You got me scared. (Missoula, Kalispell: to rent, house prices, buying)

[AQHA]

People in Montana are definitely irritated by the influx of California people moving to the state, but not to the degree that one would believe after reading the posts here. You being from California Im sure you will get jokes about it once in a while but nothing more. I don't see your kids having any trouble.
Dillon is a nice area, you will love it there if you don't need the fast paced city life. I have found Montana folks to be about the nicest people around.

[KatWrangler]

You will do fine! I have found Motanians to very accepting in person. We have lived here since November 1st, 2006 after having lived in OC, CA for one year (was in CO prior, and KS prior to that and originally from St. Louis). Its been an adjustment, but a good adjustment.

[NativeMontanan]

Originally Posted by GiftShoppeGuy

I have absolutely nothing to sell, and I'm not in the real eastate business, and I'm not from California or Colorado or Arizona.... so I have no agenda, or other possible monitary motivating factors that would influence my opinions at all.
All you'll ever get from me is the experience I have from living in Montana all of my life.... unedited and candid......

Ditto GsG comments. I guess there could be realtors and the like trying to sell their particular part of Montana blogging here...where the rest of us protect the ways of life in Montana. We are telling the truth. Johnnie will get his eye blackened and Susie will have her pigtails tugged by the boys. Things are still "natural" here....or I guess what I mean, not too controlled by Lawyers and over protective parents. Good idea NOT to be overprotective, especially in a smaller town. Your kid will be a sissy.

If the above things are considered extreme bullyism and the such...yeah, reconsider or move near one of the larger cities in Montana.
There weren't even MacDonalds in Montana until the 70's. One thing you might notice in Montana is alot of people cook dinner. Alot of the cafes close at night in smaller towns. You'll drive a few miles when you get a hankering for a Big Mac.

If you are used to going out to eat and stuff consider living near/in one of the big cities. Big cities in Montana are Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Missoula, Great Falls, and now (how sad) Kalispell. Who did I forget?...But there are things to consider when you read the fancy dream of the websites that try to sell Montana.

The other web sites talk about running your toes in the cold mountain steams. Yeah, that's possible. We're telling you about LIFE in Montana, not the romantic things printed in a brochure.

Dagnabbit...the women still pump water by hand, and chop the wood. Don't change the rules !!!

[Heart]

Hello We will be moving to Montana from Ca in a few months. I have children as well. I'm nervous myself but I already have family up there.
I'm not coming there to change one thing! I love Montana AS IS.
Best of luck on your move!

[imbobbbb]

its funny,when i was a kid i spent many summers at my uncles ranch in central montana and i remember what a big deal was made back around 1972 about the first mcdonalds opening in the state down in billings.my uncle didnt want to pay the cost of having a phoneline run to his ranchhouse so if you wanted to call him you had to write him a letter first telling him what day and time youd call and he would drive to my great granmas house in town to receive the call.you only got one tv channel so there was no fighting over what to watch.in some parts of central/eastern montana things havent really changed that much.

[Montanaford]

I'm a CA. transplant and I can tell you that if you'll just be yourself,be honest, willing to help a neighbor,and not be a put-on,you should do just fine.
I had those same fears of being fron that "C" state but, as one of the locals told me,"we look at the individual,not what state their from".
Try to be a Montanan in those things I mentioned and you'll be OK.

[GregW]

Got a question. What are "exceptionaly liberal views? Why are they bad?

[jenzebel]

Originally Posted by AQHA

People in Montana are definitely irritated by the influx of California people moving to the state, but not to the degree that one would believe after reading the posts here. You being from California Im sure you will get jokes about it once in a while but nothing more. I don't see your kids having any trouble.
Dillon is a nice area, you will love it there if you don't need the fast paced city life. I have found Montana folks to be about the nicest people around.

Many are irritated and some are extremely resentful but we just don't talk about it except amongst ourselves. So, some of us vent in the local cafe or in the neighborhood bar although you aren't likely to hear it. A few of us vent in this forum. Despite our feelings about the influx of people, most of us don't treat newcomers badly because we have too much class. We realize it is mostly not their fault that they come to Montana with stars in their eyes and a totally unrealistic idea of what life is going to be like here. It's not like somebody's going to get violent over it but there is deeper resentment than many realize.

There is a very vocal, very public resentment of the rich because they've led the changes for the worst.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by jenzebel

Many are irritated and some are extremely resentful but we just don't talk about it except amongst ourselves. So, some of us vent in the local cafe or in the neighborhood bar although you aren't likely to hear it. A few of us vent in this forum. Despite our feelings about the influx of people, most of us don't treat newcomers badly because we have too much class. We realize it is mostly not their fault that they come to Montana with stars in their eyes and a totally unrealistic idea of what life is going to be like here. It's not like somebody's going to get violent over it but there is deeper resentment than many realize.

There is a very vocal, very public resentment of the rich because they've led the changes for the worst.

Ahhh, finally someone who is honest about the wonderful "locals"! You are right, most people won't hear about the resentment or your venting FIRST PERSON, but believe me we hear about it 2nd or 3rd person, and are usually hurt by it thinking that we were actually your friend. Remember, these are mostly small towns and we hear things the same way you do! If you gossip about one you will gossip about all and it eventually gets back to the person. This is something that has driven us nuts here since our arrival many years ago and led to us not trusting very many people around here anymore. Pity and your loss I guess.....

[JoeJoeMan]

jimj wrote

Originally Posted by jenzebel
Many are irritated and some are extremely resentful but we just don't talk about it except amongst ourselves. So, some of us vent in the local cafe or in the neighborhood bar although you aren't likely to hear it. A few of us vent in this forum. Despite our feelings about the influx of people, most of us don't treat newcomers badly because we have too much class. We realize it is mostly not their fault that they come to Montana with stars in their eyes and a totally unrealistic idea of what life is going to be like here. It's not like somebody's going to get violent over it but there is deeper resentment than many realize.

There is a very vocal, very public resentment of the rich because they've led the changes for the worst.

Ahhh, finally someone who is honest about the wonderful "locals"! You are right, most people won't hear about the resentment or your venting FIRST PERSON, but believe me we hear about it 2nd or 3rd person, and are usually hurt by it thinking that we were actually your friend. Remember, these are mostly small towns and we hear things the same way you do! If you gossip about one you will gossip about all and it eventually gets back to the person. This is something that has driven us nuts here since our arrival many years ago and led to us not trusting very many people around here anymore. Pity and your loss I guess.....

Yea - what are you going to do -----
It's gotta tick you off about all the negative aspects of people moving in, but at the same time, you don't want to disrespect new people - so where does that leave you ? In a way, if nothing else it puts you with an extra burden as a local, a burden you didn't ask for and a burden that the new implants don't have to face, they just keep saying - "oh there is plenty here, we don't want to change anything, etc etc etc" - meanwhile you as a local are thinking, you must be kidding everything is changing faster than we could have ever imagined. So as a local you just have to suck it up......You have to watch as that nice house you always wanted, but now can't afford, be snatched up by some "out-of-stater-sold-my-seattle-house" without them so much as batting an eye at the price - or them ever even realizing how much they've shattered your dreams or disrupted your life - but now you as a local have to go that extra mile, suck it up and be a nice person to all you meet - yup I guess you could say us Montanans are an extra nice bunch after all.