Major REGRETS After Moving to Montana! (AVOID these mistakes) 

That is not the regret. it's going woke and sucks. That's the issue. I wish people in Billings WOULD not tolerate it.

@roberts6950: "If people come here..." What makes you think what he is saying has a "grain of truth?" Further, people don't just move because they have some romantic notion. Thumbs down. This is bullshit.

​@@wordswithatwist I wish we could do something about it, but all the solutions I can think of will get me put on a list.

@@ScottGrow117 One thing we can do, if any business supports woke ideology, we dont shop there. I started doing this in Billings. If I see it, I wont spend a penny in their establishment. That is where it starts, in their pocket books. But we have to do it as a whole, not as a lone wolf.

​@@wordswithatwistI'd refrain from using the word "woke" its just nonsense. I'm a progressive myself and believe in gun restrictions for bigger cities, but this doesn't mean that I don't think Guns are necessary especially when you live in places like Montana that have a lot of dangerous wild life. I'm also a supporter of vegans despite not being vegan myself but if you hunt for your food It's different than arguing against the meat industry. Youd 100% call me woke given these descriptions but ultimately as I pointed out it's just a propaganda fueled buzzword to make you disagree with democrats. Majority of democrats share this outlook and those blue haired liberals you guys point at are the minority of the group. If you really want to see what democrats stand for you need to force yourself to step out of your bubble and search for left leaning media or at the very minimum a centrist channel that covers politics. I'm a centrist progressive so personally I get most of my news from channels like Secular talk, David Pakmen, TYT, Adam Mockler, Luke Beasely, Rebel HQ, and Meidastouch which all tend to still criticize Biden even if their content predominantly criticizes the right. That's where you'd find more authentic criticism that isn't just CNN or MSNBC left wing vague media.

High property tax,also you pay tax on your social security check.Alot of states you don't.Winter is eight months of the year.High electric rates,thanks to the public service commission.De-icer they use on the roads in winter eats your cars up with rust.If you don't mind over cast skies for 8 months of the year,come on up.

@johnjaco5544 Nothing new to me. I grew up in New England, and I lived in Sheridan, Wyoming for over 20yrs. 🤠

Property tax under 2% is average for the country not high. Electric rates are under 12 cents per kwh which is low. No sales tax on anything including cars. I live in Kalispell and the last year with a lot of snow was 1997. My snow blower gets used 2-3 times per year since then. @@johnjaco5544

​@@johnjaco5544lmao none of that is true

@@johnjaco5544 What are you use to in terms of taxes and electricity rates? I'm thinking of moving to Montana from western washington. You talk about high property taxes, come live here! lol And Montana has electricity rates that are effectively cheaper than western washington (which is already one of the cheapest in the US) because WA has a step up rate, the more you use the higher it costs (Although still really cheap). But Montana's is even cheaper. Want overcast/grey skies for 8+ months? Come visit western washington where it's 40f and raining for 9 months of the year (slight exaggeration). Really though we have 9 months of grey skies and 3 months of good weather (which is recently ruined by smoke from wildfires). Montana looks like a step up in all categories for me except the state income tax...but lack of sales tax and cheaper goods overall, plus way cheaper property taxes makes up for any state income tax.

Montana is nice 5 months a year. This winter 2024 has been sooooo great. I love this winter. We are leaving in August. I don’t like Butte. There are too many mean people. They come in all ages, and sizes. Just waving back to you when you are walking seems to anger most of the people here. The town of Butte is falling apart. Bricks are falling out of the old condemned buildings downtown and in other smaller towns too. Drugs pouring in. It’s too much. We are going back to the southern states, maybe Texas. At least there the people are more fun. The weather isn’t horrible. Good luck. If we were going to do this again, we would have probably tried the Hamilton Area. That is south of Missoula. Look it up. Nicer winters than Butte too. It’s called the Bitteroot Valley Area. Take care.

@@dalepxp8963 I love living near Butte. Ideal in every way for exactly the negative reasons you gave. But, Butte is growing again. Time to look at eastern Montana options like Wolf Point.

Apparently, a lot of people can. Several have benefited from equity they are rolling over from a previous home and being a dual income household. If you are looking to buy your first home, it is extra challenging.

More than 50% of all houses in the US are owned by corporations and foreign investors.

Kalifornia

Such an amazing part of MT

Why do they call it Great Falls when there are no falls? And Big Timber, MT doesn’t have any trees. It’s so misleading

Great Falls gets its name from a stretch on the Missouri River where it drops over 500 feet in a series of rapids and five waterfalls. Big Timber gets its name from Big Timber Creek, which was named by Lewis & Clark because of the large cottonwood trees.

