The fear of prolonged recession has slowly started to come to an end, and with it, the real estate market is picking itself back up allowing many families to take advantage of dramatically lower prices by purchasing vacation homes. Mountain property is particularly appealing for homeowners who are looking to escape the lifestyle of a city or suburban area.

Luxury Properties in Montana Maintain their Value

Montana is among some of the most popular locations for second home buyers to purchase a mountain residence, with the Big Sky and Bozeman areas leading the charge. According to the statistics of real estate websites like Zillow, since roughly 2008, the New York East Hamptons average home price saw a -.7% Y-o-Y (year over year) drop in value (Zillow, 2010), the Poconos saw between a -4% and a -20% Y-o-Y drop (Zillow, 2010) and the Stateline of Lake Tahoe dropped a whopping 30% Y-o-Y (Zillow, June)!

Meanwhile, the average home values for Big Sky Montana have fallen by almost 50% since the peak creating incredible value for those seeking a great deal in a pristine location. Unlike most ski towns, Big Sky is spread over many square miles offering genuine solitude in a stunning mountain setting. Lift lines are almost non-existent and summer activities abound, setting Big Sky in a league of its own. While there can be no certainty that prices will appreciate in the near term, an increase in sales activity indicates that prices may be firming.

Through this shift in the market, we’re also seeing a trend in second home owners purchasing more vacation properties than investment properties. The investor as a buyer has all but disappeared from the second home market. Through the tax incentives, it is possible to make a profit on a vacation home. According to Realtor.org the amount of homes overall purchased for vacation purposes has doubled since 2007 (Realtors.org, 2010).

Montana’s Accessibility is Better than You Might Think

Montana is known for being spacious and free and it’s hard to understand the term Big Sky until you have actually been there to see it. The homes in Montana’s mountains are the perfect blend of exclusivity, luxury and accessibility. The towns and cities of Montana are small and quaint, so getting out into the wilderness doesn’t require more than a few miles of driving in any direction. Visiting Montana is also a simple process thanks to its 123 different airports scattered across the state. You can come and go from your vacation home as often as you please.

Specific Considerations when Purchasing Mountain Property

There are issues aside from finances and home value to consider when purchasing your vacation home. These issues include altitude, the home inspection processes, and local weather. Oftentimes, mountain homes are serviced by well and septic systems, a new experience for urban buyers. In addition, mountain regions tend to be less stable geologically so through engineering should be performed before purchasing that future dream building site. In most mountain locations, air conditioning is not necessary and the dry Montana air is conducive to evaporated cooling for those rare hot days. Efficient heating on the other hand is a necessity and radiant heat is preferred in most luxury homes.

Before heading directly up to the mountains of ANY area, families should concern themselves with the potential hazards of high altitude, cold weather and possible remediation to the issues. Traveling from sea level to a mountain location can take the body over a week to adjust, but the effects can be mitigated by ample hydration and rest.

If you’re at the decision point for purchasing a second home, consider the Big Sky Area Montana to maximize your investment. Montana is affordable, close-knit, easily accessible thanks to local airports, and attractive all year round for their unbelievable summer outdoor activities like hunting and fishing as well as winter world class skiing at some of the nation’s best skiing resorts. The home and land prices in Montana resorts have fallen dramatically since the peak creating some of the best value for money available in the West.

We invite you to see for yourself why Montana is quickly becoming a premier destination for vacation properties and 2nd homes.

Bibliography
Realtors.org. (2010). Field Guide to Vacation, Resort, and Second Homes. Retrieved June 30, 2010, from Realtors.org: http://204.146.162.1/library/library/fg305

Weather.com. (July, 1 2010). Aches and Pains 101. Retrieved July 1, 2010, from Weather.com: http://www.weather.com/activities/health/achesandpains/achesandpains101/index.html

Zillow. (2010, June 30). Big Sky Home Prices and Home Values in MT. Retrieved June 30, 2010, from Zillow: http://www.zillow.com/local-info/MT-Big-Sky-home-value/r_37423/

Zillow. (2010, June 30). East Hampton Home Prices and Home Values in NY. Retrieved June 30, 2010, from Zillow: http://www.zillow.com/local-info/NY-East-Hampton-home-value/r_38288/

Zillow. (2010, June 30). Kidder Township Home Prices and Home in PA. Retrieved June 30, 2010, from Zillow: http://www.zillow.com/local-info/PA-Kidder-Township-home-value/r_397421/

Zillow. (June, 30 2010). South Lake Tahoe Home Prices and Home Values in CA. Retrieved 30 2010, June, from Zillow: http://www.zillow.com/local-info/CA-South-Lake-Tahoe-home-value/r_40979/

Tweet This Post

www.thesportsgamer.com Tracking and hunting mule deer in Montana in Cabela’s Big Game Hunter 2010 for the Playstation 3.

Tweet This Post

Experience a traditional back country rifle hunt in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. Our guests enjoy hunting on horseback for elk, mule deer and whitetail on the Lolo and Flathead National Forests. We are a licensed outfitter and guide business with over 50 years of experience.

