My question is for Dave the real estate agent. I've been to MT 4 times during my life: 79, 89, 05, and 19. Each time was during the summer. Now I want to retire there, but I should rent for a year and then decide, but my question is important since I wish to pay cash up to $195K and not have a mortgage since I am retired, age 62.

Question: Will my money buy a lot less if I rent for 9 to 12 months and wait instead of buying sooner? Thanks to everyone being for respectful to us who need to leave our current states.

$195k won't buy you much in the pretty places. I'd suggest you visit in the winter and see if you like it. Lots of people fall in love with it while on vacation in summer and realize winter last longer. Montana has also changed tremendously since in most of the pretty parts near the cities. The small towns maybe not so much.

[Slater1]

Originally Posted by historyfan

I'm not Dave, but purchasing a home for 195k in MT might be very difficult.

I will probably go with a cabin, hopefully near water.

[NW Crow]

If you rent for $1200 per month for a year that is $14,400.

If real estate prices go up 8% / yr (like I am told it did in last 12 months), on $195k property that would be about $16,000. But what are you earning on that money if you don't purchase the home right away? That would need to be deducted from the $16,000.

First year of the mortgage you aren't building much equity but you would likely benefit from appreciation.

If you bought immediately instead of in a year you might be considerably better off. It depends on how sure you are of the location and the house. If you buy the wrong house and use a real estate agent you might lose some of your savings going to house 2.

[Redraven]

Just for comparison, there is a place for sale near me:
A small three (IIRC) bedroom house with small two car garage, no other outbuildings, on 14 acres, with 17 shares of the irrigation ditch water (that will cost about $125 per share per year). The land is planted in grass/alfalfa hay (mostly grass). Well water, propane tank (no natural gas in the area, and I don't know if the tank is owned or leased).
$605,000 the last time I checked (simply out of curiosity).
I know someone who just closed on a 3 bedroom (possibly more in the basement) 2 bath (with easy build of another in the basement) log home with daylight basement, on 2 acres. No outbuildings. Cistern for water, Natural gas for heat. Air conditioning installed. It had been empty for a year or so (estate problems), and the basement walls and ceiling were mouse infested, requiring total replacement of drywall and insulation. The sellers refused to assist with closing costs (it is common around here to split the closing costs).
IIRC, they paid $215,000 and felt they got a good deal, after about 4 months of searching.