Kalispell, MT Real Estate News

By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
I recently found an online directory of Kalispell City ordinances and thought it would be intriguing to see what some of the ordinances of the past were. If I can find enough interesting material, I hope to share one ordinance from each year. This week's post will cover a Kalispell ordinance I found from 1908. (PS, I'm skipping 1907 for now; I need some photos to finish that one!)There were actually several interesting ordinances from the 1908 Kalispell City Council, but the one I chose has to do with a simple thing, the hours that a saloon or bar could be open. That ordinance, #201, went into effect on April 1, 1909.The ordinance indicates that every saloon as well as all bars in every hotel, inn tavern, club or any other place in Kalispell where "spirituous, vinous, fermented or malt ...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
If you live in the Kalispell Montana area, you know there are many options for hiking. For example, you could head up to Glacier National Park with its 700 miles of well-documented hiking trails, or perhaps go to Jewel Basin and hike one of their many popular trails. Or you could find a map, locate an off-the-beaten forest service road, and just head out. That's what we did this past weekend. Here's how it went.  PreparationAny hiking trip in the Flathead Valley area requires proper preparation. Not only do you need decent hiking boots or shoes, you need to dress properly. Pants are usually a better choice than shorts, since you may be walking through tall grass and shrubs. And even if the sky is totally blue, pack a jacket. You never know how fast the sky can change in the forest. You'...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
A beautiful parcel of Montana land has just come on the market. If any of the following options sound intriguing, this almost 20 acres of Montana property might be for you!  You love Seclusion and Self-Sufficiency:1875 Patrick Creek Road is located miles from the nearest electric service and there is no cell phone service. And while both of those facts could change in the future, at this point in time, you'd need to truly enjoy being disconnected. To obtain electricity, there are several meadow locations with lots of sun, so solar may be a solution that would work for your home. There may also be other off-the-grid options that would work. This property is only approximately 20 minutes from the center of Kalispell, so keeping well supplied with food and other items should not be an issu...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This report covers the residential land market (active listings and sales) in Kalispell Montana as of the end of June 2021. Similar to the housing market, land sales remain strong.  Available InventoryAs of early July, there were 92 residential land parcels for sale in the Kalispell area which is 15% more than last month's count of 80. That remains great news for buyers since there were only 60 listings a few months ago. Higher inventory levels equate to more choices for buyers.  Five or more acresOf the land currently for sale, half of the listings include five or more acres. While most of the land in Montana could be considered rural, I define rural as those properties in the 5+ acre category. Those are most likely to be parcels located on a gravel mountain road, agricultural farming ...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
Twenty acres of secluded mountain acreage with views of the Flathead Valley just 20 minutes from the center of Kalispell is under contract!  This property includes twenty acres of beautiful Montana forest land with no zoning, HOA or covenants. It is land that could be turned into whatever the buyer dreams. Perhaps it will be used for a small off-the-grid hunting camp that allows the buyer to walk out the backdoor and already be in fantastic hunting land. Deer and elk tracks abound!  Or maybe it will be used to build a mountain side retreat with amazing views of the mountains and valleys. Or perhaps it might be used as a never ending source of firewood and building materials.  The owner could also build a small rustic cabin for summertime use.  Whatever the result, a buyer has decided th...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
Following is an overview of the Kalispell Montana real estate results for the residential market as of June 2021. This report covers the entire residential market, including single family homes, townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes.     The Kalispell residential market continues to be a strong sellers market. That being said, there are signs for the second month in a row that the market may be slowing down slightly. Sales VolumeIn the month of June 2021, there were 131 residential sales in Kalispell which is 7% more than last year and 25% more than last month. As can be seen by the chart below, sales in 2021 are following the same general trends as last year. Another data point - the number of homes under contract have remained just about the same as last month. This indicate...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This report covers the residential land market (active listings and sales) in Kalispell Montana as of the end of May 2021. Similar to the housing market, land sales remain strong.   Available InventoryAs of early June, there were 80 residential land parcels for sale in the Kalispell area which is just about flat from last month's count of 78. That remains great news for buyers since there were only 60 listings a few months ago. Higher inventory levels equate to more choices for buyers.. Five or more acresOf the land currently for sale, 55% of listings include five or more acres. While most of the land in Montana could be considered rural, I define rural as those properties in the 5+ acre category. Those are most likely to be parcels located on a gravel mountain road, agricultural farmin...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
