Bitterroot Valley, MT (Missoula, Bozeman, Helena: real estate, how much, house)

[BClukn]

Anyone familiar with this area of Montana? My spouse and I are hoping to retire here. We are not wealthy and are moving from a farm in MN. We have relatives here and in WA and OR. Spouse is looking to get away from the harsh MN winters and has always spoken of settling in MT. Would like to know more about the weather and where the good trout fishing is. Also don't want to be more than an hour out from the VA.

[MTSilvertip]

While there are several VA clinics scattered around the state, the only hospital is in Helena.
Montana - Locations

There is good trout fishing all over the state, so that isn't an issue, harsh winters, west of the divide is usually warmer, greyer and wetter, east of the divide is usually colder, less snow, more sunny days and more likely to get wind.

Some areas like around Missoula and Bozeman have high COL and land prices are high. If you settle in some of the lesser known areas like Deer Lodge or Anaconda, your cost of living is far less, and you are still less than an hours drive from Helena for the VA.

I-90 runs through the southern tier of the state, and is a direct line run to CDA and Spokane WA, and is only around 6-7 hours drive.

The Deer Lodge area not only has great fishing, but excellent hunting opportunities as well.
That area is also close to Helena, Butte and Missoula for shopping, although Deer Lodge and Anaconda have grocery stores and other amenities in town.

I would first recommend taking some time to explore. There are far too many choices to limit in a short response here. Perhaps if you provided some more information about what you want we could be of more help.

Good Luck

[notoriouskelly]

Bitterroot is nice and can be less harsh winter than elsewhere in Montana.

Missoula has a VA clinic but, like any VA clinic, it may just be a place to touch base before they tell you to drive to Helena.
The VA Choice program may help some with that but I wouldn't rely on it.

Big store in Hamilton was Kmart- figure on about an hour drive to Missoula for any serious shopping but the highway has been redone so should be okay.

Plenty of beauty & recreation in the area and nice folks.

Thanks for your service and good luck in deciding!

[RogueMom]

It's a beautiful place, but have you checked the cost of homes, land, and rent? It's not an inexpensive area to live in - there's a premium to be paid for all of that pristine, somewhat secluded, beauty. I lived there for a few years, in Stevensville. It get's old having to drive either to Missoula or Hamilton for shopping, and Reserve Street in Missoula, where all the chains are, had horrendous traffic all day long, unless they've done something to relieve that by now.

I moved back to the South where I own a three bedroom, 2 bathroom home on an acre and a half of land. In the Bitteroot Valley, all I could afford was an old trailer on someone else's land! Since you're retiring, maybe finances and jobs are not a concern, so you may really like it. Had I stayed in Montana, I would have DEFINITELY moved to Helena.

[historyfan]

Compared to humid Minnesota, Montana winters would be a snap for you.

I don't know land prices in the Bitterroot as well as some parts of the state, but I do know that your money will go much farther in Washington real estate (accept for the very urban). I'm not certain about other items in cost of living comparisons.

The best trout fly fishing rivers are the blue ribbon rivers--the Smith, Madison, Big Hole, Beaverhead & the spring fed creek areas in/near each. But all the cold water rivers & lakes have trout of one type or other. Many areas are catch & release, so check the regs & buy a license before you embark. The more eastern MT prairie rivers are too warm & filled with prairie dirt for trout. But there are fishing opportunities all over the state.

Also look at the Avon area & around Ovando & even over by Hall, they are all nice rural areas closer to VA at Helena. *But stay away from Garrison because that area has a constant brutal winter wind & frequent layer of ice on roads. The keys to enjoying Montana in winter are living in areas with plenty of sunny days & no north wind.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by BClukn

Anyone familiar with this area of Montana? My spouse and I are hoping to retire here. We are not wealthy and are moving from a farm in MN. We have relatives here and in WA and OR. Spouse is looking to get away from the harsh MN winters and has always spoken of settling in MT. Would like to know more about the weather and where the good trout fishing is. Also don't want to be more than an hour out from the VA.

The info in the other responses is pretty accurate...........here is my opinion, my comments and my thoughts on moving here in this era, as opposed to my situation which started back in 1975 when I found the BR Valley while on a business trip and decided that I'd like to finish-out my working years by headquartering out of a home here and then retire here in the BR.

