do montanans just hate people from california or do they hate any out of staters? (Red Lodge: fit in, foreclosure)

[bigskydude]

Originally Posted by Taylorrae9

... I would like to find a place where Californian's are not considered invaders.

Even parts of Washington state still consider Californians as invaders.

All over the west .. Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas ....

It's all about the attitude.

No one is any better than anyone else, and many folks resent being looked down upon because of where they live. Californian attitude is about as condescending as you can get in the American west, and frankly, folks in other states can't stand it.

If Californians could lose the attitude, they'd make it anywhere they felt they needed to. ..

[Klapton]

Another thing that transplants do is drive up real estate prices. California's real estate has been grossly over-valued for a very long time. So someone can sell modest home in CA for $350,000 and move to MT or some other more reasonable place, and think it's a bargain to buy a home for $250,000... A home that SHOULD probably be priced at $150,000 if it weren't for the fact that some outisder thinks it's a bargain at 250.

So the more of these artificially wealthy folks move in, the harder it gets for locals who have been there all along to afford anything. I grew up in western WA, and watched this phenomenon happening as I grew up. Many of us resented it quite a lot. And the Microsoft happened, and now NO ONE can afford to live there except Bill Gates.

/sigh...

Did that make any sense? lol. I hope so.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by Klapton

Another thing that transplants do is drive up real estate prices. California's real estate has been grossly over-valued for a very long time. So someone can sell modest home in CA for $350,000 and move to MT or some other more reasonable place, and think it's a bargain to buy a home for $250,000... A home that SHOULD probably be priced at $150,000 if it weren't for the fact that some outisder thinks it's a bargain at 250.

So the more of these artificially wealthy folks move in, the harder it gets for locals who have been there all along to afford anything. I grew up in western WA, and watched this phenomenon happening as I grew up. Many of us resented it quite a lot. And the Microsoft happened, and now NO ONE can afford to live there except Bill Gates.

/sigh...

Did that make any sense? lol. I hope so.

It does make sense. But really, can you blame them for wanting better for their family?

[Klapton]

Originally Posted by ElkHunter

It does make sense. But really, can you blame them for wanting better for their family?

Nope. I hope to get stupid amounts of money for my suburban home here in PA very soon so I can pay cash for my new place in MT... hopefully while my dollars can still buy stuff.

[GLS]

Originally Posted by Radical_Car

I am rephrasing my question, I didn't mean for it to be so offensive

Do Montanans hate people from california, or any states, and why is it they seem so negative against californians.

Forgive the oversimplification, but in my limited experience Montanans have acted like a mirror. A smile, firm handshake, and an honest conversation gets you the same in return. An arrogant attitude and condescending approach gets the same reflected right back at you. Most Montanans don't INITIATE the negativity, but they will send you back whatever vibe you put out, positive or negative.

If you acted like an "ahole" in California, Minnesota, or anywhere "out-of-state", chances are crossing the state line into Montana didn't change you any.

[Huckleberry3911948]

so many of them are from california that is why they dont like people from there.

[jheaa_bs]

All out of staters are disliked. I am a Montanan (born, raised, educated and didn't live anywhere else until I was 27 years old) but that wasn't enough to prevent people in Helena from treating me/us in a very negative way when my husband (from Norway but a college graduate of U of M) and I moved back.

Maybe it has been the influx of people from other states that has changed the state I love but Montana is definitely not friendly to those who are identified as coming from somewhere else. I know I won't be welcome here after saying this but it is the truth. We are friendly, open people and moved back to help care for my mom who was dying. We didn't drive up property prices by buying a house or flaunt our money (we drove one car, got rid of our cell phone, took major pay cuts and didn't complain).

Maybe it is all the talk of the "simple life" that Montanan's find offputting. I can't blame them. The result of the negative feelings towards outsiders had a negative impact on my family. Because of that, I no longer feel like today's Montana is my home.

I am a native Montanan and proud of it but something has changed and I don't think it is a good to sugar coat it for people who are pulling up roots and relocating with the hope of finding a welcoming community.

Best Wishes to All,

Jackie

[Robin75]

I'm a native Montanan, I don't hate out-of-staters, and I've been hearing negative comments about 'Californians' (hear the sneer?) for 3+ decades. I don't like it. I don't understand it. And I really don't have an explanation. Sorry.

[MTSilvertip]

My wife's cousin married a man from Africa, (not sure which country), and at her family gatherings I have yet to see any overt or even covert hostility.
There are several Russian and Phillapino(sp?) families living in this area. Most people treat them as a neighbor.

I agree with the post that Montanan's mirror the attitude they are met with.
Too many people move here and wish to treat the locals as "quaint backwoods hicks" that need the advise and guidance of their more "sophisticated" new neighbors from (instert state here). Usually this translates into trying to convert the locals to the "progressive church of green". No thank you.

Most Montanan's are decent, hard working people with very little time for the things that seem to make the world turn for outsiders like liberal politics, theaters, the latest liberal cause, or a myriad of things that some folks use to substitute for having a real life.

I have a family to provide for, I don't have time to worry about the plight of the "rat faced titmouse" and how the loss of a mud puddle will cause the world to melt down.

If my constitutional rights are threatened, my rights to own property and use it to my advantage, or if confiscatory taxes threaten my ability to pay my bills and provide food for my family, yes, those issues get my attention quickly.

Do I worry about if somebody has a deeper tan than I do? No.
Do I worry if they came from some state where they have a funny accent? No.
Do I worry if they were born in another country? No.

I just notice if they are good decent people, and if we can have a civil conversation without their trying to "enlighten" this "po' dum rednek".
A condesending attitude will not be well received.
I have traveled the world and the country extensively. Do I care what the "enlightened" think of Montana? Not at all. If you don't like the way things are here, stay where you came from.

Won't hurt my feelings at all.

[Haakon]

Originally Posted by Radical_Car

I am rephrasing my question, I didn't mean for it to be so offensive

Do Montanans hate people from california, or any states, and why is it they seem so negative against californians.

Have you seen the current state of CA? Why would anyone want the people who let that happen come to their state? Has any state ever benefited from a large influx of Californians?