@@HarrisGroupMT Thanks. My wife use to live in Great Falls. She’s a MT native and I’m a WA native. We will be in Libby and Kalispell the end of May and then stop in at Polson

@@Doc1855 95' waterfall outside of town (the Great Falls) that is not advertised, plus Black Eagle Falls, Rainbow Falls, Crooked Falls, plus two more unnamed falls.

I have still have 150 acres in NC and grew up there. Been in Montana since 1990 and not going back! North Carolina has 9 million more humans than it should!

It's not very cold at all.

@@77Avadon77 Depends on what you mean by cold? lol.. I'm in SoCal and when it hits 65 degrees, we bust out a light jacket here. It almost never drops below 60 during the day and that is cold to us.

@@musingsofrock right but for the vast majority of the pacific nw Montana is just normal temperature.

Being from eastern NC and having lived in Wyoming for three years in the 80's and Montana since 1990, we just don't get winter anymore. Wear flip flops most of the year. I miss three foot snow! Well, any snow.

I’ve lived here for 18 years and it is expensive and extremely cold -15 -30 degrees for more than half the year. So if that is not cold for you?…then that is you. Lol

Montana definitely isn't for everyone. Where do you live now?

They have climbed rapidly since covid

@@HarrisGroupMT Having a home is a problem with new property taxes! Homelessness is a solution. 26 years in tipi, always sleep well. Sleep not so well on a home. New old movement: "I don't want what you have."

Generally east coast people will never like west coast or even the midwest I think. If you are used to that busy life style with the corner shop and tight housing and the streets buzzing with kids and activities like the old NYC shown in the 50s-60s TV, you will hate the west coast. West coast is huge and spread out. It is not concentrated like the east coast. Even in LA, there are only about 30 high rise buildings, nothing like NYC. If you leave downtown LA, the rest of Los Angeles is just sub urbs and it is vast and empty. You will never get that tight knit neighborhood like the east coast. Life is slow here and the pace is slow.

I’m from Colorado. I went to Philadelphia and I thought it was interesting. Nice place to visit wouldn’t want to stay. It’s just a different lifestyle. I don’t think the two mix very well. I know somebody from New York City that moved to Colorado and she hated it. She couldn’t stand the open space, she couldn’t stand the wide open sky, she even hated the mountains. I thought she had lost her mind. But yet I don’t like skyscrapers, crowds, traffic noise, etc. so you just have to find what works for you.

You're welcome, Tom. How can I help you?

Alaska is no joke

Surprise! Hopefully that changes soon.

City counsel wants to extend the 5 days they don’t enforce to 30 days.

Stay away from Bozeman and Missoula. College towns draw all the marxists.

This problem exists in EVERY state. Being able to afford a place to live is becoming impossible. America needs a BIG CHANGE.

@@Miami7 Bozeman is different vs the surrounding towns in allowing flagrant disregard for rules regarding camping on city streets.

So glad you love it here. What part of Montana did you end up?

@@HarrisGroupMT Glendive

but any winter would be shorter than alaska...

Glendive is prairie. Good choice. It too late for average people to move to Bozeman, or Missoula to be honest. Butte has cheaper housing but is all beat up, trashed out, the neighborhoods are full of miserable people. It really is in bad shape.

@@RetrieverTrainingAlone 😂😂😂😂

#Facts

Fewer and fewer hunt anymore. Forget fishing due to heat stress on rivers and over fishing. No one rides horses either anymore. Very very few riders. Montana today is more indoor than out.

That sounds like a neat idea to me. Good internet and a nice work area. Kind of a niche vacation rental type of thing

@@HarrisGroupMT And maybe a win win for companies and the staff. Concentrated work there in an area that pushes your creativity. Good ideas are not born in dumb offices or conference rooms but in an inspiring and tranquile landscape. And after maybe a few weeks, staff is coming back relaxed and with good ideas. I should do a trip to Montana.

Be sure to take a trip in February so you get an idea of what it's really like, rather than glorified pretty pictures you see on the internet.

So glad you like it here. What a beautiful area.

I moved here from Florida 30 yrs ago and still like Montana. There are these things called airplanes if you need to go on a vacation but living here is like being on a vacation compared to all the crime

Glad you are still liking MT

I am a generational Montanan also. I am not happy with these people who move here with tons of money and then change it. That isn’t what we are about.

@@nicoleorta9569totally agree! I’m glad our winters run a lot of people out.

@@HarrisGroupMTabsolutely you make extremely valid points in this video. Well said!

