Relocating to Rural Areas in the US - Tips, Tricks and Trends

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 seemin the United States. Minnesota on the other hand
to start listening to the little voices inside ofwas always farm country with big grain mills run
themselves, their gut feeling or nudges. Word gotby hydro-power. Minnesota is also one of the
out, that there are friendly people wherever youlargest producers of lumber and wood products.
go, especially out west and in the country, whereThe lumber industry in Montana has been pretty
they can grow a garden, raise livestock, hunt andmuch shut down by people who are concerned
fish and where people can be more independentabout the environment, even though the elks
of the things the rest of the world is doing. Ifenjoyed 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 viathe grazing animals. It just all amounts to the
satellite from even the very remotest spots, andsame thing, except if Mother Nature does it,
most small towns make it a point to havenobody profits. Minnesota on the other hand
Internet connections available. People, who workmanages its forests for productivity, regarding
from home and are connected to the rest of thelumber and wildlife. Because of all the lakes and
world via the Internet, are referred to as "Lonesloughs, Minnesota has an amazing variety of
Eagles" - a new "industry" which small towns likebirds, 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 communityto.When you relocate to Montana you need to
through their level of education.I have manywatch out for ground water availability and for
clients, who came to buy acreage and thenmining activity. Sometimes you will encounter
decided to live in a friendly small town with all thecontaminated ground from a previous chromium
services they know from the big cities, but wheremine or similar activities. Even gold dust required
it is easy to walk downtown and yet they aresome poisonous material to bind it. When you
only a stone throw from the countryside, at apurchase land, in most cases you do not
lake or creek for fishing or in the forest to hikeautomatically receive the mineral rights. The
and hunt. Small towns and countryside are also amineral rights are usually scattered about among
great place to raise children. Here the children aredifferent previous owners and the State. Mineral
free to walk to school and to enjoy the town. Ifrights supersede surface rights and even though
they do get into trouble, you can be sure thethe mineral rights owner has to reimburse you for
parents will receive a phone call from a neighbordigging up your land, it might not be what you had
or storeowner within minutes.Many Lone Eaglesin mind when you moved to Montana. Some large
will have to fly to their place of business once aranches on the other hand welcome mineral right
month or so, which is easy to do. There areowners, since they will build roads to a remote
commercial airports just about anywhere withinpart 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 conferencingbeen forced to give up their herds during the
and Internet, you might want to take a look atdrought if it would not have been for the water
my websites. "Montana, here I come!" andwells drilled by the mineral rights owners.In
"Minnesota, here I come!" both will give youMinnesota, there are not that many minerals to
information about rural areas and the states inworry about and all the mineral rights are being
general. These websites will inform you about theheld by the state. Also in Montana rock
economy, geology and history. On both sites youformations are a concern. If your ground is on a
can do searches for available real estate inpiece of granite, to have a septic system will be
different areas. This might also come in handy ifimpossible. Also there are many old subdivisions
you are just looking for a second home in orderthat were created before the state released
to have fun in the snow, to participate in summersubdivision laws, and those often do not have
activities, or just to rest and let the fur growlegal access. The mountains create small micro
back in for the next battle in the corporateclimates and you can have a very windy spot
world.The winters in the north have becomejust a mile or two from a very quiet spot. So
much milder over the last 20 years and arejust to find a piece of property on the Internet
actually fun. The cold air is very invigorating, itand buying it, won't work. You will need a real
makes your skin prickle and you have moreestate agent who works for you and checks for
energy. Snow is very much enjoyed by theall of these pitfalls. The western part of Montana
people who live there year round, but they alsooften gets gloomy in winter, while the central and
offer great indoor activities. Mall of America ineastern parts enjoy more sunshine, but also more
Minneapolis is one example and you have that onwind and dryness. Eastern Montana is wide open;
a smaller scale in smaller cities, with large indoorthose 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 snowbecause there are no mountains or trees to block
mobiles on the side of the roads. It just takesthe view. The real estate prices are very
one day of training and even 14 year olds arereasonable in those areas; the expensive real
allowed to ride them. In Montana you have 16estate is right around the mountains and
downhill ski slopes and about 50 cross countrycreeks.Minnesota and Montana now have strict
areas with groomed trails. In Minnesota they haveregulations when it comes to building near rivers,
dog sled races and ice fishing. It is also a lot ofstreams or lakes. You want to be sure to get the
fun to take your snowmobile or truck on the icelatest from the local health department. Actually
on the frozen lakes. The lakes freeze solid muchMontana does not have any building codes. You
later now and melt weeks earlier then they usedcan build whatever wherever, but you need to
to, but you still have about two month of funadhere to health and safety regulations, which
with the ice on the lakes.Montana has millions ofincludes the proper installation of a septic system
acres of National Forest and Minnesota has millionsand the ability for a fire truck to get water and
of acres of State Forest. So there are big areasto turn around. Subdivisions on the other hand
that have fresh air to breathe and are a paradisehave architectural requirements. If all homes in a
for hunters. In Montana the mountains catch thesubdivision are of similar value, it will hold up the
rain and send the water down in creeks andvalue of all the homes. On the other hand a
underground aquifers, which is used to water thecrummy trailer will keep the home prices below
farm ground. Montana is basically high desert forreplacement cost for quite a distance all around.