Following is an overview of the Kalispell Montana real estate results for the residential market as of May 2021. This report covers the entire residential market, including single family homes, townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes.     The Kalispell residential market continues to be a strong sellers market. That being said, there are some signs that the market may be slowing down slightly. Sales VolumeIn the month of May 2021, there were 105 residential sales in Kalispell which is 35% more than last year and 40% more than last month. As can be seen by the chart below, sales increased a little later in 2020 but that could have been due to the pandemic constraints not due to normal activity. Therefore, this increase is most likely reflective of normal Spring activity.  Another...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
On a beautiful day in the Spring of 2021, a sign appeared in a forest of Montana. It was a typical real estate sign with the contact information for a Montana broker.   It's important to note that a driver out for a Sunday drive won't ever see this sign. Someone commuting from home to work won't see it either. Nor would someone who was out running errands.  So why place this sign at all? This specific sign serves as the "You Have Arrived" notification to the rugged individual(s) who are looking for their own secluded piece of Montana land.  The type of person who might start their day with some black coffee and finish it with a glass of whiskey in front of a campfire. Someone who fills the day between those beverages with hiking, hunting, exploring, fishing, gardening and of course good...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This report covers the residential land market (active listings and sales) in Kalispell Montana as of the end of April 2021. Similar to the housing market, land sales remain strong.    Available InventoryAs of early May, there were 78 residential land parcels for sale in the Kalispell area which is a 34% increase since the last month's report. That's great news for buyers since higher inventory levels equates to more choices. Five or more acresOf the land currently for sale, 54% of listings include five or more acres. While most of the land in Montana could be considered rural, I define rural as those properties in the 5+ acre category. Those are most likely to be parcels located on a gravel mountain road, agricultural farming land, or acreage adjacent to National Forest or lumber parce...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
Following is an overview of the Kalispell Montana real estate results for the residential market as of April 2021. This report covers the entire residential market, including single family homes, townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes.     The Kalispell residential market continues to be a strong sellers market. Sales VolumeIn the month of April 2021, there were 75 residential sales in Kalispell which is 6% less than last year and 35% less than last month. As can be seen by the chart below, sales dropped slightly in April of 2020 also, but that was likely due to pandemic constraints not due to normal activity. So the 35% drop from last month was not expected. I believe this was caused by the fact that there are fewer home options for buyers.  Another data point - the number of ...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
One of the first things a seller will want to know when considering putting land on the market is the answer to the question, "What can I get for my land?" In Montana, sale prices are not publicly disclosed, so it's hard to figure out what buyers are paying for properties without contacting a real estate professional.  So now you've contacted one, and have asked the question, "What can I get for my land?" The answer is NOT to use an average per acreage price and multiply times the number of acres you have. No, instead the following are some of the attributes that should go into calculating your land's value. First, the agent must physically visit your property. Each land parcel is so unique that even basing a price on an adjoining property can be problematic. The only way to know exactl...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
You watch an HGTV show that pertains to real estate and everything always looks so easy. The buyers or the homeowners getting a home makeover are always happy, have a great budget, and enjoy the experience. The real estate professionals are jovial. The agents only show a few houses then they sit down with their clients who make an immediate decision, wind up with a fantastic accepted offer, and a few months later do a tour of their new home. Oh my gosh, real estate looks so easy!!!  Is it? Here's an example from my perspective. I plan to put together a video series about how to sell land in my area. Starting with the initial real estate professional tour of the land and subsequent pricing process, research required, documentation, listing, appraisal, buyer investigations, title report, ...
Comments 44
By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This report covers the residential land market (active listings and sales) in Kalispell Montana as of the end of March 2021. Similar to the housing market, land sales remain strong. Available InventoryAs of early April, there were 58 residential land parcels for sale in the Kalispell area which is a 13% decrease since the last month's report. Similar to residential listings in the area, land options have decreased over the last several months.  Five or more acresOf the land currently for sale, 60% of listings include five or more acres. While most of the land in Montana could be considered rural, I define rural as those properties in the 5+ acre category. Those are most likely to be parcels located on a gravel mountain road, agricultural farming land, or acreage adjacent to National For...
