bozeman real estate: Bozeman Approves Plan for Fiber Optic Project
- 01/27/15 08:33 AM
The City of Bozeman has approved a plan to lay a fiber-optic cable network throughout the city to improve high-speed Internet availability, cost and quality. City commissioners made a few changes to the earlier plan advocates had submitted in late December. The main change will not put the city in direct control and ownership of the cable network, but will shift the responsibility to a new non-profit that will manage and oversee the cable project. The change will keep the city from becoming the “internet service provider.” Now, the non-profit will lease conduit from the city, but own the fiber … (0 comments)
Freddie Mac announced the average rate for a 30-year conventional loan fell to 3.73% this week. The average rate fell from last week’s number of 3.87% and from 3.89% in later December, thanks to another strong week for the domestic economy, especially in comparison to continued financial struggles in Europe and Asia. The average rate for a 15 year fixed loan also fell this week to 3.05 percent--down from 3.15 percent. 15 year mortgages are most popular with those looking to refinance and the low rates should be noted by anyone paying a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Many … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Tim's Know Your Homes 101 - Tudor
- 01/08/15 12:56 AM
The Tudor style first began in (you guessed it) the Tudor Era in England. From 1485 to 1603, these homes, known for their assymetrical exteriors and distinctive trim began popping up all over the country. Those found in the USA are Tudor Revival Architecture and became very popular in both the 1920’s and 30’s as well as the 1970’s and 80’s. A Tudor home’s most obvious tell is their half-timbered framing (the brown wood), now for design and not necessity. Before, the wood frame was actually integral in the home’s design. A great majority of Tudor homes have these wood … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: FHA Lowering Mortgage Insurance Rates
- 01/07/15 07:37 AM
The Federal Housing Administration announced that it will lower the cost of its mortgage insurance for potential borrowers. The White House released a statement that they will lower the mortgage insurance rates from 1.35% of the loan’s value, down to 0.85 percent. Mortgage insurance is designed to keep lenders safe whenever a borrower defaults on their loan. The change to the mortgage insurance rates could save a first-time homebuyer $900 a year on their payments. For a lot of buyers sitting on the fence, this may be the starting gun for which they were waiting. The White House believes that … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Bozeman Market Update - Condos and Townhomes January 2015
- 01/07/15 01:11 AM
This month, we will highlight townhome and condo sales through November in Bozeman. Here are a few stats for all Bozeman condos and townhomes: Unit sales increased from 2013 to 2014 by 16.98%. (371 sold in 2013, 434 sold in 2014) Dollar volume increased from 2013 to 2014 by 34.23% ($68,926,687 in 2013, $92,523,141 in 2014) Average sales price also rose from 2013 to 2014 by 14.75% ($185,786 in 2013, $213,187 in 2014) Summary –Bozeman has seen increases in townhomes and condos across the board. With more unit sales going at higher prices, Bozeman’s condo and townhome market is healthy … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Gallatin County, State Swap Land for Landfill
- 01/06/15 07:59 AM
The Montana Land Board gave the preliminary go ahead for land swap between the state and county for the Logan Landfill. The agreement should benefit both parties and avoid bureaucratic money exchanges in the future. Currently, the Logan Landfill is owned by the state. The county actually has to lease the land and at a pretty good sum. Each year, the county pays more than $26,000 in yearly rent for the 48-acre landfill. The waste district also pays $47,000 a year to the state’s Department of Environmental Quality for its permit. Under the agreement with the state, the rent on … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Advocates Push for Publicly Owned Fiber-Optic Cable Network in Bozeman
- 01/06/15 01:27 AM
Under a new proposal brought to the Bozeman City Commission, Bozeman may dig public cable lines to address the poor service and high prices of private internet/cable providers. Advocates pushing a publicly owned fiber-optic cable network say that digging public lines would increase competition among internet providers, helping improve their services and prices. The city would not provide Internet access directly but would install a common network that could be leased by private companies. Without needing heavy, upfront capital, the addition of small, private companies into the market could increase the current competition. As more businesses store their valuable information … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Manhattan Jurisdictional Area Now Taxable
- 01/05/15 06:41 AM
The Gallatin County Commission will try to fix a nearly 36-year old loophole that allowed a 3.5 km sized district surrounding Manhattan to not pay taxes on their planning services. The district, created in 1978, was indoctrinated as a jurisdictional area. Within the jurisdictional area, as oppose to a tax district, property owners were never taxed for the planning services they received. Residents of the county and city did pay for those services. When the problem was discovered in 1994, Manhattan and the Gallatin County entered into discussions to fix the problem. Now, with the County Commission’s approval, the County … (0 comments)
The City of Bozeman hopes to alleviate the very full rental and affordable housing situation in the coming year through regulation changes and increasing inventory. The Bozeman Department of Community Development has begun a review of current home building standards while starting development of new subdivisions and apartment complexes. A rental housing survey released this year reported that the vacancy rate in Bozeman was essentially zero at the time MSU students came back for fall semester. Gallatin County saw a huge population growth rate from 2002-2012 when it grew 32 percent. In a report released this month, it was … (0 comments)
Gallatin County has been one of the fastest growing counties in the western United States over the last decade, according to research group Headwaters Economics. Since 2003, Gallatin County has grown by an average of 2,400 people a year. 1,700 of those people have made Bozeman their home, while the other 700 have found real estate in the surrounding area. The annual growth rate of 2.9% was the highest growth rate in the state of Montana and 15th highest in the West. In addition to reporting the growing numbers, Headwaters Economics also attempted to explain the market trends that … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: 5 Story Building Approved on Mendenhall