the most part and the rolling hills are suited toDo not buy a cheap lot and build the home of
accommodate cattle for grazing. Often you willyour 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 todifferent lot. Also you are better off buying a
contain the livestock. Near the creeks and riversstick built home, it will hold the value much better
ranches have water rights, to irrigate some ofin the long run if the location is right.Subdivisions in
their acreage. That is where they grow their hayMontana are often a far cry from what you
for the winter. Water rights are very important inmight think about when you think of subdivisions.
Montana and they say: Whisky is for drinking andOften you have miles of river gravel road, which
water is for fighting. Of course in winter, all theare very bumpy. You get 20 acres as a lot and
ranchers are friends again. But if you just want tooften electricity and phone are miles away. Also
buy a small parcel of land, you need to do somewatch out for rattlesnakes, bears and mountain
research to be sure that there is ground waterlion, if you are near the mountains. Wear boots
available for a well, otherwise you will have to haulwhen you walk through the grass. When you see
water from a nearby town. Also if you buy reala bear, be sure not to get between a mother and
estate, trees and grass are extra and so is anher cubs. Moose attack, hug a tree, because they
ample supply of water. If you want to buy awant to trample on things and they can't trample
large tract of land, you need to look out foryou if you hug a tree. But those encounters are
weeds, which need to be treated. If you thinkvery rare. In Red Lodge, Montana, the moose
about depending on water rights, you need towanders along the sidewalks and into yards. Bears
check and make sure the water will be availablefrolic along the alleys in fall to fatten up on
through all of the growing season and does notleftovers for the winter. They are mostly fun to
get turned off in the middle of summer.Inwatch as they bumble along and you get used to
Minnesota it rains frequently, the ground is fertilescooping moos poop out of your yard. You are
and suitable for row crops and gardens withoutjust part of the wild things here.In Montana you
water rights. The cattle you find there are mostlycan encounter county gravel roads that go on for
dairy cows, which are kept inside in winter. Most20 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 linedso 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 thedrive SUV or truck is just about mandatory if
one's big enough for water skiing. There is ayou want to live out in the country or climb the
waterfront home for every budget, depending onmountain passes or foothills in winter.Dorothea
the size and location of the lake. Private boatLowe is the Broker/Owner of Sky Lodge
docks are being pulled ashore in winter. During theProperties, Inc. licensed in Minnesota, North
time when the lakes are open, you can often seeDakota, Montana and Wyoming with two
a rack with canoes near a boat landing. Thosewebsites containing a wealth of information about
spaces are for rent. As opposed to Montana,these states:
Minnesota has hardly any fences. Corn stalks don'tAND also publishes a monthly newsletter, which is
wander off.... But if you have a horse, you cansent out once a month to 8,000 subscribers via
make friends with your neighbors and practicallyemail, informing about real estate listings, geology,
ride forever.Montana was mostly settled by thehistory, informs about agriculture and specific
English, Irish and Germans, while Minnesotaareas. Dorothea Lowe grew up in Germany, and
attracted Scandinavians and Germans. Montana isbought 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).