Nothing wrong with rural and quiet

@@HarrisGroupMT nothing at all, which is how I like it

You're a trend setter. Lol

@@HarrisGroupMT wish to God we weren’t

Same here. Hard to watch the change some times, but it is inevitable. Got to make the best of it.

Seeing Colorado being taken over and developing all around me. Montana seems the only answer eventually.

@@wowufailatlife I have peeps in Montana and they say it’s the same. Wealthy type buying everything up and bring new regulations and rules that they pay for

Don’t forget lawyers, bar tender and pawnshop owners!

Its a challenge for sure

My father retired to western Montana exactly fifty years ago,I followed. All of these people moving here from out of state have changed the culture, unfortunately not in a good way. I remember property being less than a dollar an acre,lol. Now since Hollywood and cowboy wannabes have arrived, it’s knocked it out of the ball park for any regular working persons pocketbook. We live in the panhandle now and our property taxes have tripled in just five years. We had a rental that was appraised at $80k twenty years ago , in less than 10 years without improvements, it appraised at $356k in 2010. Go figure. I see only the exclusive wealthy will be able to live in this area and natives who’ve lived here for generations will be forced to move, I hope I’m wrong . Thanks Hollyweird

​@@Belyndathat's everywhere now!!

Montana is not about moving to a fancy bourgeoisie city. If you're not looking to move to somewhere very rural away from others then I really don't know why you're choosing Montana in the first place. Maybe some people just want to be baristas for the rich.

The people buying are buying their second home, airbnb that for 6,000 a month in the summer for 4 months to cover their mortgage to other rich outta staters and staying in it for the ski season. Hence, no where for regular people to stay.

Congratulations! Good luck with the interview. How can I help with your move back to MT?

Would love to chat. Kyler@harrisgroupre.com

Where did you move to Montana from? Or are you born and raised here?

well said

Yeah only tough people live here in Montana.. not poser out of staters

@@jeremysworld12 im in Hungry Horse and hate this time of year nothing but countless out of state tourists goi g to Glacier..ugh wish we could build a wall

@@codybmercer you are telling me.. they think they own everything I don’t personally put up with it and it’s funny because they are all so passive lol

Big change indeed. Glad you enjoyed the video. How can I help?

@@HarrisGroupMT i was looking at work in helena, but have never been! how would you say the pace of living is?

In general, in MT, the pace of living is nice and slow. What kind of work are you looking for? What is attracting you to Helena?

@@HarrisGroupMT its a government job! i have always wanted to move somewhere colder and less crowded and the job is an amazing opportunity, but i'm open to multiple cities.

That makes sense. There is a lot of government work in Helena because it is the capital. It is a pretty neat place. Mountains and lakes nearby if you like spending time outdoors. Let me know if you need to be referred to an agent there if you tske the job. Or feel free to reach out with any questions.

MT is a HUGE state. There are some areas you would like and probably some you wouldn't. Feel free to reach out and talk it through.

Services are pretty much unaffected however a big storm especially with heavy snow can create disruptions. Overall cold doesn't change water, power, etc.

@HarrisGroupMT - I see. My wife is originally from Billings and she still has family up there. My wife also works remotely, so Internet is vital to her business. She’s trying to convince me to move; but I know your winters are long and brutal. We own a house here in Los Angeles. I love the culture of Montana though; and the fact that it’s a RED state is a huge plus for me. You’ve got great informative content. Thank you. Have a great Memorial Day weekend 🇺🇸👍🏼

Happy to help. I don't think you will regret it. A bad winter is a lot better than LA in my opinion. Feel free to reach out with any questions. I live in Bozeman now but grew up in Billings. Actually in Billings as I type this. I have some great referral partners in Billings to connect you with as well of you need a Realtor. Kyler@harrisgroupre.com

Thank you.

That's awesome! What part of Montana are you checking out?

Y’all forget when everyone moved to California from every single state and country.

Where did you move to Montana from?

That’s good advice, don’t come here!

👍

True - I love the Thompson falls, Troy, Libby, Yak areas - so beautiful - but for now I'm in bozeman because I need to make good money... I used to own a bunch of land just outside Troy and I loved it but almost went broke because my line of work was controlled by the good ol boys 😂

MT definitely isn't for everyone

Doing what?

No don’t move here we don’t want more out of state people here thanks though

If you can afford a million bucks for a house.

@@scottulrich2725 maybe in Bozeman but seems like other parts are still similar price to other large cities

There are lots of truck drivers living in MT. Somewhere like Billings could be a good option with the refineries. Feel free to reach out.