- 12/09/14 03:06 AM
City commissioners approved a new 5 story building to be built on Mendenhall, following a recent trend of approvals for larger commercial buildings in the downtown area. The building will replace the soon to be demolished Opportunity Bank site. The building will inclue three floors for commercial use and two additional floors, with 29 units, for residential use. An underground parking lot will also be added. For Bozeman residential and commercial real estate, the building will help alleviate the high demand for downtown businesses and also provide additional space for potential homebuyers. The new 5 story building will join two hotels … (2 comments)
Fundraising efforts to help build a brand new hospital in Livingston has officially past the half-way mark, keeping construction plans on schedule for an October 2015 opening. The fundraising campaign, led by the Livingston HealthCare foundation, hopes to raise 10 million dollars to help pay construction costs on the new 125,000 square foot hospital. Livingston HealthCare hopes they can raise the targeted $10 million by that time. The total cost of the new, two-story hospital will cost around 43.5 million dollars. The cost may have been more, had the land its being built on not been donated. The Livingston … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Three Conservation Easements Help Protect Gallatin Valley Rivers
- 12/05/14 05:55 AM
Three new conservation easements have been approved by the Gallatin County Commission to better preserve the rivers in the valley. (What are conservation easements? Click here to read more) The three properties that were granted easements will all end up protecting different sections of either the Gallatin or Madison river. As more people move to the Gallatin Valley and as more open spaces are filled, oftentimes agricultural land will be lost. Conservation easements help protect the open spaces from sub-development in the future. One easement for a 185 acre farm along the Gallatin River will now help protect the river … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Bozeman School District Approves Public Preschool Program
- 12/05/14 05:38 AM
The Bozeman Public School District has introduced a test run, public preschool program at Whittier Elementary School. The first semester will begin on January 26th this year. The district’s goal is to improve the performance gap between children in Kindergarten who had access to preschools compared to those who did not. Oftentimes, students come into Kindergarten with no learning experience. The program will cost around $50,000 to 60,000 dollars for a class of 20 students, with the majority of those funds paying for a teacher and an aide. The funding for the pilot semester will be taken care of by … (0 comments)
Recent numbers compiled by the National Association of Realtors have shown a rise in previously owned home sales for the month of October. Sales of these homes rose 1.5% to an annual rate of 5.26 million dollars. October was the second straight month where the annual rate trended up and its upward pace has not been this fast since September 2013.
The combination of improving inventory, stable price growth and low interest rates continue to make buying pre-owned homes easier. The average October interest rate fell to 4.03%, the lowest it has been since June … (2 comments)
bozeman real estate: Shoppers Buying Hardwood Floors and Appliances Online
- 11/21/14 07:47 AM
Homeowners have moved online when it comes to major home improvement purchases. Retailers throughout the US have noticed a definitive jump in sales for online sales of appliances, flooring, and other home improvement items. The Home Depot saw a 40% jump in the 3rd quarter online sales, with a high amount of those sales including major purchases. The Home Depot had already seen its online sales grow 50% in the year before. Customers have ordered everthing from washer/dryers to complete flooring jobs for their homes. Appliance and home improvement products have outpaced the industry average in all four quarters. In … (2 comments)
Bozeman public schools will once again be on the forefronts of national studies, as they have once again been selected to take part national research. Bozeman has already been selected for a highly competitive mental health program/study this year. Great news reached the district, when they found out that once again they had been selected for a prestigious program.
This study will take 72 Bozeman teachers through an intensive program to improve math teaching. The study is being led by researches at Montana State University, George Mason University, and Harvey Mudd College. The survey has been funded … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: MSU and Bozeman Deaconess May Team Up to Produce Top Montana Doctors
- 11/17/14 06:02 AM
Bozeman Deaconess Hospital has started a 15 million dollar addition that will better address the needs of Bozeman residents while also preparing the next generation of doctors for the area. The hospital broke ground two weeks ago and it plans on the building being 5 stories high and 88,508 square feet. The basic shell of the building should be ready by December of 2015 and then its interior should finish within the following six months. The hospital may not have to fit the entire bill assuming MSU can approve the leasing of a portion of the building for its growing … (0 comments)
The Belgrade City Council voted on and approved a resolution to raise the benchmark for city streets, improving the function of future roads in a growing town. From now on, any newly constructed or reconstructed roads will need more designations for pedestrians and bikers, while also adding more curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Any minor construction, such as chip sealing, will not need to meet the new requirements.
The official resolution does not designate specific numbers that need to be met i.e. number of gutters per block, but instead states that the necessary features need to be addressed by … (0 comments)
bozeman real estate: Million Dollar Home Sales Increasing
- 11/13/14 06:11 AM
Over the 2014 year in the United States, the number of 1 million dollar plus home sales rose by 8 percent. Million dollar and up homes have seen a much faster recovery than any other price point. In fact, sales for million dollar and up homes are now almost comparable to prices seen during the housing peak in 2007.
Housing analysts believe one reason why the surge has occurred has been the increase in jumbo loans being given to high priced buyers. A jumbo loan is a loan that exceeds $417,000, or in very high priced areas, $625,000. Total … (3 comments)
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