There were 215 homes listed for sale in the Bozeman area during the month of June. The highest priced single family home listed was $2,399,000 and the lowest was $265,000. The number of homes sold reached the highest point of the year in June with a total of 144 homes sold.  67% of the homes sold in Bozeman were single family homes, 25% were condos and 8% were townhomes. The average sale price of a home (including single family, condos and townhomes) increased to $343,423 – a 7% increase from the previous month and the highest average sold price of the year so far. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING 07/05/2016

 The US Navy has turned to Montana State University and Bozeman’s S2 corporation to help design new technology for diagnosing and detecting potential threats across the world.The Navy has given MSU’s Spectrum Lab and S2 Corporation a $4.5 million contract to develop new sensors to improve the Navy’s intelligence and awareness. The university and corporation were chosen based on their marked improvement over current technology. According to the CEO of S2 corporation, current sensors see only about 1 percent of a possible spectrum whereas technology they have developed in Bozeman sees more than 100 times that.The Navy has given S2 and Montana State a 3-year contract, which will provide additional stability for Bozeman’s burgeoning high tech industry. Bozeman, Montana's e-city according to... 06/27/2016

 Make some room Bozeman High School—it looks like you will have some company soon in Bozeman, Montana. The phrase now feels much more real, thanks to a 6-1 vote by the Bozeman School Board to build an entirely new, 9 -12 high school in Bozeman Montana. Bozeman has been one of the fastest growing small towns in Western United States.Bozeman High School currently has 2,000 students but has been expanding year over year. By 2020, the date a new high school should be opened, that enrollment will reach 2,400, hence the split.The Bozeman School Board, as well as its high school expansion advisory committee, worked hard in the past six months to determine the best method of expanding its educational services to a growing city.The Bozeman School District had grappled with several ideas, includi... 06/16/2016

As the outdoors continue to bring more and more people to Bozeman, Montana, the city has put a bit of organization back into nature. One of Bozeman’s biggest attractions is its 80 mile, in and around town trail system. Bozeman continually updates and improves its trails, knowing they are one of the main attractors to local residents. The trail is used by adults, children, runners, walkers and bikers. Whether for exercise or for travel, the trails have become a part of Bozeman’s outdoor culture.Starting sometime this year, the Gallatin Valley Land Trust and the City of Bozeman will create a new phone application that maps out every mile of Bozeman’s trails. The application will help residents organize runs or discover new trails. The app will also be constantly updated, so residents will... 06/13/2016

The “M” Trail and the Drinking Horse Trail attract a host of daily hikers, trail runners, bikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Bridger Canyon Road is also one of the more beautiful and fun biking roads in the area. As the area’s popularity has increased, Bridger Canyon road has seen a lot of pedestrian and recreational traffic.Currently, only a small shoulder exists for people who want to get to the trail heads without having to drive. Using a previously passed bond, the city will construct a new pathway from Bozeman that will go to both the "M" and Drinking Horse Trails. The pathway will be fully separated from Bridger Canyon Road and is expected to cost $4 million.The path will be asphalt to allow bikers to also use the path with ease. It will connect into city trails at Story Mill R... 06/09/2016

This month, we will compare single family home sales in the Gallatin Valley through April 2016 to last year’s home sales and help reveal trends in the market. Here are a few stats: 2016 sales are currently projected to drop by 21.62% (1,485 in 2015, 388 through April, projected to 1,164 sales in 2016) Dollar volume is projected to drop by 24.05% ($663,572,593 in 2015, $167,993,026 through April, projected to 503,979,078 in 2016) Currently, homes are moving slightly faster than last year, staying on the market 2.06% shorter than 2015 (97 days on the market in 2015, 95 days on the market in 2016) Summary: The 2016 housing market has moved slower than in 2015, at least through the first 4 months. Home buyers and sellers alike should keep in mind that the most active time periods, those ove... 06/08/2016

The vacation rental market in Bozeman has grown quickly over the past couple of years. The presence of online short term rental sites like AirBnB, have made it easier for any property owner to advertise their home to the world. Vacation home sales increased drastically across the US in 2014, partly due to their wonderful return on investment. But as the market has grown, more and more concerns have been raised about the lack of regulations of vacation rentals in Bozeman.Bozeman has been honored as a top 16 world wide destination and a top ten ski town in the United States. Coupled with Big Sky's summer growth (and very consistent winters of course!) as well as Yellowstone's increasing popularity, it can be easier to find short term renters than in other Montana markets.While short term ... 06/07/2016

Being in the real estate world we hear a lot of different things that people want in a home.  Some are basic...we need three bedrooms, two bathrooms.  Some are a little out there and, some are downright crazy...I want a mountain view home with acreage but still be able to walk downtown.  Through everything we hear, a few things come up more often than others.  Here is what's on most peoples wish list when looking for a new home in Bozeman.  1. A LARGE LOTMost people move to Montana to get a little space.  Some breathing room and an outdoor area to play in or store your toys.  In town Bozeman some subdivisions give you very little as far as outdoor space goes.  Homes are squeezed in together to make the most of the land available.  However, there are some neighborhoods where you can get ... 05/31/2016

The U.S. Department of Commerce rewards companies across the nation for making a substantial contribution to the expansion of US exports.The “E” award, created by President John F. Kennedy, is the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive from the department.  Simms Fishing Products from Bozeman, Montana received the award in mid-May, showing the company’s growth and its consistency in delivering top quality goods.The awardees this year contributed $2.23 trillion dollars worth of goods and services in 2015. These companies also provided 11.5 million jobs that were supported by exports.Bozeman becomes more worldly each and every day. Business is not limited to the valley, to Montana or even the United States. Businesses continue to be attracted to the area for its unique culture an... 05/25/2016

