You got me scared. (Missoula, Thompson Falls: home, buy, quality of life)

[MTTX]

Billings, the Bridger area, Belfry, Park City, and Columbus have some reasonable prices. I checked in Columbus last year and you can still get 20 acres for 38,000. Not too bad, considering all the trees and rolling terrain with great views of the Crazy's and the Beartooth's.

[snoozinsmom]

I have lived in Dillon for 7 years. We bought a business here and have been widely accepted even though we are from California. I have found many people in the area are not from "here". We do have customers that will tell us to our face they do not like Californians but to each his own. Montana is a beautiful state and 95% of the people take you for who you are and not where your from. The people that get complained about are those who come in and want everything to change and are demading and expect to be treated like they are more important. You will do fine. Enjoy everything Montana has to offer.

[Rickers]

I was born and raised in San Diego but have lived in a very small town in Western Mt. for ten years now. I have had a few people badmouth out of state folks and newcomers in general especially Californians. For some reason a few people use California as a punching bag even though I think most newcomers here come from Wa. You wont find much of this in a larger city but the folks that grew up in the small towns resent the changes that come with population growth. They see the money moving in ,raising housing costs and they long for the good ol days. These people who do this Cali bashing are jealous and they want to blame anyone and everyone for the problems that that nobody can solve. Most of these angry people who trash outsiders are uneducated losers who do very little to improve their own lives and who want to blame every one else for their own problems. What they need to do is turn off the TV, cork up the booze jug, clean up the trash in their yards and pull some of their weeds. Oh that's not their problem either because they don't one a home, they will be renting until they die. I am not going to be the one to say this to any of my neighbors faces but I do enjoy hearing someone Cali trash in front of me not knowing where I am from. I am proud to be from California but I ain't going back !

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by rickers

I was born and raised in San Diego but have lived in a very small town in Western Mt. for ten years now. I have had a few people badmouth out of state folks and newcomers in general especially Californians. For some reason a few people use California as a punching bag even though I think most newcomers here come from Wa. You wont find much of this in a larger city but the folks that grew up in the small towns resent the changes that come with population growth. They see the money moving in ,raising housing costs and they long for the good ol days. These people who do this Cali bashing are jealous and they want to blame anyone and everyone for the problems that that nobody can solve. Most of these angry people who trash outsiders are uneducated losers who do very little to improve their own lives and who want to blame every one else for their own problems. What they need to do is turn off the TV, cork up the booze jug, clean up the trash in their yards and pull some of their weeds. Oh that's not their problem either because they don't one a home, they will be renting until they die. I am not going to be the one to say this to any of my neighbors faces but I do enjoy hearing someone Cali trash in front of me not knowing where I am from. I am proud to be from California but I ain't going back !

Point well taken.

But we have to consider the types who move here, or Colorado, or even Texas..... Cali bashing comes from all classes and from many other states, including Washington (of all places) when you look at the big picture.

We can very easily have a clash of cultures, if you will, and very rarely, do the uneducated ever enter into it.

We have those would be Montanans, coming up here from California, who are more than happy to attend meetings about ridding our state of noxious weeds, but yet turn around and buy noncertified hay for the two cows they have on their fancy little ranchette somewhere.
Those who would let their property go to the scrub, all for the sake of being natural, so that their native Montanan neighbor has to work twice as hard, spending twice as much money, keeping their property free from the weeds, free from the hordes of insects that may cause harm to our livestock and pulling double duty with regard to wildfire prevention. There's a big difference between natural and unkept.... most transplants have yet to figure this out. We attempt to "educate" them with regard to proper land use and management, but they are just too darn smart to listen.....

We here are pretty aware of what the "educated" amongst us are, or are not capable of doing.... Being good stewards of the land isn't something that those who would come from the spoiled lands elsewhere are too well educated about.

Houston Texas has a much larger economy than we here in Montana do, and yet, here they complain about the same things, about the same types of people, coming in from the same places..... There's a pattern here I think....and it's not just Montana that struggles with these issues. It's much more widespread than some folks from California are willing to admit.

There are many who come here from California that are genuine, honest, and hard working people.. they are our neighbors and we are proud to have them. These are the ones who make it a point to be honest about where they came from, and where they hope to go in the future.... There are even those from California who are very good friends and neighbors of mine directly, and even they get on board with a little Cali bashing once in a while.

All in all, we here in Montana are a pretty patient bunch. Uneducated or not, we'll get through this.

[jimj]

Don't forget the transplants who come here (insert left coast state here) and start screaming about logging and how it has to stop, that all mining has to stop and we all have to live in high density clusters like the big cities. They then complain that there are no good paying jobs and no one can afford to live here and my gosh it costs a lot to buy building materiels..... Being from CA originally even I am embarassed about how some of them act here and would apologize for the rude ones.....just get a tourist tag and have at it.