My friend candidly told me that he moved to Kalispel a few years ago and is having trouble adjusting to the abject coldl

It's 100% supply and demand. More people want to live here than houses are built

​@@HarrisGroupMT Then you really should just go build your own house although labor is dramatically expensive. If you can actually build a house yourself then you've got something but that's not easy if you don't have the skill

People from out of state with money thinks prices are a good deal.

Virtual workers from CA with inflated salaries.

@@johnjaco5544Not sure why this is so difficult for people to understand.

This will vary by market. Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula would most likely be the best three cities. It will depend a bit on specific needs though.

@@HarrisGroupMT someone told me that there is a medical clinic in Montana where many Canadians are referred for knee replacement surgery.

@@HarrisGroupMT How bad is the drug and homeless situation getting in those cities right now?

Kalispell, Bigfork 100%!

@@mf-db6nm 100% regarding what??

Undeveloped sorry

It will depend so much on location. Anywhere from a few hundred thousand to several million

Eastern Montana has dirt cheap prices. Things get extreme $$$ as you head West. People complain about prices but actually there are a lot of places in America that are incredibly cheap it's just that people don't want to live in very small towns. They've grown accustomed to large cities with all the amenities and those places are always going to be expensive.

Depends on how you define better, I suppose

NW Montana if you can afford it.

Why would you move all the way up to Montana just to move to a city. That makes no sense to me.

Log cabins are a sure bet for flies and mice. Just say never! Deer mice kill more humans via hunta virus than griz, lions, and bison combined. Shipping container is what I park my Jeep in every night to prevent the wiring from being chewed.

There are places to rent but they are very expensive and most places do not take pets. A house will be 3500 and up. A room can be as much as 1500 and you can get less than 1000 sq ft for about 2200. You better come with money because you won’t earn it in this state.

True. Also we have seen a lot of movement in wages recently.

Congratulations

It has tripled here in ten years. Most places have not experienced that.

What is infrastructure?

I actually mentioned eastern Montana a few times in the video.

@@HarrisGroupMT Miles City? Glendive? Glasgow? Wolf Point? Makoshika State Park? Fort Peck Dam and reservoir? I must have missed those. 🤨

@kellyreinlasoder2596 this wasn't a video about listing all the cities and towns. I also didn't mention a lot of places in western Montana. Sorry you feel left out. I think most prefer to be overlooked. Lol

@@HarrisGroupMT Not so much that I felt overlooked but I have always noticed how most visit MT commercials and things like this are basically just about Western MT and how it seems Eastern MT ends at Billings or even GreatFalls. Anybody who might move to that part of the states should know it is a lot harder to live in than the Westside. That's all.

So you're saying I should make an "Eastern Montana Sucks" video? 🤣

The best location would depend on a lot more factors. I think there are a lot more lifestyle and budget questions that would need to be asked. I can help you figure it out. Feel free to reach out. kyler@harrisgroupre.com

@@HarrisGroupMT Do you have any videos comparing Montana and Idaho in terms of advantages for relocation and retirement?

I don't, unfortunately but I plan to make some in the future

@@HarrisGroupMT Malta, the American dream!!!

@@dovygoodguy1296 Idaho has super strong Mormon communities. Montana has super strong Jack Mormon hard drinking communities.

It depends on what you are looking for and where you are looking. You can move to MT and get a nice place with $400k. Give me a call. Let's chat and get you pointed in the right direction.

Braap braap!

It’s called a rouge state and we don’t like liberals!

Sorry to hear that.

@@HarrisGroupMT Thanks.

That's great. We don't need slackers here. It's hard work, avoiding the tourists in the summer.

⁠@@matildagreene1744interesting comment. Everyone HATES tourists can’t blame you there but who says they’re slackers? ⬆️

The Bitterroot is full up.

Where did you move to MT from?

@@HarrisGroupMT Nowhere I am born and raised in Montana!

Nice. I find most of the people saying Montana's full are from out of state. How many generations MT for you?

@@HarrisGroupMT I am a third generation Montanan My grand parents came from the Dakotas!

Lots of them. Lol. Give me a call tomorrow or email

I lived in butte. Huge party scene very blue collar and very pretty area. Bozeman or Missoula isn’t far away and Helena is just up the road where I live.

Dont

Butte is an old mining town with a history of really violent union wars (I believe Butte's union activity was important on the national level). Now, the mining has died, and those same people have stayed, even though there's no economy. Does this encapsulate everyone in Butte? No, but...

Between Butte and Missoula they're the two only that have dirty air in Montana smog not good if you're coming from California to escape it