| There seems to be a trend to leave the cities - | | | | minerals, including the only platinum/palladium mine |
| to get in touch with one's own self. People seem | | | | in the United States. Minnesota on the other hand |
| to start listening to the little voices inside of | | | | was always farm country with big grain mills run |
| themselves, their gut feeling or nudges. Word got | | | | by hydro-power. Minnesota is also one of the |
| out, that there are friendly people wherever you | | | | largest producers of lumber and wood products. |
| go, especially out west and in the country, where | | | | The lumber industry in Montana has been pretty |
| they can grow a garden, raise livestock, hunt and | | | | much shut down by people who are concerned |
| fish and where people can be more independent | | | | about the environment, even though the elks |
| of the things the rest of the world is doing. If | | | | enjoyed the clearings. Now the forests just do |
| someone has a job they can do from home, | | | | their own thing with wildfires to create clearing for |
| there are Internet connections available via | | | | the grazing animals. It just all amounts to the |
| satellite from even the very remotest spots, and | | | | same thing, except if Mother Nature does it, |
| most small towns make it a point to have | | | | nobody profits. Minnesota on the other hand |
| Internet connections available. People, who work | | | | manages its forests for productivity, regarding |
| from home and are connected to the rest of the | | | | lumber and wildlife. Because of all the lakes and |
| world via the Internet, are referred to as "Lone | | | | sloughs, Minnesota has an amazing variety of |
| Eagles" - a new "industry" which small towns like | | | | birds, including many game birds of course, but |
| to attract. The Lone Eagles are un-obtrusive, | | | | also many birds that are just fun to listen |
| non-polluting and contribute to the local community | | | | to.When you relocate to Montana you need to |
| through their level of education.I have many | | | | watch out for ground water availability and for |
| clients, who came to buy acreage and then | | | | mining activity. Sometimes you will encounter |
| decided to live in a friendly small town with all the | | | | contaminated ground from a previous chromium |
| services they know from the big cities, but where | | | | mine or similar activities. Even gold dust required |
| it is easy to walk downtown and yet they are | | | | some poisonous material to bind it. When you |
| only a stone throw from the countryside, at a | | | | purchase land, in most cases you do not |
| lake or creek for fishing or in the forest to hike | | | | automatically receive the mineral rights. The |
| and hunt. Small towns and countryside are also a | | | | mineral rights are usually scattered about among |
| great place to raise children. Here the children are | | | | different previous owners and the State. Mineral |
| free to walk to school and to enjoy the town. If | | | | rights supersede surface rights and even though |
| they do get into trouble, you can be sure the | | | | the mineral rights owner has to reimburse you for |
| parents will receive a phone call from a neighbor | | | | digging up your land, it might not be what you had |
| or storeowner within minutes.Many Lone Eagles | | | | in mind when you moved to Montana. Some large |
| will have to fly to their place of business once a | | | | ranches on the other hand welcome mineral right |
| month or so, which is easy to do. There are | | | | owners, since they will build roads to a remote |
| commercial airports just about anywhere within | | | | part of the ranch and drill water wells, which will |
| an hour's drive. So if you have an office job, | | | | benefit their livestock. Many ranchers would have |
| which you could do as well via video conferencing | | | | been forced to give up their herds during the |
| and Internet, you might want to take a look at | | | | drought if it would not have been for the water |
| my websites. "Montana, here I come!" and | | | | wells drilled by the mineral rights owners.In |
| "Minnesota, here I come!" both will give you | | | | Minnesota, there are not that many minerals to |
| information about rural areas and the states in | | | | worry about and all the mineral rights are being |
| general. These websites will inform you about the | | | | held by the state. Also in Montana rock |
| economy, geology and history. On both sites you | | | | formations are a concern. If your ground is on a |
| can do searches for available real estate in | | | | piece of granite, to have a septic system will be |
| different areas. This might also come in handy if | | | | impossible. Also there are many old subdivisions |
| you are just looking for a second home in order | | | | that were created before the state released |
| to have fun in the snow, to participate in summer | | | | subdivision laws, and those often do not have |
| activities, or just to rest and let the fur grow | | | | legal access. The mountains create small micro |
| back in for the next battle in the corporate | | | | climates and you can have a very windy spot |
| world.The winters in the north have become | | | | just a mile or two from a very quiet spot. So |
| much milder over the last 20 years and are | | | | just to find a piece of property on the Internet |
| actually fun. The cold air is very invigorating, it | | | | and buying it, won't work. You will need a real |
| makes your skin prickle and you have more | | | | estate agent who works for you and checks for |
| energy. Snow is very much enjoyed by the | | | | all of these pitfalls. The western part of Montana |
| people who live there year round, but they also | | | | often gets gloomy in winter, while the central and |
| offer great indoor activities. Mall of America in | | | | eastern parts enjoy more sunshine, but also more |
| Minneapolis is one example and you have that on | | | | wind and dryness. Eastern Montana is wide open; |
| a smaller scale in smaller cities, with large indoor | | | | those are the plains that will continue through all of |
| swimming pools, performing arts and festivities. | | | | North Dakota. That is where the sky looks so big, |
| The snow fun in Minnesota includes riding snow | | | | because there are no mountains or trees to block |
| mobiles on the side of the roads. It just takes | | | | the view. The real estate prices are very |
| one day of training and even 14 year olds are | | | | reasonable in those areas; the expensive real |