1/ Unimproved land and desireable existing homes are priced quite high compared to other desireable areas in the state.
2/ Most of the desireable unimproved parcels of land are gone. I bought my 14 acres back in 1976............I could not afford it at todays prices.
3/ As a rule of thumb, you can figure that you will be paying a PREMIUM for the following when buying in the Bitterroot Valley:
...a/ a decent view of the mountains
...b/ a decent number of natural Trees and Bushes on the property.
...c/ a home site that is approx 1500 feet or more from another home site.
...d/ some form of natural surface water (a stream, creek or pond) on the property.
...e/ a decent and county maintained access road to the property.
...f/ a decent set of Covenants. (you don't want somebody to move in a 30 year old single wide on the property next to you.
...g/ power and phone lines are up to the property line and underground.
...f/ make sure the house and or property are 'not in a flood plain'!

As you can tell, most of my post is based on thinking that you would want to live someplace 'out-in-the County'.

By all means, come visit this area for at least two weeks in the summer and two weeks in the winter.
From my place it is about a 50 minute drive into Missoula.
Hamilton is approx 11/12 miles from my place and I do most of my shopping there. Missoula has a Costco and a SuperWallmart, which we down here in the valley do not.

I have a life-long friend (native to Isanti, MN) who is in his 70's and has been coming here to the B.R. Valley for almost 40 years for elk hunting and bear hunting. He loves it here and if it weren't for his children and their families, he would have moved here 25 years ago.

Good luck!

[ShadoAngel]

1/ Unimproved land and desireable existing homes are priced quite high compared to other desireable areas in the state.

I'm interested in hearing your perspective on this - what other areas would you consider to be comparable to, but cheaper than, the Bitterroot Valley?

[406FIRE309]

The Bitterroot is way over rated- check out helena, bozeman, kalispell, etc.. Dont get me wrong, the bitterroot is a great place- but there are many other places that are great in the state. I live in the flathead, and like it a lot better than the BR.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by ShadoAngel

I'm interested in hearing your perspective on this - what other areas would you consider to be comparable to, but cheaper than, the Bitterroot Valley?

That's a difficult question for me to answer because (at my age and living here in the B R for over 35 years in a home that I built (4 yrs after buying the land) & being totally content with my current status), I don't keep current on prices in other areas........However, I will comment on what I thnk has to be taken into consideration when deciding what area (and/or town) is right for a particular individual:........................

What are my interests, hobbies and sports........and will I be able to continue with those activities in my proposed selection of a new area in which to live AND continue to work in my choosen field AND untimately retire in that location. (I moved here at age 48 (after 4 yrs of "lookin')....built my home in 11 months.....went back to work in my choosen field and retired at 62 (after over 39 yrs) and been retired for 22 years.)
Do I want to live: In town?;...if so, how large a town. If I want to live out in the County, How far away from a SMALL town and/or how far from a larger town such as Missoula.
Do I want to be able to shoot" on my property and fish on my property.
Do I want a "lot of Wildlife on my property" and close by to my property.
Do I want to be able to have a Dog that I can let run within the confines of my fences (AND have him NOT go off of my property.)
How much privacy (peace and quiet) and solitude do I want.
Do I want to be able to keep a horse on my property.
Do I want "a lot of trees" on my property.
Do I want some source of surface water (stream, creek or pond) on my property.

These are just SOME of the questions I asked my self before deciding to buy my 14 acres back in 1975/1976.
In total I looked at some (30) pieces of property during 4 different trips to this area over a period of 18 months............BUT, that's just me!!!!!!!!!.......I don't like having to live with "making a wrong choice", when doing the proper amount of research would have prevented making a mistake.

The extra time and effort I put in before I made a final selection on the area and the specific piece of property was well worth it..........................I couldn't be more happy with the result of my choice, and I'm in my 36th year of living in the home I built on this site.

[shirleymarie1975]

My husband and I are looking to retire in Hamilton and a couple of years. We will rent, not buy. I plan to visit several times. I am hoping for 4 seasons and nice people!! We are Ham radio operators and hopefully can meet other ham's. I have noticed people on here talking about the cost of living. It is so much lower there than in Washington State. The only difference is we do not have a state income tax. That kind of freaks me out. So, any help or feed back would be great!! Thank you everyone.