Unreal Estate Game: Montana
 

Five homes in big sky country. Pick a home under one-fifth of that sky.

Billings - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...5_M88823-31283

Hamilton - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M77008-06413

Missoula - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...8_M78160-69394

Stevensville - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...ex=MT614063803

Whitefish - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...7_M79063-19037

I don't like the house and tiny lot in Whitefish, but I've looked (for fun) at properties there and log homes. Whitefish is a gorgeous area and I'd pick it in a heartbeat, since Bozeman was not an option.

My rankings:

Billings - This is a very classy house, and it's huge with lots of room to stretch one's legs. I could live there. It's not too far from some fast food restaurants and stuff. It's not the best location, but it's decent, and I like the house. It's a go.

Hamilton - Another great house. They really did a good job on the log cabin look while not overdoing it. It's a little too far away from services to move to the top of the list, but I like it.

Whitefish - This house looks awesome from the outside and the lake view rocks hard. The inside, though, has some strange styles and the location is mediocre in terms of walkability. I initially thought this would be my #1 choice, but on second glance it's not as strong as it seems. Still great, though.

Stevensville - The house has an interesting style, and pretty nice. It's got a slightly better location than Hamilton, but I like the Hamilton house a little better. That fireplace is awesome, though.

Missoula - It's a fine house, but it's kind of suburban for my tastes and I don't like the setting. I'll pass on this one. Plus, it would be hard to tell people that I live on Tookie Trek Road. And by the way, what is that big round thing in the living room? It looks like some sort of alien recon vehicle.

You don't move to Montana to live in a house like you can find in any bigger city. That's what you'd be doing if you moved into the house in Billings.

You move to Montana to live in a rustic looking place with scenic views. That is why the Hamilton house is the best choice.

True. There are much better choices in Billings. Big Timber would be nice, too!

Here's an interesting $9,800,000 spot in Hamilton:
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M82835-92928

I would be in heaven in that Hamilton place

whitefish all the way.

and **** you for having enough money to EVEN consider any of those places :toast:

Hamilton

Interesting fireplace/waterfall/mini-trout stream in the living room at Stevensville

Stevensville is a great area as well and not far from Hamilton. Every time I'm near Stevensville, I stop in at the HSM ammo factory and stock up. Both areas have outstanding hunting and fishing in the area.

That was one of the things that made me choose Stevensville. I really like log houses and was fully prepared to vote for Hamilton after seeing it the first time. But I really like the design of that Stevensville house, inside and out.

They are only 20 miles apart.

Yeah, maybe I could take both. Summer in Stevensville and then when the cold weather hits, head south to Hamilton.

Living the dream!

Stevensville
Whitefish
Hamilton (only because its a log home... the Stock Farm access almost makes it worth it, though...)


I am disappointed we didn't have some more rural choices, however. Something out in the Augusta, Choteau, Fairfield way with a shitload of cropland chalk full of pheasants is my American dream.

As for the actual structures, that Hamilton house rocks. I love that log cabin style.

I'm just going with whatever Bwana picks on this one.

So Hamilton it is!

Everyone loves the IDEA of a log home - nobody loves the maintenance or the insects.

Welcome back. I passed you in posts at some point.

And yeah, that Hamilton house did the log cabin look right. Most of the time, they look almost like they're fake or something. But that one looks good.

Well, now that's an issue I know nothing about, but could be a dealbreaker. Are they hard to maintain?

I would like to see some houses that are listed around Flathead lake. Now that is a sweet area.

http://media.rd.com/rd/images/rdc/bo...-sun-03-ss.jpg

http://www.rwink.com/robwinkmontana/...bigforkbay.jpg

Sweet! Any idea which way that faces? I'm thinking the Milky Way over that might be pretty special.

I looked everywhere, but it seems like the mountains are where the $900k-$999k homes reside. I think I found a couple on the plains, but for various reasons I didn't think they would be as competitive. I remember seeing one interesting one along a river, but I think it was really a lodge for sale.

This was the only one I initially saw in the right price range, but the house didn't really wow me. What do you think?

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...0_M81397-97871

Oh, man. I didn't realize that Bigfork was a high-dollar place. Check out this house in the right price range. I wish I would've found it for the poll:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...1_M82460-74652

I don't on that one, the other one is in Bigfork off of highway 35.

