What's the old Montana saying, "it's nice here but ya can't eat the scenery".
NFR How's the housing market where you live?
- Thread starter swimmy
- Start date
Non-fishing related
Coach Potter
Life of the Party
Dustin Chromers
Legend
Not faulting anyone for taking it. Some businesses were essentially turned inside out through no fault of their own. You paid your people with it. That was the intent. I don't think you did wrong.
Dustin Chromers
Legend
I have never reported anyone to the government. I don't do that.
JayB
Life of the Party
Just to change the vibe a bit - not that I've helped (ha!) - I'd be interested in hearing or seeing people's dream homes. Styles and locations.
Since I'm a couple weeks away from a Lower Main Salmon float - one place I've seen some super-cool properties has been on the Snake River, roughly ~10 miles upriver from the junction of the Grande Ronde. Such an interesting collection of cabins/homes along that stretch of river, ranging from fairly bare-bones yurts clinging to bedrock alongside the river to 4000sf spreads with every conceivable amenity and comfort. Whenever I'm rowing past those spots, I find myself thinking "I could probably get used to spending an extended period of time hanging out along the river here, especially with a 500hp turbo-charged jet-boat to take me wherever I wanted to go...."
Since I'm a couple weeks away from a Lower Main Salmon float - one place I've seen some super-cool properties has been on the Snake River, roughly ~10 miles upriver from the junction of the Grande Ronde. Such an interesting collection of cabins/homes along that stretch of river, ranging from fairly bare-bones yurts clinging to bedrock alongside the river to 4000sf spreads with every conceivable amenity and comfort. Whenever I'm rowing past those spots, I find myself thinking "I could probably get used to spending an extended period of time hanging out along the river here, especially with a 500hp turbo-charged jet-boat to take me wherever I wanted to go...."
Goldendale?
swimmy
An honest tune with a lingering lead
I want less house and more land. I am currently in a 2900 sq ft house (only two people) on just shy of an acre. I want something 1500 sq ft or less on 10 or so a acres. Thinking something with this type of vibe.
Where is the tough part. We have the green light to live anywhere since Covid. We want to be out west, we know that. We love western Montana and have always wanted to move back but as I get older, wonder if the winter/fire season cycle is worth dealing with. Let’s face it, the rest of the Rocky Mountain states have similar issues and they are not Montana. California- some beautiful places to live no doubt but nope for a couple of reasons. Oregon - great but might as well just stay in Washington. Alaska - more appealing than most places but those winters are pretty brutal I imagine. So we stay here. The spot we have is not so bad. Much worse places in the world to live in the country.
charles sullivan
Life of the Party
This is a tough question. Any place would have to check a few boxes. Snow and cold are quite unappealing to me. Oppressive heat is just as unappealing. When we were looking at houses, 20 years ago, my wife said that she did not want to live anywhere that we could not walk to live music. I think that 20 years later that is my rule as well. I grew up in rural NH and riding in cars is not my favorite thing. I don't care to burn a bunch of dead dino's or use a lot of electricity to do simple things.
If I had to move somewhere else, I would live in a city of some sort. I can't imagine aging further away from services. We have planned fairly well for retirement I think, so I'm hopeful that I will have the money to eat at different styles of restaurants, go to shows etc. So the city would need a hospital, a few live music venues and interesting food of different types. It would be nice if that city was close to outdoor activities. I would prefer one that is somewhat buffered from the impacts of global warming and where my children feel comfortable socially if they want to visit their parents.
I think that I just described where I live. Probably not going to move.
If I had to move somewhere else, I would live in a city of some sort. I can't imagine aging further away from services. We have planned fairly well for retirement I think, so I'm hopeful that I will have the money to eat at different styles of restaurants, go to shows etc. So the city would need a hospital, a few live music venues and interesting food of different types. It would be nice if that city was close to outdoor activities. I would prefer one that is somewhat buffered from the impacts of global warming and where my children feel comfortable socially if they want to visit their parents.
I think that I just described where I live. Probably not going to move.
