Are you thinking of living in Bozeman, Montana?
Home, it’s what I think of when describing Bozeman to other folks. It is filled with enough variety to attract a diversity of people. We still maintain a small town atmosphere, only 34,000 folks in town and 75,000 in the county, but have a plethora of activities available. For the outdoor minded there are 3 ski resorts within an hour, 5 blue ribbon fly fishing rivers within an hour, multiple trail systems, both in the mountains and miles within Bozeman itself, and we boast 4 golf courses. For the art minded we have galleries, art walks, festivals, museums, and theatre. For the historians, there are many areas to visit such as Lewis and Clark Caverns and many mining cities that are rich in history and authenticity. And then, there are the big sky country views in every direction it is just breathe taking and wonderful.
The good people who call Bozeman home are among the best out there. They value family, community, and the environment. Our schools have low teacher to student ratios and high parent participation making the scores impressive and activities abound for the students even in this smaller environment. My daughter participated in a German program where her and 40 classmates traveled three countries in Europe over the summer. As a community we have found ways to fund new schools and improvements consistently in order to provide the best education possible and still maintained reasonably low tax rates. An average home of $250,000 would have an annual city and county tax of approximately $2,800.
Our city and county governments are also very cognizant of our surrounding beauty and the underlying factors that caused our citizens to make Bozeman their home. When approving developments they strive for low impact solutions and a multitude of trails and open spaces to be incorporated into every plan. They have also been driven to revitalize the downtown area where most of our festivals and music events occur, Main Street is still a pleasure to visit and summer months bring bands, plays, art festivals and community events annually.
After deciding Bozeman is where you would like to reside, deciding what kind of housing you are interested in is the next step. We have a huge variety from Condo’s with no outside care, to sprawling ranches and everything in between. Some of our subdivisions have a mix of condo’s, townhomes, and single families laid out between green paths, ponds, and open spaces. Some of them are all single family homes on blocked subdivisions. Then we have ½ acre and 1 acre parcels in a subdivision environment as well as large 2 to 5 acre parcels where fencing and horses can be the alternative lifestyle. If larger acreage is where your heart is set, then moving into the county instead of the city is a great alternative. On the west side of the valley we have more arid climates and on the east the precipitation is much heavier both in the winter and the summers, but from nearly anywhere in our valley you can reach downtown in a quick 20 minute drive. Make a list of the things you can’t live without in a home and area, and the things you want in a home and area.
We have been very fortunate in the downturn of the market. While we have seen some declining prices and foreclosures and short sales, the percentages of these is not nearly as great as in other parts of the country. The amount required to purchase a home is about 25% less than it was at the height of the market in 2007. An average home within Bozeman city limits is $265,000, but there are obviously many alternatives with condominimums starting at $115,000 and several very attractive high end areas.
Picking a real estate agent that is knowledgeable about the market and housing is your next key step. Sit down and do an interview. Do they represent sellers or buyers? How long have they been in the industry? Are they very familiar with key issues in your purchase, for example, condo financing, or how many horses you can run on an acre? Are you comfortable with them? Then sign and buyers broker agreement with them and hire them to represent you as the buyer rather than the seller. You can discuss the costs in doing this, but they are typically very limited and most of the cost is passed on to the agent who represents the sellers in the transaction.
I have been in the industry for 22 years. I started in property management, did 2 years of Real Estate Law at Missouri Western State College, and then began working as a general contractor in building homes for the next 10 years. After a severe injury, I obtained my license and began representing buyers and sellers in Bozeman and the surrounding areas. This history gives me a wealth of knowledge in many aspects of your purchase and allows me to guide you through the process with relative ease. If you would like to include me in your interview process, I can be reached at Bozeman Montana Real Estate, 406-209-0022, online at BozemanMontanaRealEstate.net, or by email at Jenifer@BozemanMontanaRealEstate.net.
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