A month ago I shared that we had moved to Kalispell Montana and were in the beginning stages of building a home. At the time of that last post, we had a framed house with sheathing on the sides and wood on the roof, a drilled well and installed septic system. Did anything happen since then? How much work could possibly be done in a month? Well, here is the update! Weather Impacts?When you're building a home in Autumn in the northwestern part of Montana, you could be susceptible to surprise cold snaps and snow events. We woke up one day a few weeks ago to unexpected snow. It snowed all day, and we were sure that was going to impact the ability of teams to get work done that week. Getting the house buttoned up and safe from the weather was the primary thing that was concerning us at that ... 11/09/2019

Stillwater Estates is a gorgeous community with mature landscaping and some mountain views. Stillwater is located in the northern section of Kalispell to the west of Route 93 and north of West Reserve. The entrance to the property is via Walton Drive. The community is close to Kalispell's shopping area (Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's and more) as well as the Flathead Community College and Kalispell Regional Healthcare. And it's only about 15 minutes from Glacier Park International Airport. Stillwater Estates was approved in three different phases. In total, the community includes 128 homes on East and West Bowman Drives, Walton Drive, Essex Place, Sperry Way, Logan Way, Kinta Way and Grizzly Way. In addition to the homes, the property's 115 acres includes 6 acres of park space. The homes i... 11/08/2019

I plan to highlight various subdivisions in the Kalispell MT area. I'll be sharing a bit of information about each community, and provide a link to currently active listings. Here's the first one, Glacier Commons.  Glacier Commons is located off of Whitefish Stage Road in the northern part of Kalispell. The community has many wonderful features include its proximity to all Kalispell has to offer. Glacier Commons is only minutes from Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, Costco and many other stores. In addition, the Flathead Community College, Kalispell Regional Healthcare, and several restaurants are all within a short drive. The Glacier Commons development contains 82 homes on Glacier Circle, Whitemark Lane and Wheat Grass Lane. Building began in 2004, with the most recent homes being added in... 11/07/2019

After years of exploring the state of Montana, my husband and I purchased property in Kalispell in 2017. We were finally in a position to officially move to the area a few months ago. As anyone who has read anything I've written the last few years knows, I love this place. Besides the amazing mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, trees... well, I could go on... are the people and the way of life. To share everything I've discovered about Kalispell, I put together a post that is full of information. Want to know where to buy groceries? Where to ride horses? What newspapers are available? Where to hike or fish? What kinds of homes are available? Do you want to know about subdivisions? What about what homes are currently on the market? Would you like to know about skiing? To anyone interested... 11/05/2019

Following is an overview of the Kalispell Montana real estate results for the residential market as of October 2019. This initial report covers the entire residential market, which includes single family homes, townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes. Future monthly editions of this market data may include different reports for the four types of residential homes. During 2019, sales have remained healthy and median prices have been higher than 2018 - in every month so far this year. Following is an overview of the October 2019 Kalispell results. Sales VolumeIn the month of October 2019, there were 91 residential sales which was 9% lower than the same month last year and 13% lower than September of 2019. As you can tell from the chart below, sales in the area do tend to start out... 11/04/2019

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to attend a rodeo? Perhaps you're reading this because you've participated in one before. Or because you love horses. Last night I attended the second night of the three-night Northern Rodeo Association championship at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell. It was my first-ever rodeo and here's how it went. AtmosphereFirst, the entire atmosphere was one of excitement and fun. I truly did not see one cranky looking person. People who were trying to get to a seat on the inside part of the bleachers were laughing about the experience. One guy who got up a few times to go get more food or drink asked if he could buy us a drink for the inconvenience. When the announcer said yell or clap, everyone did. The energy was fun and uplifting. TempoSecond... 10/26/2019

The first time we visited Montana, we fell in love. With both her rugged and weather-worn mountains. With her people, who constantly demonstrated friendliness, kindness and strength. We fell in love with the outdoors, activities, weather and food. So we did what anyone does when they fall in love. They pack up and move in with their beloved. In August of 2019, we found ourselves in our new permanent hometown - Kalispell, Montana. In between starting construction of our new home and finding a rental home for the short term, we hiked, visited the Farmer's Market and Dragon Boat Races, explored the area and oh yeah, I studied for my real estate broker exam. A week ago, I became a licensed real estate Broker in Montana. I joined an exciting new real estate company, Blackstone Realty Group -... 10/24/2019

