Montana

[Montsta]

Is anybody here from Montana or lived in Montana for any stretch of time?

My wife doesn't like the grind of the Bay Area. Meaning, she doesn't want to work. I don't mind working but have an opportunity to do my job remotely from anywhere. We have about $400K in equity in our house. My daughter is 13 and lives with her mother but stays with me a bit so I don't plan on moving until after she goes to school in five years or so.

I've been looking at Montana because I'm weird and don't like people and figured I could buy a decent amount of land in some place like that.

Why is it so cheap? Does it suck?

[Doyle]

Is anybody here from Montana or lived in Montana for any stretch of time?

My wife doesn't like the grind of the Bay Area. Meaning, she doesn't want to work. I don't mind working but have an opportunity to do my job remotely from anywhere. We have about $400K in equity in our house. My daughter is 13 and lives with her mother but stays with me a bit so I don't plan on moving until after she goes to school in five years or so.

I've been looking at Montana because I'm weird and don't like people and figured I could buy a decent amount of land in some place like that.

Why is it so cheap? Does it suck?

 

I would live there in my dream scenario.  Maybe I will retire there one day.   Its cheap because its rural and there's nothing there outside of a major city which would be a small suburb compared to what you are used to.  If you are able to actually make it work I'm very jealous and I would do it.  Worse case you live there for a few years and get tired of it, but it  would be a life experience you would never forget.  

[Jase]

I love the idea of living there. The ever present threat of a super volcano erupting, however...

[Mother Grabber]

I have a friend who just moved to SD.  He's a cop in some speck on the map and loves it.  He keeps telling me that I can get a million acres for 100K up there.  It sounds great, except that they closest Chipotle and Target would be an hour away, and the closest airport is 3 hours.

 

That seems to be the trade off.  We pay for the convenience of having 8 Thai restaurants and 14 gelato/espresso places within 5 miles.  If you don't mind packing 6 months worth of shampoo and toilet paper in the basement, then why the fug not?

[Kramerica]

I was just talking about this with a buddy of mine. He spent a little time in Montana, and said it's his favorite state he's ever visited. And he was a military brat, so he's been around. He said while driving around you're just in awe of what's around you, and you feel like you're "closer to God."

Granted he was probably stoned at the time, but it was a ringing endorsement. It would definitely be a culture shock for you, though. Depends on how much you like the solitary living.

[Jangler]

Frank Zappa Montana

Gonna be a dental floss tycoon.

[PanthersBigD]

My cousins live there and love it. They have a lot of land and keep horses, etc.

it is remote, and you'll do most of your shopping at Walmart.

If you're seriously considering a move, book a visit to Bozeman or something.

[h0llywood]

I've done business up there. Needless to say, it's a mission to get thEre. definitely a place to retire if you want land and to enjoy nature.

[h0llywood]

Kalispell is beautiful

[PandaPancake]

Want to be my neighbor? I'm only 30 from civilization

[bigskypanthersguy]

Others have covered it, pretty much. 

 

I would hugely not recommend Billings unless you make enough to avoid the low-wage housing.  It's a city littered with crime, meth, pollution, and all the various shenanigans therein.

 

Missoula and Bozeman aren't too bad, but given that they're smallish college towns, finding work is/can be a pain in the ass.

 

Great Falls is a smaller Billings, but I've never lived there so I have no firsthand experience to speak of.

 

Helena...Helena is more-or-less peaceful and by all accounts has the least amount to offer of most state capitals.  It's relatively expensive and people tend to cling to cliques, so if you don't mind that kind of thing, by all means, don't let that stop you.

 

I'd probably recommend Missoula or Bozeman most (Missoula is by are the hippiest, most liberal place in the state) but again, depends on if you can find work or not.

 

And if you do move here, you gotta look me up.

[Anybodyhome]

Man, I love the Bay Area and if I felt like I wanted to work the rest of my life to afford living there, I would. I've spent a lot of time in the biggest cities in this country and San Francisco is by far my favorite.

 

Sorry you're considering leaving, but I get it. In 1987 I decided to move out of San Diego proper and bought a condo in north San Diego County, Encinitas to be precise. Was a small surfing town about 20 miles north of SD. The condo I bought in 1987 cost me $135k. In 1990 I sold it for $150k. It sold 4 years ago for over $750k. Crazy. But that's why I no longer live in California. 

 

Why not plan a road trip to Montana? Drive up thru Utah, see Zion and Bryce Canyon, thru eastern Idaho and see Yellowstone into Montana. Your daughter may fall in love with it and there's nothing better than a no-pressure road trip with no schedule.

[SmokinwithWilly]

It's an awesome place to visit, even better to live if you like not having neighbors and aren't afraid of work. Winters are brutal cold. I love it there even though I don't live there yet. I hope to retire there. My kind of place.

[Kevin Greene]

Do you like snow up to your ass?