are you thinking of moving to MT? (Bozeman, Kalispell: real estate, leasing)

[Timberwolf232]

Originally Posted by RangerDuke08

Bozeman if where the only police academy is in Montana!

I'm pretty sure the police academy is in Helena.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Simple Living

That's really encouraging, jimj, thanks. I'm looking at areas in Wyoming, too, but my heart was always originally set on Glacier Park. I can't imagine that many job openings in the area, though.

Another concern is that I'll need to rent an apartment for a while (up to a year) before I'd be ready to buy. (Lord willing.) And I imagine land prices there are through the roof!

They were but are coming down. Take a look at Hungryhorsenews.com and Dailyinterlake.com for rentals,jobs and land. You can also look up zipcode 59912 in realtor.com for land sales.

[theRain]

Bozeman is a VERY friendly town, but Missoula, that place is CHILLY to newcomers.
But, if you want to move to any new place, do so for yourself, and not for the new friends you may or may not meet!
It's the Bozeman weather that will drive folks away!!!!!!

[decembergirl]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

I'm pretty sure the police academy is in Helena.

Yeah, it is.

[sissys_soapbox]

Originally Posted by jimj

Actually it's not the case at all anymore. With the exception of local (this city) government jobs they'll hire anyone who's competent and not really care if they're a newcomer or old timer.

The biggest problem in MT is finding any job that pays more than $6 per hr

[RogueMom]

I live in the Bitteroot Valley, close to Missoula. Its very beautiful and scenic, I have found people to be pretty friendly and helpful during my two years living here. There is a LOT of homes over $500,000 - and lot of jobs $8.00 an hour or less, sissys soapbox is right. If your're not coming in with money or with a good-paying job already lined up, affordable housing will be tough to find.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

Bozeman was MUCH friendlier 10+ years ago, now its as if a lot of new people have an "I'm better than you" attitude. It's been discovered and unfortunately yuppified.

Same thing happened here. This area used to be a sleepy little desert town in the middle of nowhere. You might not be friends but everyone said hello and no one felt a need to rush around like their pants were on fire. But in the past ten years the high desert has grown from 30,000 to HALF A MILLION people (you read that right) and become seriously yuppified in the process. And it's gotten just like you've noticed there -- everyone is in a hurry, people are rude, no one will give you the time of day let alone stop if you need help. You'd think wherever they're going is gonna get up and run off if they don't get there yesterday, and they'll trample you if you get in their way.

Nothing like the desert community I used to know, that reminded me so much of Billings that I'd laugh every time I drove thru downtown.

[Timberwolf232]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Same thing happened here. This area used to be a sleepy little desert town in the middle of nowhere. You might not be friends but everyone said hello and no one felt a need to rush around like their pants were on fire. But in the past ten years the high desert has grown from 30,000 to HALF A MILLION people (you read that right) and become seriously yuppified in the process. And it's gotten just like you've noticed there -- everyone is in a hurry, people are rude, no one will give you the time of day let alone stop if you need help. You'd think wherever they're going is gonna get up and run off if they don't get there yesterday, and they'll trample you if you get in their way.

Nothing like the desert community I used to know, that reminded me so much of Billings that I'd laugh every time I drove thru downtown.

That's a bummer... Half a million people is too many for a small area. I freaked when Bozeman hit 30K. There is over 100K in the county now and it seems crowded to me... Seems like everywhere you go there is either someone riding your butt but won't pass you, or too busy yapping on the phone or texting to pay attention to what's going on around the vehicle. The "New Montanan in Bozeman" seem a lot like the type of people that would trample a person to death to get a "Tickle me Elmo" doll.

Heres some funny stats:

There is 1 on duty cop for every 10K people in Gallatin county, but there is 1 lawyer for every 70 people!

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

That's a bummer... Half a million people is too many for a small area. I freaked when Bozeman hit 30K. There is over 100K in the county now and it seems crowded to me...

If I can SEE the neighbours... THEY'RE TOO CLOSE!!!

This valley is about twice the size of the whole Gallatin Valley from Bozeman to Three Forks, and then some. But it used to be one lump of town, 3 or 4 little outlying villages, and a whole lot of empty space. The villages have all been assimilated and the empty space is fast disappearing. I used to be 15 miles from the edge of the built-up part of town; five years later, the leading wave of condos is just 6 miles from me, and closing fast. All the horse and dog property in the west valley is gone now. For a while it was the fastest growing city in the entire country.

Used to be dead-dark out here at night, too... wonderful for stargazing. The old part of town had low-power lighting that didn't pollute the night skies. Now, it's never completely dark; the new developments' high-intensity street lights have ruined that.

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

Seems like everywhere you go there is either someone riding your butt but won't pass you, or too busy yapping on the phone or texting to pay attention to what's going on around the vehicle. The "New Montanan in Bozeman" seem a lot like the type of people that would trample a person to death to get a "Tickle me Elmo" doll.

Yeah... that's the yuppie thing all right. It's like a sidewalk sale ALL the time.

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

There is 1 on duty cop for every 10K people in Gallatin county, but there is 1 lawyer for every 70 people!

Egads! That's a lot of lawyers! Is Tom Sabo still practicing? he was the city judge when I lived there.

[Timberwolf232]

Originally Posted by Reziac

If I can SEE the neighbours... THEY'RE TOO CLOSE!!!

This valley is about twice the size of the whole Gallatin Valley from Bozeman to Three Forks, and then some. But it used to be one lump of town, 3 or 4 little outlying villages, and a whole lot of empty space. The villages have all been assimilated and the empty space is fast disappearing. I used to be 15 miles from the edge of the built-up part of town; five years later, the leading wave of condos is just 6 miles from me, and closing fast. All the horse and dog property in the west valley is gone now. For a while it was the fastest growing city in the entire country.

Used to be dead-dark out here at night, too... wonderful for stargazing. The old part of town had low-power lighting that didn't pollute the night skies. Now, it's never completely dark; the new developments' high-intensity street lights have ruined that.



Yeah... that's the yuppie thing all right. It's like a sidewalk sale ALL the time.



Egads! That's a lot of lawyers! Is Tom Sabo still practicing? he was the city judge when I lived there.

I heard that 70 to 1 stat on a talk radio station, so I'm not sure how accurate it is. Scary thought though!

I hope it doesn't get that bad here. Can't blame people for moving here, but it sure takes from the quality of life people were used to who have been around for a long time. God help a person who has to drive through Belgrade at 7:30-9:00AM or 5:00- 7:00PM traffic is horrible, the place just wasn't built for the amount of people who have moved in.

Tom Sabo passed away last year. I never knew him, but my in-laws did. Here is a link to his obituary. http://www.sibisites.com/DN/obits/06sabo.pdf