I fully expected my first Northwest Montana Autumn to be somewhat less beautiful than the New York ones I have experienced. After all, the types of trees in Montana are different, mostly conifers and other pines. There isn't a plethora of maple, oak and the like, which in the Northeast typically pop with beautiful explosions of red, orange and yellow leaves. So I expected a fairly unexciting change of seasons. It's nearing late October now, so we are right in the middle of Montana's Autumn season. The question is, is there any color here? And if yes, from what? I have to say I am immensely satisfied with the amount of Fall colors, but they are coming from a source I did not expect. On our Kalispell property and in the surrounding mountains, there are many pine and conifer trees includin... 10/18/2019

A little more than six weeks ago we arrived in the beautiful state of Montana. Specifically, we landed in the Flathead Valley which is in the northwestern part of the state. It's a beautiful place with mountains to the west, north and east, the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi, and rivers, streams and gorgeous vistas as far as the eye can see. This is also the area where our 25+ acres of land sit, awaiting our future home. When we arrived, we lived in our camping trailer for a week or so, then found a rental home which will keep us safe and warm until our home is ready. Never having built a home before, this is an enlightening experience. Here are some of my a-ha's. PermitsFirst, when you move to an area where you're planning to build a home, you need to check the local rule... 10/09/2019

An amazing benefit of the Kalispell Montana area is that is surrounded by mountain ranges. Looking East, North and West you will see rows of mountain ranges. Some are rugged, majestic, rocky and snow capped. Others are more like the Salish Mountains to the west, which are mostly rounded mountains with some grassy slopes and lots of trees.  The Salish Mountains are part of the Flathead National Forest. They cover more than 4,000 square miles. There are as many as 82 named mountain peaks which range in height from ~3700 feet to nearly 7,000. There are hiking trails, climbing areas and many logging trails that criss-cross the area. A lot of exploration awaits! So on a beautiful October day when temperatures were in the 50s, we decided to do some investigating. In the Salish mountain area, ... 10/04/2019

Every Saturday the Farmer's Market is held at Flathead Valley Community College at 777 Grandview Avenue in Kalispell Montana. This year, the last market that's currently scheduled to be held outside at the college will be on October 12th. The following week will be the final opportunity to purchase items at the market. That specific weekend the location will be indoor at the County Fairgrounds. So there is still time to check it out if you're interested! So here's what I found when I investigated the market today. There were four rows of vendors, all selling different products. These included of course, fresh produce. There were approximately ten to 15 farm stands, all with fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the area. You could choose from lettuce, chard, potatoes, onions, garlic, car... 09/21/2019

The Jewel Basin is a hiking mecca in northwestern Montana with 35 miles of hiking trails and over 15,000 acres. It's easy to see why it's so popular, based upon the beautiful scenery and many options for hiking trails. The Jewel Basin is located in Flathead National Forest, about a 30 minute ride from Kalispell. If you head towards Bigfork, pick up MT-83. After a few miles, you'll turn onto Echo Lake Road. Another 2 miles will take you to Foothill Rd. Take that for about a mile, and turn onto Jewel Basin Road. A mere 7 miles later, you'll be at the Camp Misery Trailhead, the starting point for many different trail options. But let's stop right there. The "mere" 7 miles of Jewel Basin Road needs to be explained in a bit more detail so you're properly prepared. First, if our experience ye... 09/03/2019

Our first hike as residents of Montana took place just a few days after we arrived in our new hometown of Kalispell. We were looking for something in the area that would allow us to get a little fresh air and exercise without a long drive, and we located Herron Park on a map. Only about 10 minutes outside of Kalispell, Herron Park is convenient and has various options for visitors. The area is popular with mountain bikers, joggers, hikers and horseback riders. We saw all of the above except horses but we did see evidence they were there recently! From the park entrance, we followed Notch Trail up to where it met the Overlook Trail, and then we took Overlook Trail to Foy's Overlook so we could see the area from above. If you look at the photo below of the Kalispell vista, you might be ab... 08/31/2019