Comments 15
By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
Following is an overview of the Kalispell Montana real estate results for the residential market as of March 2021. This report covers the entire residential market, including single family homes, townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes.    The Kalispell residential market continues to be strong, both in terms of sales and price points. Sales VolumeIn the month of March 2021, there were 115 residential sales in Kalispell which is 25% higher than the same time last year and 62% higher than last month. As can be seen by the chart below, sales do typically bump up in March, so the 62% gain was expected.  Looking at the total first quarter of the year, there were 273 sales in 2021 which is 40% higher than the same time last year. This year is definitely off to a strong start.  Also o...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
While the city of Kalispell is a mere 12 square miles in size, the total area that is considered Kalispell (where homes would have a Kalispell mailing address) covers 303 square miles. Driving around the entire area would take 82 miles of driving. Needless to say, with 300+ square miles of land, there are many different options for where and how to live. And while it is not an official way to talk about the area, it makes sense to describe each geographical quadrant separately.  The first section to be discussed was the northwest section of Kalispell. The second section to be addressed is the northeast area. This stretches from the intersection of Route 2 and 93 east through Evergreen, north to Lake Blaine and past the airport. This part of town covers approximately 60 square miles.  So...
Comments 13
By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
The real estate possibilities in the four quadrants of Kalispell are as different as they are alike. The first section to be addressed, the northwest part of Kalispell, stretches west from the intersection of Highway 2 and Route 93 North (see map at end of page). It extends north to the Whitefish area right above Lost Creek Drive, and to the west until the middle of Ashley Lake, where Kila starts. So what's the northwest part of Kalispell all about? Read below for more. Shopping/DiningThis area contains the western part of the Kalispell's retail area. Specifically, you will find major retail stores such as Cabelas, Michaels, Lowe's Home Improvement, Costco, Harbor Freight Tools, Petsmart and REI.  In terms of food, Chick-fil-A, McKenzie River Pizza Grill and Pub, Famous Dave's Bar-Be-Q,...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This week Habitat for Humanity and Lowe's are celebrating the 2021 International Women Build Week. The goal is to raise awareness about the global need for safe affordable housing for women (and families).  There are 300 Women Build projects in the United States, Canada and India which focus on the need to make housing an option for all.  In the Flathead Valley of Montana, Habitat has already completed building more than 60 homes for 60 amazing families. The organization is also currently building five homes in Lakeside, Montana, and more are anticipated.  Below is a video that Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley has shared. If you are interested in helping, there are many ways to contribute. These include volunteering your time at the building site(s) or the ReStore, contributing f...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This report covers the residential land market (active listings and sales) in Kalispell Montana as of the end of February 2021. Similar to the Kalispell residential home market, land sales remain strong.   InventoryAs of early March, there were 67 residential land parcels for sale in the Kalispell area which is a 9% decrease since the last month's report. Similar to residential listings in the area, land options have decreased over the last few months.    Five or more acresOf the land currently for sale, slightly more than half of listings include five or more acres. While most of the land in Montana could be considered rural, I define rural as those properties in the 5+ acre category. Those are most likely to be parcels located on a gravel mountain road, agricultural farming land, or a...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
 Following is an overview of the Kalispell Montana real estate results for the residential market as of February 2021. This report covers the entire residential market, including single family homes, townhouses, condominiums and manufactured homes.    The Kalispell residential market continues to be strong, both in terms of sales and price points. Sales VolumeIn the month of February 2021, there were 71 residential sales in Kalispell which is 39% higher than the same time last year. It is lower than January by 18%, but remains strong for this time of year.  Also of interest, there are currently 187 homes under contract, more than double the amount sold in February. This indicates there is still strong buyer demand. Next month's results should remain high.  InventoryIn terms of available...
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By Kat Palmiotti, Helping your Montana dreams take root
(406-270-3667, kat@thehousekat.com, Broker/REALTOR®)
This report covers the residential land market (active listings and sales) in Kalispell Montana as of the end of January 2021. Similar to the housing market, land sales remain strong.   InventoryAs of early February, there were 74 residential land parcels for sale in the Kalispell area, which is a 24% decrease since the last month's report. The decrease is attributable both to properties going under contract, one listing expiring and only a small amount of new listings during January.  Five or more acresOf the land currently for sale, 53% of listings include five or more acres. While most of the land in Montana could be considered rural, I define rural as those properties in the 5+ acre category. Those are most likely to be parcels located on a gravel mountain road, agricultural farming...
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