@Rob Allen if affordability and a decent job market are important considerations, Darby probably not the play for you, Housing market is even wonkier there than it is in many other areas as it has experienced a “Yellowstone” effect on top of everything else.
if you continue north up the bitterroot you will have more options and bit more affordability closer you get to Missoula. I noticed Helena area is not on your radar - that might be worth a peek depending upon spousal acceptability factor
Good luck/tight lines on the search.
Bob Rankin
Wandering the country with rifle and spey rod.
I’m in the process of stealing 5.6 acres out in Okanogan county. By stealing I mean we are getting at an amazing price! The plan is to retire out there some day. There is water, power,Ceptic and fully irrigated, It needs a ton of work, mostly clearing out a building and lots of tree and brush cutting work. Someday I’ll have a tractor. We are stoked!
Rob Allen
Life of the Party
Too methy.. maybe somewhere up above Lyle.
Helena is too cold and too far from good fishing, by my estimation of what good fishing is.@Rob Allen if affordability and a decent job market are important considerations, Darby probably not the play for you, Housing market is even wonkier there than it is in many other areas as it has experienced a “Yellowstone” effect on top of everything else.
if you continue north up the bitterroot you will have more options and bit more affordability closer you get to Missoula. I noticed Helena area is not on your radar - that might be worth a peek depending upon spousal acceptability factor
Good luck/tight lines on the search.
As far as work goes I am only willing to work in the sport fishing industry. I suck at everything else .
Old406Kid
Legend
My nephew lives on about 40 acres above Lyle...nice but tick paradise at times.
Flymph
Life of the Party
I would recommend making absolutely sure you will have water before making this steal. There are people from California building here without enough water to flush the toilet. Can't say I blame them wanting to leave that overpopulated inferno.
JayB
Life of the Party
Proximity to rivers/mountains, white-water, climbing, skiing, multi-day floats, and the ability to fish for pacific salmon/steelhead are all big factors on my wishlist - ditto for "small town with a relatively cosmopolitan feel" as well as a safe/quiet/clean vibe. There's a town that rhymes with "wood wivver" that would deliver on all of those fronts, but holy christ has it gotten expensive.
It's always been expensive relative to local incomes, but it's gotten dramatically worse since the onset of the pandemic and remote work. Not to mention that the folks that already live there have strong financial/lifestyle incentives to keep it the way it is and restrict growth - but I can't blame them for that since I'd do the same in their shoes.
Style-wise, I'm a big fan of super-old-school timber-frame construction paired with modern layouts. Assuming I don't get derailed by the 956,785th home update/upgrade/repair project - I'm planning to teach myself this construction technique by using it to build a modern shed in the back corner of our yard with a stack of beams that I hand milled from trees that I felled on my parent's acreage and milled-in-place with an Alaskan chainsaw mill and around four gallons of bar-oil. If I can decode all of the fragmentary and cryptic information that's available on the internet, in books, etc and get beams with a bit of wane/twist/etc to fit together courtesy of joinery with tolerances measured in mm it'd open the door to some more ambitious plans involving acreage, a bandsaw mill, etc.
It's always been expensive relative to local incomes, but it's gotten dramatically worse since the onset of the pandemic and remote work. Not to mention that the folks that already live there have strong financial/lifestyle incentives to keep it the way it is and restrict growth - but I can't blame them for that since I'd do the same in their shoes.
Style-wise, I'm a big fan of super-old-school timber-frame construction paired with modern layouts. Assuming I don't get derailed by the 956,785th home update/upgrade/repair project - I'm planning to teach myself this construction technique by using it to build a modern shed in the back corner of our yard with a stack of beams that I hand milled from trees that I felled on my parent's acreage and milled-in-place with an Alaskan chainsaw mill and around four gallons of bar-oil. If I can decode all of the fragmentary and cryptic information that's available on the internet, in books, etc and get beams with a bit of wane/twist/etc to fit together courtesy of joinery with tolerances measured in mm it'd open the door to some more ambitious plans involving acreage, a bandsaw mill, etc.
and with the Methow Valley just west...score!
Cudos on the thread redirect. Have you considered a career in moderating?
Rob Allen
Life of the Party
But they have plenty of swimming pools and green golf courses. It's not a water supply problem, it's a water waste problem.