| allowed to ride them. In Montana you have 16 | | | | estate is right around the mountains and |
| downhill ski slopes and about 50 cross country | | | | creeks.Minnesota and Montana now have strict |
| areas with groomed trails. In Minnesota they have | | | | regulations when it comes to building near rivers, |
| dog sled races and ice fishing. It is also a lot of | | | | streams or lakes. You want to be sure to get the |
| fun to take your snowmobile or truck on the ice | | | | latest from the local health department. Actually |
| on the frozen lakes. The lakes freeze solid much | | | | Montana does not have any building codes. You |
| later now and melt weeks earlier then they used | | | | can build whatever wherever, but you need to |
| to, but you still have about two month of fun | | | | adhere to health and safety regulations, which |
| with the ice on the lakes.Montana has millions of | | | | includes the proper installation of a septic system |
| acres of National Forest and Minnesota has millions | | | | and the ability for a fire truck to get water and |
| of acres of State Forest. So there are big areas | | | | to turn around. Subdivisions on the other hand |
| that have fresh air to breathe and are a paradise | | | | have architectural requirements. If all homes in a |
| for hunters. In Montana the mountains catch the | | | | subdivision are of similar value, it will hold up the |
| rain and send the water down in creeks and | | | | value of all the homes. On the other hand a |
| underground aquifers, which is used to water the | | | | crummy trailer will keep the home prices below |
| farm ground. Montana is basically high desert for | | | | replacement cost for quite a distance all around. |
| the most part and the rolling hills are suited to | | | | Do not buy a cheap lot and build the home of |
| accommodate cattle for grazing. Often you will | | | | your dreams, if the neighborhood does not look |
| need 40 acres for one mother cow and calf. | | | | similar to the home you want to build, find a |
| There are barb wire fences everywhere to | | | | different lot. Also you are better off buying a |
| contain the livestock. Near the creeks and rivers | | | | stick built home, it will hold the value much better |
| ranches have water rights, to irrigate some of | | | | in the long run if the location is right.Subdivisions in |
| their acreage. That is where they grow their hay | | | | Montana are often a far cry from what you |
| for the winter. Water rights are very important in | | | | might think about when you think of subdivisions. |
| Montana and they say: Whisky is for drinking and | | | | Often you have miles of river gravel road, which |
| water is for fighting. Of course in winter, all the | | | | are very bumpy. You get 20 acres as a lot and |
| ranchers are friends again. But if you just want to | | | | often electricity and phone are miles away. Also |
| buy a small parcel of land, you need to do some | | | | watch out for rattlesnakes, bears and mountain |
| research to be sure that there is ground water | | | | lion, if you are near the mountains. Wear boots |
| available for a well, otherwise you will have to haul | | | | when you walk through the grass. When you see |
| water from a nearby town. Also if you buy real | | | | a bear, be sure not to get between a mother and |
| estate, trees and grass are extra and so is an | | | | her cubs. Moose attack, hug a tree, because they |
| ample supply of water. If you want to buy a | | | | want to trample on things and they can't trample |
| large tract of land, you need to look out for | | | | you if you hug a tree. But those encounters are |
| weeds, which need to be treated. If you think | | | | very rare. In Red Lodge, Montana, the moose |
| about depending on water rights, you need to | | | | wanders along the sidewalks and into yards. Bears |
| check and make sure the water will be available | | | | frolic along the alleys in fall to fatten up on |
| through all of the growing season and does not | | | | leftovers for the winter. They are mostly fun to |
| get turned off in the middle of summer.In | | | | watch as they bumble along and you get used to |
| Minnesota it rains frequently, the ground is fertile | | | | scooping moos poop out of your yard. You are |
| and suitable for row crops and gardens without | | | | just part of the wild things here.In Montana you |
| water rights. The cattle you find there are mostly | | | | can encounter county gravel roads that go on for |
| dairy cows, which are kept inside in winter. Most | | | | 20 miles before you arrive where you wanted to |
| of the lakes and State Forests are in the north. | | | | go. In Minnesota most county roads are paved, |
| Much of the land is softly rolling with tree lined | | | | so that comes in handy if you would like to drive |
| fields and charming old farm houses and barns. | | | | an economy car. In Montana to own a 4-wheel |
| Everywhere are lakes; from small ponds to the | | | | drive SUV or truck is just about mandatory if |
| one's big enough for water skiing. There is a | | | | you want to live out in the country or climb the |
| waterfront home for every budget, depending on | | | | mountain passes or foothills in winter.Dorothea |
| the size and location of the lake. Private boat | | | | Lowe is the Broker/Owner of Sky Lodge |
| docks are being pulled ashore in winter. During the | | | | Properties, Inc. licensed in Minnesota, North |
| time when the lakes are open, you can often see | | | | Dakota, Montana and Wyoming with two |
| a rack with canoes near a boat landing. Those | | | | websites containing a wealth of information about |
| spaces are for rent. As opposed to Montana, | | | | these states: |
| Minnesota has hardly any fences. Corn stalks don't | | | | AND also publishes a monthly newsletter, which is |
| wander off.... But if you have a horse, you can | | | | sent out once a month to 8,000 subscribers via |
| make friends with your neighbors and practically | | | | email, informing about real estate listings, geology, |
| ride forever.Montana was mostly settled by the | | | | history, informs about agriculture and specific |
| English, Irish and Germans, while Minnesota | | | | areas. Dorothea Lowe grew up in Germany, and |
| attracted Scandinavians and Germans. Montana is | | | | bought and sold real estate in Los Angeles, |
| called the Treasure State, because it has Gold, | | | | Oregon Coast, Arizona, Montana and Minnesota |
| Coal, Oil, Methane Gas, Uranium and many other | | | | (Detroit Lakes). |