I left for my first Montana morning jog a few days ago, and decided to try a nearby trail that runs along the road. Imagine my happiness as I ran past mules, horses, cows and acres of beautiful land. The air smelled great, and I was looking around and taking it all in. And then I saw it! I am an avid reader, and love to spend some time enjoying a good story. I've only been in Kalispell, Montana for a few days and haven't yet found the library. I just finished reading a book and knew I was going to have to hunt out a new one. So imagine my surprise as I ran down the road and saw a free roadside library! After I ran back to the campground (no house yet!) I showered and then jumped in the car to drive back to the little library, take a photo, leave a book and get a book. Of course I had to... 08/26/2019

Sometime in mid-2019, I plan to move from Monroe, NY to Kalispell, MT. This is an entirely new journey for me, in every aspect. I've never lived on the other side of the country. I have never been part of the designing and building process for a brand new home (as a buyer). It's all quite new and exciting. I decided to share the journey for anyone else who might be thinking of doing the same thing. And while I am a licensed associate real estate broker in New York State, I'm not (yet) licensed in Montana. So the thoughts I share are going to be things I learn and experience as a buyer and new Kalispell home owner, not as a real estate professional. So here is part one, which has to do with the first step of the dream. Buying the land. Identify your needsThe most important starting point... 10/19/2018

If life goes as currently planned, I will be relocating to Kalispell, Montana sometime in 2019.  Last year my husband and I purchased 27 acres of land in Montana. The land includes acres of meadow, a forested hill, a creek and old logging trail. This picture is taken looking over our meadow towards the neighbor's house. When we originally purchased the land, we were thinking about putting our home on the grassy area. That idea changed once we walked every inch of the property and found we have some amazing views from the top. So next year the house building will start. I intend to share my experiences regarding the home building process, as well as my thoughts about preparing for, and then actually moving to the new state. I will be continuing my real estate career out there, so will al... 10/15/2018

Out of the 25 Best Cities to Retire: Kalispell ranked number 11.  For years we have attracted retirees that like an out doors and active life style. With Flathead Lake  - largest fresh water lake west of the Mississippi -, skiing, Glacier National Park in our backyard, golf courses and many other activities, it is no wonder this is a great place for people to move to when looking around the country for a place to retire! What a beautiful fall!! I am looking out my office window at the larch trees dotting the hillsides with color, sun is shining and temps supposed to be in the low 60's the rest of the week. Trying to get some more horse riding in while the weather cooperates. West Valley school, one of what we call "country schools" in our valley, is having a bond election today. It is t... 10/22/2013

Saturdays from 9am to 12 is the Kalispell Farmers Market located now at FVCC (Flathead Valley Community College). Gotta be there right at 9 to get a place to park and a chance to buy the best stuff! Got all my tomato plants, herbs and some annuals to put in my garden. This is a much better location than the mall parking lot, lots more visible to those driving by all the sports fields and box stores on Saturday mornings. My hubby joined me at Crossfit Flathead for some tire flipping and sled dragging this morning. He starts the prelim classes Monday night. Such a great group of people and so much variety in the workouts from Coach Buf. Foys to Blacktail Trail had their fundraiser dinner tonight. Fun to see some familiar faces and eat Farm to Market cooked pig out on the lawn at Herron Pa... 06/01/2013

What fun! We went to one of the playoff games last night. When did high schoolers start looking like they were 12 years old?? :) Kalispell has 2 high schools and this is the one in our district, also the best basketball team, dare I say. The game was very fun and the cheering section of students even more fun. Some of the guys were in shorts and fur coats leading the gang. Spinning a large beach ball when there were free throws from the Missoula team. The cheerleaders were tiny girls who did a number of acrobatic lifts and throws, impressive. All in all, a fun way to spend a Friday night in the Flathead Valley for $5 a piece. 02/22/2013

It is great to drive around the Flathead Valley and see homes under construction and commercial projects happening. Construction has been the hardest industry hit by the economic slow down the past 5 years. Kalispell Regional Hospital is continuing it's expansion project. There are $12.4m in commercial projects on the slate besides the hospital. Hilton Homewood Suites has broken ground near the theaters in Hutton Ranch Plaza - where all the new retail is located in Kalispell. A 40 unit senior apartment complex comprised of 3 levels is projected on property downtown Kalispell.  ​Some excellent news about Kalispell Regional Hospital from Health Grades: the hospital is in the top 5% for patient safety and clinical excellence. #1 in MT for cardiac and #1 in Mt for general surgery. Having ha... 06/14/2012