Montana relocation: resentment toward newcomers (Bozeman, Kalispell: real estate, to rent, buying a house)

[pckinco]

I have lived in NY state, NC, CO and TN over the past 40 years and in every one of these places watched the growth spread over the farm land.

In ever one of these areas the people who lived there for generations suffer because home prices go up. It's not artificial inflation as some suggest. It is simply supply and demand. Yes, the new comers are often coming from an area where house values are much greater, so the houses in the new area seem cheap to them. Yes, it hurts.

As long as the U.S. population continues to grow people will move to the open areas. Montana is a very open area compared to most of the country. Plus it looks pretty.

There is no stopping it, so learn how to make the best of it. Learn how to reduce the impact. I don't know how to fix the problem and different people see different problems. Some hate sub divisions and other don't want the land cut up in to 2 to 5 acre lots. People are coming and they want both.

I understand Belgrade has implemented IMPACT fees of $10k or more for purchasing a lot. This seems to be a good way to make growth pay part of its way at least, but it raises the cost of a house even more. That impacks the locals more than the people moving in.

What's the answer? Roll with the punches and enjoy what I have.

[grannymontanny]

Originally Posted by JustAGoodPerson

ya, we stay at home moms are the ones who are going in reverse here in cali. we are going into debt each day we are at home. yet to leave our kids with another person just to live here isnt right at all. so we want to leave cali....

but it does come out loud and clear with all of the anti cali comments on this forum...

well i think a little differently maybe because i moved from here ,then moved back and know that this is not the only state going thru this boom,as some think.Washington state is getting it way worse. this is America,people have a right to move anywhere they want too.you do what you have to do for your family,and to heck with what anyone on this board says.That being said,i do feel for the ones that are moving away to find work and homes ,that have lived here all their lives. i just dont know that there is any easy answer. DUCKING NOW

[sc95628]

Thank you it is not easy. Sometimes I think working would but I couldn't image my children get what they need from a stranger.

I understand and agree with what both are saying ture what is happening everywhere is sad. Welcome to the land of the free and where dreams are built.

[JustAGoodPerson]

we found this site through searching if we want to move to Mt.

we both want out of the rat race, and are thinking of the same place.

she is married to my xhusband... our two families share two kids... and have decided that if one is moving then we both will, if so the same place. so that way the kids will adjust alot more by being with both sets of parents.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by JustAGoodPerson

we found this site through searching if we want to move to Mt.

we both want out of the rat race, and are thinking of the same place.

she is married to my xhusband... our two families share two kids... and have decided that if one is moving then we both will, if so the same place. so that way the kids will adjust alot more by being with both sets of parents.

I don't think I've ever heard this kind of thing before, parents, excuse me parents that are also ex's actually putting aside their differences for the kids now that is stunning! I think it is great y'all are willing to do this all at the same time! Being originally from CA myself it doesn't bother me either way if you come here.
Just be forwarned, it can be a tough life here. While we enjoy an amazingly low unemployment rate we also enjoy(?) being 46th or so in the nation for income and in the upper tier for taxes. So while jobs are available most don't pay a whole bunch unless you are skilled and educated.
Decent rental houses are few and far between and while they would be cheaper compared to CA they are not cheaper by MT standards. I can say that after living all around the nation that costs generally balance out, in CA it is expensive to buy a house but the pay tends to be way higher. Here houses are cheaper to buy but so is the pay. In GA and TN it was the same, cheaper houses,less pay.
Good luck, just do your research and come here with realistic expectations.

[JustAGoodPerson]

that is great advice. thank you. i am nervous if this isnt the right place for us. but alot of deciding factors have turned us to that town. and for two families to agree on the same town. weird...

[jimj]

Justagood,
The big upside to leaving where you are for here is that the only way your children could get shot is in a hunting accident instead of at school,the mall, walking on the street etc.
Kids are real safe here compared to most everywhere else, you don't have to have a panic attack whenever they go outside and you will find yourself loosening up quite a bit here. We had no problem letting our kid ride his bike to the store etc. which is something we never would have let happen in the cities we lived in.

[JustAGoodPerson]

Originally Posted by jimj

Justagood,
The big upside to leaving where you are for here is that the only way your children could get shot is in a hunting accident instead of at school,the mall, walking on the street etc.
Kids are real safe here compared to most everywhere else, you don't have to have a panic attack whenever they go outside and you will find yourself loosening up quite a bit here. We had no problem letting our kid ride his bike to the store etc. which is something we never would have let happen in the cities we lived in.

i cannot imagine relaxing enough to do that at all. i see what you mean. even in the part of Cali that i am in (one of the safest i have lived in) we get all kinds of stuff happening to our kids. there is a boy at school who has been suspended since kindergarten for beating up on girls. he's thrown one of my daughters up and over a seat in a bus, and has repeatedly hit my other daughter. the police cannot do anything till he's 14, the school in cali dont want to loose any money so they wont expel him. they wont even suspend him for long. three days.... the principle said that he needs to have a weapon for him to be expelled. its stuff like this that grows these bad kids into bad adults. no consequences for his actions. on the other hand we had a red car follow a bus home a year ago and then ask a kid to get in after she got off her stop. i cannot be there at all times for my kids, and i cannot rely on the schools here to protect or care about my kids. i have to only pray...
i would love to be somewhere that i dont feel like i need to pray every day just so my daughters arent hit, kicked, or worse by *this jerk at 12* each day...
what do schools do to bullies in Mt?

[jimj]

Well, let me start with we used to live in Santa Rosa and had a growing gang problem. When we moved here years ago we were uptight and had a tight leash on our son. It took a while and some family here kept harping on my wife to lighten up but we finally did (after about months) and now have no real worries about saying goodby in the morning at not seeing him until dinner. It is not uncommon for kids to take off and float the river for the day, take off on their bikes and ride around town or play in the woods.

Kids don't get snatched here (knock wood) and most parents regularly drop their kids off for the snow bus to go skiing and pick them up from the bus stop at night.
As for the schools, some are better than others, most don't tolerate bullying for long and don't have much problem expelling kids if need be. Most schools have kiddie cops in them that will arrest a kid for disturbing the peace if they get out of hand. There are some administrators that need some "convincing" in order to make them take action but if you stay involved in your childs school you should be fine.
The more involved the better off you are as I am sure you know. The bottom line is at least I know he will not be killed just trying to learn.

[sc95628]

Refreashing to know that my Children will have a chance at growing up in great area that's what I'm looking for. They'll beable to learn with out worry that the school bully is gooing to get away with hurting them or threating them. Thank you for the info.