Stevensville. I'm going to climb that fireplace when I'm drunk.

God those shots are beautiful. Reminds me of everywhere I went in Alaska last summer.

Your right the first one is nothing special but the 2nd one is cool. I have never noticed that house. I guess I have a bonus adventure looking for it next summer. Fire up the boat, crank up the tunes, grab the fishing
rod, along with a few colds ones and it's on.

Where did you go up there? I assume flew into Anchorage and ventured out from there?

In glancing at Bigfork with the price filter turned off, there are a lot of cool houses there that $1 million won't touch.

There are some unreal places around there. My brother has a summer home near Bigfork right on the lake. I make it up there a couple of times a summer, it's Paradise.

Cruise out of Seattle. We went to Juneau, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay and Victoria BC. We were supposed to go to Sitka, but it's directly on the Pacific and a storm was rolling in, so they cancelled that.

I swear if I'd gone up there 20 years ago I'd be there now.

I live in Colorado and view this place as heavenly, but man, Alaska is a whole different world. I went out on a float plane in Kodiak and Katmai, and it looked like I'd time traveled back to paradise before people started breeding in earnest.

I picked up an extra week of vacation at work this year. I'm using it to fly into Portland, OR and trekking my way, brewery to brewery, til I get to Missoula where my brother lives. I've yet to experience that part of the country, so I'm a bit excited (typed as the L train blows past my window).

Did you see this bad boy on Smelter Island on Flathead lake? It's down from 78 to 59.5M.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RRz0mpe0aGI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I lived in Anchorage for a year. At that time the man to woman ratio was terrible. That has changed a lot. I was up there a few years ago to fish and it was a lot different. Good look ladies, micro breweries all over the place and great fishing is not far away. If it would have been like that when I was living there, I never would have left. Montana is pretty close though, with the exception of the big fish like halibut.

This thread is making me fall in love with Montana. Wow.

I'd like to see that Hamilton house in the winter.

Road trip! I will be in that area in a few weeks, I'll find it if I have time and take a picture or two.

My mom worked up in Glacier Bay for a bit.

I love Montana...and I've lived in Colorado.


If I ever hit the jackpot. I'd be there as fast as I could move.

Yeah Glacier is some nice country.

Oh **** yes! Getting to Glacier right?


And if I ever get tired of sunshine and city living, Hamilton is a beautiful area. I'd head to that side of the state if I got a hankering to live in my birth state again. I would never want a log house though.

Of the places we went, I liked Juneau the best. I could sooooooooooo live there. Seemed like a nice little town and everything was beautiful. To have a boat up there... that would be awesome. Plus, I don't think I could ever get sick of crab.

The ocean and the mountains - two things I rarely see. It was wonderful. Plus, it was great to be on a ship at sea again. Hadn't done that in 30 years.

I will say, Montana is a good state to fly helicopters for the national guard. I have seen about every one of these beautiful spots up close and personal.

Not going to lie - it took me longer than it should have to figure out that it's a ski lodge for sale.

Also not going to lie - for 10 mil I can find one banging ass place in the Caribbean and never worry about snow and ice, ever again.

Helicopters huh? Have you ever run across Jay Winfield?

Too bad the Missoula house sucks, because the area around Missoula is one of the most beautiful areas I have ever been.

Should have went with this house for Missoula - http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...-49684#photo40

That Billings house is way too uppity for me. The atmosphere looks like I should be waiting at the bottom of the staircase for my wife to come down in an evening gown so we can retire to the stuffy living room and drink tea all while we both felt we had to leave our pajamas to stay in for the evening.

Whoever chose the wallpaper in Hamilton should be tested for color blindness and not enough land. It's (almost) all about the land.

Missoula is nice with a good chunk of land but the house is defiantly oriented for young children. Gonna take some remodeling. How is that house not taking major wind damage?

Stevensville - house is meh but the acreage is nice.

Whitefish - a house that big on less than an acre of land? Can you jump on your ATV or go for a hike without having to worry about crossing your neighbors property line. And that kitchen?!?!? What an eyesore.

Missoula it is.