I love the fact that there will only be one species of venomous snakes to watch out for. Where i am in Texas, we have 5...its hard to get out if you are scared of snakes!
My first visit was last week, only 2 days in Kalispell. Beautiful. Life-changing. Could I see myself living there? It's possible. Do I have the means to afford it? Not even close. Do I enjoy cold weather? Not in the least. Nonetheless, I will remember that weekend for the rest of my days.
I regularly flew out to Seattle in the mid to late 1980s when it was still a very nice place and getting around by car was not a huge problem. But even then the locals were complaining about the influx of Californicators, gangs, and the rising cost of housing. The last time I was there was in 2004 and we got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the interstate, outside the city, on a Sunday. I haven't had any desire to go back. I too recently got Starlink and it has greatly increased my internet speed. Regarding the people, my experience has not mirrored yours. I've been living in rural western Montana for over 16 years and found many native rural Montanans resent anyone who isn't fifth generation. They aren't rude; they simply don't associate with you, thus making friends is difficult.
Small towns are definitely harder to integrate into because those relationships have been built over so many years. It's hard to break into a close group of people no matter who it is.
I’m a fourth generation I’m accepted. I’m from Kalispell I had to move. Just not home anymore. But it sure was a great place to grow up and live. Even in the early 80s we could go to any of the lakes around there; the Bitterroot, McGregor, Ashley, on Saturday afternoon and have a little picnic. We could go to yellow Bay and go swimming and be the only ones there. We used to take relaxing drives around Flathead Lake. Well that’s all gone!!! If you didn’t know somebody you could ask around and find somebody that knows somebody that knew that person. I could drive from Kalispell to Missoula early in the morning and Maybe only see 10 cars in that 120 mile drive. last time I was in Kalispell it took me 45 minutes just to get to Lakeside. It’s approximately 14 miles of 2 Lane highway. We could go up to glacier Park in May /June and not see anybody else but maybe a forest ranger. I could make a long list of how great it was and none of these things on my list exist anymore. The traffic, the transients, the drugs, the overcrowding, people are rude etc. it’s why we call it Montafornia.
@@HarrisGroupMT Still looking to move, really been looking up in Montana but housing what it is right now making it difficult. I wish I had moved in 2019 when I first started looking, was a lot of choice then ;( Covid rolled in and I decided to wait, whew mistake.
If only we could have seen that coming in 2019 we would have all bought as many houses as we could. The market is definitely slowing and prices are coming down. Shoot me an email. We would love to chat and help you anyway we can. a kyler@harrisgroupre.com
I love the fact that there will only be one species of venomous snakes to watch out for. Where i am in Texas, we have 5...its hard to get out if you are scared of snakes!
It is quite beautiful!!
My first visit was last week, only 2 days in Kalispell. Beautiful. Life-changing. Could I see myself living there? It's possible.
Do I have the means to afford it? Not even close. Do I enjoy cold weather? Not in the least. Nonetheless, I will remember that weekend for the rest of my days.
I regularly flew out to Seattle in the mid to late 1980s when it was still a very nice place and getting around by car was not a huge problem. But even then the locals were complaining about the influx of Californicators, gangs, and the rising cost of housing. The last time I was there was in 2004 and we got stuck in a massive traffic jam on the interstate, outside the city, on a Sunday. I haven't had any desire to go back.
I too recently got Starlink and it has greatly increased my internet speed.
Regarding the people, my experience has not mirrored yours. I've been living in rural western Montana for over 16 years and found many native rural Montanans resent anyone who isn't fifth generation. They aren't rude; they simply don't associate with you, thus making friends is difficult.
Small towns are definitely harder to integrate into because those relationships have been built over so many years. It's hard to break into a close group of people no matter who it is.
@@HarrisGroupMT Yes, and harder still when the community isn't so much a town as it is a group of ranching families.
I don't think I could take the 8 months of winter and the high property tax values
@johnjaco5544 Some winters aren't bad. Others are brutal. Average property taxes depends on where you are in the state. No sales tax is nice though.
I’m a fourth generation I’m accepted.
I’m from Kalispell I had to move. Just not home anymore. But it sure was a great place to grow up and live. Even in the early 80s we could go to any of the lakes around there; the Bitterroot, McGregor, Ashley, on Saturday afternoon and have a little picnic. We could go to yellow Bay and go swimming and be the only ones there. We used to take relaxing drives around Flathead Lake. Well that’s all gone!!! If you didn’t know somebody you could ask around and find somebody that knows somebody that knew that person.
I could drive from Kalispell to Missoula early in the morning and Maybe only see 10 cars in that 120 mile drive. last time I was in Kalispell it took me 45 minutes just to get to Lakeside. It’s approximately 14 miles of 2 Lane highway.
We could go up to glacier Park in May /June and not see anybody else but maybe a forest ranger.
I could make a long list of how great it was and none of these things on my list exist anymore. The traffic, the transients, the drugs, the overcrowding, people are rude etc. it’s why we call it Montafornia.
Cost of home small acreage over priced, otherwise Montana is awsome Big T 24❤😮🎉
It's too cold for this deep south woman. But, it looks pretty. :)
Last year it was 45 below with the windchill. 😂
I went out and shoveled some snow. No more than 10 minutes outside though.
Never buy a used car in Montana. It is so far from anywhere to anywhere that they all have a gazillion miles on the odometer..
Montana has good used cars. Mostly highway mileage and avoids the rust that you see on the coasts.
I used to say the same thing about Texas (never leave) but... times change. Hopefully not for you ;)
Anything is possible, but I don't intend to go anywhere. Where did you end up?
@@HarrisGroupMT Still looking to move, really been looking up in Montana but housing what it is right now making it difficult. I wish I had moved in 2019 when I first started looking, was a lot of choice then ;( Covid rolled in and I decided to wait, whew mistake.
If only we could have seen that coming in 2019 we would have all bought as many houses as we could. The market is definitely slowing and prices are coming down. Shoot me an email. We would love to chat and help you anyway we can.
a kyler@harrisgroupre.com
Don’t encourage anybody
Montana is beautiful, but to be fair, the whole west of the U.S.A is!
The West is the best! 🫶