[dangerousdan]

I moved to Western Montana from a large (midwestern) city (and am a lawyer ) and have found the people to be lovely and really enjoy living here. Oh and I'm a liberal too. I'm not rich by any stretch but have found that it's possible to make a decent life here. I don't think the more outspoken posters on this forum really represent the general sentiment. No doubt there are problems related to growth and the second-home phenomenon driving up home prices etc. -- it's waaaay more expensive than it should be here. I took a 75% pay cut but housing is nearly as expensive as the large city I came from. People are frustrated but I've never found anyone to be rude to outsiders, Californians or otherwise. Frankly, I'm not sure you would really want to make friends with someone who was so closed-minded and backwards as to discriminate against you on account of being from California.

[JacquelineWachovia]

I have a great friend that grew up there and they still own a family ranch there...you are welcome to email her with questions. okrestate@qwest.net

Jacque K

[maid.in.montana]

Ooh, I just found this forum. I am a fourth-generation Montanan. My great-great grandparents homesteaded up near Troy over a hundred years ago. I have deep roots in this state and let me tell me you... I resent Californians VERY much. Sorry, nothing personal.

Let's take a good look at the Bitterroot Valley, for instance. WHAT? Oh yeah. It is IMPOSSIBLE to take a GOOD LOOK at the the Bitterroot Valley or the Bitterroot Range anymore because the Valley is covered in a thick layer of disgusting SMOG brought about by The Evil Transplanted Californicators' SUV's.

One measly Californian I could probably handle. Californians EN MASSE is another story entirely. We snarkily refer to the Bitterroot Valley as "Little California" now. It's pathetic. So, if you are a Californian and want to move here, please move to the Bitterroot Valley!!! It's already ruined and you will feel right at home!

With Californians came the 5-Acre Buffalo Ranches. We have literally thousands of Horse Whisperers among us now as well. We have espresso. We have Home Depot. We have Activists. We can't even see the dang MOUNTAINS anymore, but who cares? Let's just go shopping at Pier 1 instead!! Or... let's have a meeting to try change something that doesn't need changing! Let's also be contradictory: we will drive SUV's but claim to be Environmentalists.

The LA Smog (literally and figuratively) is spreading Northward to my beloved state and it really makes me angry. You can come visit for awhile, but then PLEASE, go home. And yes, there are a LOT of native Montanans who feel the way I do. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS. But no.... we won't tell that to your face unless you try to get us to sign a petition for your Weird Cause.

Like I said, the Bitterroot would be the place to go! And may I make a dire prediction, here and now? You know all those huge trophy homes built up those wooded canyons? Most of them are gonna burn when the next Big One hits. The hillsides are orange with dead beetle-infested trees. It's only a matter of time before that unhealthy forest burns again and burns hot and FAST. The Forest Service will not save your home. They are not God.

Will the Bitterroot Valley Realtors tell you this? Heck no! They will sell you that wooded lot with the stunning mountain views for BIG BUCKS. They will sell you those Stars in Your Eyes.

Ain't it the truth! You wanna-be Montanans all seem to have that same Deer-In-the-Headlight Starry Eyed Syndrome. Sheesh. Truly, no offense, but it is SO OBVIOUS. Well, the next bad fire season oughta flush a few of you out, that's for sure! Heh heh. I am prepared. ARE YOU? Looks like this summer is heating up to be a bad one!!!

[jimj]

Originally Posted by maid.in.montana

Ooh, I just found this forum. I am a fourth-generation Montanan. My great-great grandparents homesteaded up near Troy over a hundred years ago. I have deep roots in this state and let me tell me you... I resent Californians VERY much. Sorry, nothing personal.

Let's take a good look at the Bitterroot Valley, for instance. WHAT? Oh yeah. It is IMPOSSIBLE to take a GOOD LOOK at the the Bitterroot Valley or the Bitterroot Range anymore because the Valley is covered in a thick layer of disgusting SMOG brought about by The Evil Transplanted Californicators' SUV's.

I don't get it, you say "nothing personal" but all you do is insult people from Ca. Is this type of posting really needed here?

I am guessing this is either a troll posting or someone who can't use their original ID anymore to spew and stir up hate and discontent.
What a pity and waste of band width....

[dangerousdan]

Originally Posted by jimj

I don't get it, you say "nothing personal" but all you do is insult people from Ca. Is this type of posting really needed here?

I am guessing this is either a troll posting or someone who can't use their original ID anymore to spew and stir up hate and discontent.
What a pity and waste of band width....

I like you jimj