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