Tweet This Post

Our Malta Ranch Please visit us at www.seedlingsrus.com orgive us a call at 215 651 8329. About Highland Hill Farm Quality Producers of Trees, Plants, and Shrubs Highland Hill Farm …Were Open 7 Days To 6pm Highland Hill Farm is a tree, plant, and shrub grower located in Fountainville Pa. and Milan Pa. During the winter months we give free landscaping plans that we will draw up by our in house designers. Just Email Us pictures of your site and a description of what you want your landscaping to accomplish. We have been growing nursery stock for over 25 years. Let us help you with your landscaping needs. We try to offer a selection of top quality, nursery grown plants. Seedlings and small liners aren’t all you will find here at our nursery. We have a large variety of deciduous trees, evergreens, and shrubs that are all available. We also have shrubs of all shapes, sizes, and colors as well. We are constantly reviewing, and adding new varieties to add to our inventory , and will have several new introductions in most every category for each new season!! Our goal is to be able to offer you a great selection of quality plants at the best price. See how we dig or trees with utmost care Not all the plants listed on our site are in stock. Some plants we have on a limited basis and others can’t be safely transplanted at all times of the year. Orders large or small, we love them all. We feel that you should be able to come and see our operations so we do allow people to schedule …

Tweet This Post

A bald eagle parent and juvenile hunting coots on Flathead Lake in winter. The first eagle is the juvenile. The parent arrives to show how to properly swoop down on the flock of coots. Be sure to listen to the audio track.

Tweet This Post

Bill Jordan stalks a monster whitetail in Montana

Tweet This Post

fly fishing montana with montana hunting and fishing adventures. www.montanahuntingfishingadv.com

Tweet This Post

Lots of open space, vast valleys, crystal clean rivers and lakes make the state of Montana one of the best places for outdoor recreation and water activities. Montana is an ideal place for living if you are tired of life in a big city and want to enjoy peaceful neighborhoods and amazing scenic views. Owing Montana real estate grants you a chance to live in a picturesque area surrounded by snow-topped mountains and vast national parks. Numerous outdoor recreations, friendly people, and inviting communities make Montana real estate even more sought after. If you’ve decided to move to this serene region you will surely choose an ideal accommodation among the large selection of Montana real estate properties.

You don’t necessarily have to buy a huge expensive house to get real pleasure from living in Montana. Even if you are an owner of a small cabin near a good hunting area, every day of staying in there will be unforgettable. There are plenty of nice little houses located on the river banks and lake shores overlooking the mountains, so you can be sure to find your perfect dwelling quite fast.

A house in the area is your possibility to explore the state of Montana, its eclectic towns, and various historic places. Montana is an amazing place that is hard to leave and you will enjoy every day of living here. While hiking or simply walking around the neighborhoods you can come across manifold plant and animal species that inhabit the area. There’s an occupation for everyone. You can go fly fishing, white rafting, boating – every imaginable type of water activity is available for visitors and residents of the area in the summer. In the winter you can enjoy skiing, skating and snowboarding.

Montana real estate and land available for sale can be found throughout the state. The only problem that you may face when searching for affordable real estate in Montana is that most of the properties are located quite far from the big towns. Still, for many people it’s a huge advantage as they are striving to get as close to nature as possible. Besides, you can always go to the nearest city once or twice a week, visit cafes, boutiques and big shopping centers to satisfy your need in food and other products.

Tweet This Post

Plenty of big Bulls. They’re smarter, better than the average hunter. That’s why they call it “hunting”

Tweet This Post

Westby, Montana, is nestled in the extreme northeastern corner of the state. In its unique location on the combined border of Montana and North Dakota, you need only venture seven miles north to find your way to Canada. This area of the state is wheat and cattle county with gently rolling hills speckled with pumping oil wells.

Just under 200 people call this community home, once located three miles to the southeast in North Dakota. This setting was likely more appropriate as the Danish immigrants that homesteader there applied for a post office for “Westby” or west town (by meaning town in Danish). A few years later, when word was received that the rail line was going to be constructed a few miles north, the town pulled up stakes and relocated to the Montana/North Dakota state line. North Dakota was ‘dry’ at the time so most of the respectable business settled there and Montana got the saloons. The railroad would eventually choose the Montana location as the true town site because freight rates were higher there. That answers the most frequently asked question about the relationship between Westby’s name and its location.

Westby has been discovered by few as it is on the way to nowhere. If it is not your destination, you likely haven’t stumbled upon it, but for those lucky enough to have been informed about its treasures and made the trek, few have left disappointed. Bird watchers and bird hunters both flock to the area to enjoy their sport. Onstad Memorial Park provides ideal habitat for hundreds of different species of birds migrating through the area while other grassland birds and less common birds such as white pelicans and the endangered piping plover call the area around Westby home. Westby is in the middle of the Missouri coteau, a vast grassland of native prairie species. That combined with the Conservation Reserve Program have provided the area with prime game bird habitat. Every fall hunters arrive from all corners of the country to hunt grouse, partridges, ducks, and geese, but primarily pheasant.

Highway 5 winds in from the west and the county seat of Plentywood into Main Street. The isolation that the extreme winters can bring has helped ensure the life of the typical small town Main Street business, home to Westby. Aside from that, the healthy K-12 school system boasts a 100% graduation rate and a first rate technology department. The recent addition of a 100 car grain terminal facility has brought a boost to both the moral and the economy of the area.

Although this area has no mountains, or brooks, or streams, it is beautiful in its own right. Whether your eyes are beholding golden wheat fields stretching to the horizon or ice crystals dancing on a fresh blanket of snow, it is breathtaking. In our mind nothing depicts “The Big Sky Country” better than eastern Montana. I dare you. Make the trip. You will not be disappointed either.

Tweet This Post