Montana relocation: resentment toward newcomers (store, safety, move)

[janab]

Amen to above....

[ZaraZoteBuccaneer]

Originally Posted by amyflorida70

I live in the middle of nowhere as it is now, and love it, love not being super close to anyone, and have no desire to change Montana, I want a simple life, just a house for my family and would like some land eventually, with or without a house. I could care less about the chain stores and resturants, just give me a local grocery store, and a garden in the summer and we are happy campers. lol I have to say here in my town its shrinking also due to the economy. I promise to do what ever I can to help keep Montana clean and beautiful!!!

That kind of came out of nowhere didn't it?
I thought you were headed south!!! not West!!
I'm just happy you guys have work. Take care!

[Timberwolf232]

Originally Posted by amyflorida70

I live in the middle of nowhere as it is now, and love it, love not being super close to anyone, and have no desire to change Montana, I want a simple life, just a house for my family and would like some land eventually, with or without a house. I could care less about the chain stores and resturants, just give me a local grocery store, and a garden in the summer and we are happy campers. lol I have to say here in my town its shrinking also due to the economy. I promise to do what ever I can to help keep Montana clean and beautiful!!!

You are a good person Amyflorida70. If we could trade 5 of the "other" kind of newcomers for every one like you we'd be in great shape!

[Threerun]

Not to hijack, but I've read a little on this thread and I have to ask.

There is a job I'm thinking of applying for in Helena. We're from West Virginia and it seems folks here sound like folks from our area "Mountaineers are always Free" is our motto. Live and let live, rural minded for the most part..

That being said- How would a West Virginia family with a coon-hound, a big red pick-up, and a do it yourself rural minded set do in the outskirts of Helena?

I love West Virginia, but most of my wife's kin lives in the Western States, my sister is in AK, and we really enjoy that part of the country.

[MTSilvertip]

Welcome to the Montana Board Threerun.

Outside city limits of Helena you should do fine. All the psudo-intellectuals usually stay in city limits, unless you are near the ski run at Great Divide or near a Nature Trail during good weather when they commune with nature. Most of the bureaucrats like to buy their houses just to the south of town in Jefferson County so they don't have to pay the higher taxes in Lewis and Clark county.

You would probably really like the Remini area, it is in the mountains to the west, or Marysville to the Northwest. Birdseye and Canyon Creek are other places where a good hound wouldn't bother anyone, and you might get some cat hunting in for bobcats or cougar.
You might like the areas in McClellan Creek or Southeast in Winston or Townsend. Right up next to the Elkhorns.

Not a lot of raccoon, but there are some around. Nobody I know of bothers them with dogs, but they are trapped and shot when they become a nusance.

Most of the people outside of town are pretty decent, some of the city dwellers are all right, but with the government trough so handy, there are a lot of liberals.

You should do fine. Lots of fishing and hunting, lots of outdoor recreation close by. For rural minded folk, it can be a great place.

Good luck

[Threerun]

Thanks for the info.

Actually my old blue-tick is better adept at finding downed whitetails in heavy brush or corn fields. Just weird the way she adapted to that.

Does it get progressively more expense the farther you move west? That's the same issue in CO where my wife's family lives.

[Reziac]

When I lived in Bozeman there was an active group of coonhunters with hounds, mostly Plotts and Plott/Lab crosses (better swimmers than the straight hounds, coon couldn't hold 'em under and drown 'em). Most people don't realise it but if they get a chance coons are destructive pests, they can totally wreck everything in your barn (hay, tack, whatever else they can reach or burrow into).

[MTSilvertip]

Good Morning Threerun,

The western third of the state is more expensive than the eastern 3 thirds. That is mainly because most of the people are in the west, (although Billings is the largest city and is in East-Central Montana).
The mountains are also in the west, so that is where the standard movie ideal of pretty is.

Helena is actually East of the Divide, but in a rain shadow so is a lot dryer and more brown than say Missoula just 90 miles west on the west side of the divide.
Helena winters are not as cold and snowy as some of the other towns like Butte or Bozeman, but because it is in a valley surrounded by national forest land the private property is more limited so fewer places to live.

It isn't as expensive as Bozeman or the Flathead and Bitterroot valleys, but it isn't cheap either.
Right now you can find decent housing for $150,000 to $250,000 range.
The main industry is government in all forms, State, Federal, city/county and there are a few decent places in the private industry, but most of them live off government contracts.

If you want a small piece of ground you can find some undeveloped further out from town. (20 miles +). I was online yesterday and found a couple of 20 acre pieces for around 45K, but they were a ways from town and you have to be careful as you need to make sure there is water, a deeded access or right of way, and year round access.
Some parts of the valley are on a rock shelf with a light layer of soil, so septic systems can be a problem.
A good realtor can answer your questions about the market better than I can.
Be careful about using your dog to look for game, talk to the Fish and Game about that because they can be pretty picky about that.

Just an FYI, there are a few people in the area that are boarderline hermits. They want to live by their own rules, don't interact much with the general population, pretty much make their own way by growing their own food or hunting and fishing for it. Some, (not all), aren't real friendly, but I don't know of any that are dangerous.
People out here do carry guns, so if you come get used to seeing them in vehicles and on belts.
There are a lot of folks who are licensed for concealed carry as well.
Just mentioning it because it seems to be kind of a culture shock for many folks moving to the state.

Guess that is why the state has a very low crime rate.

[janab]

Get ready for a sticker price for housing, taxes, insurances. Other than that rural MT people are great people. Just don't try changing things !!

[Threerun]

Originally Posted by MTSilvertip

Just an FYI, there are a few people in the area that are boarderline hermits. They want to live by their own rules, don't interact much with the general population, pretty much make their own way by growing their own food or hunting and fishing for it. Some, (not all), aren't real friendly, but I don't know of any that are dangerous.
People out here do carry guns, so if you come get used to seeing them in vehicles and on belts.
There are a lot of folks who are licensed for concealed carry as well.
Just mentioning it because it seems to be kind of a culture shock for many folks moving to the state.

Guess that is why the state has a very low crime rate.

We've got the same thing here, basically. There are quite a few folks that just want their privacy. Not that they are mean, but just want seclusion. I had a few neighbors like that before, but sure enoogh if you were in trouble or snowed under they'd lend a hand.

Most people I know here are armed as well. No shocker for us there. Hell, my son's been hunting squirrel since he was 8, lol.



But thanks for the advice, especially on the real estate. We're mulling this idea over as family right now.