The building that housed the Kmart in Bozeman will be demolished. Bozeman’s planning office approved a demolition permit this week as city officials continue to try to attract new development, both commercial and residential, in Bozeman’s Midtown district.Kmart closed in Bozeman in 2014 due to financial struggles from the national brand. The land under the building was rezoned in early May by the Bozeman City Commission in an attempt to spur more business development in the area.The demolition permit has approved tearing the building down to its concrete slab. Workers will remove the building material and then fence the remaining site until future development occurs. As of yet, no official development plans have been created.Bozeman’s zoning changes along 7th avenue has already spurred ... 05/18/2016

A studied performed by Oregon based Rick Williams Consulting suggested that Bozeman Montana update its plans for managing parking in its downtown district. Parking demand has increased in Downtown Bozeman, the city’s historic district, due to new development and new visitor’s being attracted to the area.Bozeman will need to develop a strategy for parking along Main Street and the rest of downtown if it wants to keep the area a convenient place to eat, shop and find entertainment.As Bozeman grows, existing parking lots might be used for infill development. A precedent has already been set in Midtown Bozeman to favor commercial and residential real estate development over maintaining parking spaces. Bozeman Commissioners approved allowing businesses to reduce parking in Midtown, if they i... 05/13/2016

6 Things You Should Know About Starting Your Own Garden in Bozeman, MontanaAre you looking to start a garden in Bozeman? Here in Montana we have a relatively short growing season, but with a little planning and a lot of weeding, you can easily grow a successful crop! If you don’t have the option or the space to garden on your own property, there are several options for community gardens and CSA’s to get you in the dirt.  1. COMMUNITY GARDENSCommunity gardens are a great way to take advantage of the growing season even if you don’t have outdoor space at home! Lucky for us, Bozeman has two community garden areas where the public can rent garden plots during the growing season. The Langohr Community Garden has 42 20’ x 30’ plots located on the South side of Main Street off of Galligator tr... 05/12/2016

A settlement has been reached between the City of Bozeman and disgruntled residents in Bridger Creek Phase 3. The lawsuit, filed by 22 property owners in the neighborhood, came in reaction to the discovery of gases leaking into homes from the nearby landfill.Bozeman City Commissioners approved to settle with the home owners for $7.5 million. The settlement will also wipe any liability from the City of Bozeman, minus a few outstanding lawsuits also affiliated with the landfill leak. Taxpayers will pay $750,000 for the case, while 2.5 million will be paid by Golf Course Partners (developers of nearby Bridger Creek Golf Course) and its engineering firm Morrison and Maierle.The remainder of the bill will be paid by Bozeman’s insurance. This settlement also allowed a dispute between the City... 05/10/2016

THE GALLATIN COUNTY IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY...  The community is child friendly, there’s plenty of open space for them to run around soaking up fresh air and the schools are top notch.  While there are many places where families will pay a huge tuition for private school because the public school system is lacking, Bozeman is not one of them.  The public schools in our area have won numerous awards, pull some of the best teachers and have a huge support system from our community…which keeps them thriving.  That's not to say we don't have some equally amazing private school options!  In Bozeman, EDUCATION GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.  In any given school year a student may take a field trip to Lewis and Clark Caverns, have a ski day at Bridger Bowl, visit the Willson for a sy... 05/04/2016

Bozeman will be the first airport in Montana to officially service American Airline flights. Starting in June, the airline will start servicing a direct flight from Bozeman, Montana to Dallas, Texas. Based on how the experiment goes, American Airlines hopes to expand into other Montana cities, as well as increase Bozeman’s travel options. Bozeman's airport had more than a million visitors last year.By adding an entirely new airline with additional direct flight options will increase a traveler’s ability to get to Bozeman. Bozeman’s tourism industry has lead to many visitors becoming permanent residents. Yellowstone has broken its visitor record in subsequent years so the area continues to attract more and more people. Bozeman’s economy, as well as its real estate industry, have seen hug... 05/04/2016

Bozeman, Montana is the kind of place where people still feel comfortable leaving their front doors unlocked and keys in the car (although, we don’t necessarily recommend it.) With only 32.7 crimes per 1,000 people in 2014, the Bozeman Police Department attributes much of Bozeman’s safety to economic stability along with community group and resident efforts. While Bozeman has certainly been shaken by isolated acts of violence in the past, the reality is that crimes in Bozeman are few and far between. In Bozeman you don’t have to worry about going into the “wrong area” of town, walking at night or going for a pre-dawn jog. While we always recommend taking steps to protect yourself when out alone, there are few threats against Bozeman resident’s safety.    The majority of the crimes commi... 05/03/2016

Montana State University architecture students helped survey Bozeman’s historic district and Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District, inputting and updating the city’s historic homes in the area.  Students looked at over 500 homes and structures nearby campus and then logged their findings to help Bozeman determine what changes, if any, they will make to Bozeman’s historic district regulations.Currently, the historic district and the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District both require residents to file for certificates of appropriateness when renovating their home, particularly its exterior. Rising home prices, a booming economy and bureaucratic slow down have lead City Commissioners to OK plans to revise the regulations.In order for Bozeman officials to improve its historic dist... 04/28/2016

This month, we will compare the first two months of single family home sales in 2015 to the first two months in 2016. Here are some statistics: Total home sales decreased by 15.98% in January and February this year. (253 sold in Quarter 1 of 2015, 169 through February 2015. 142 sold through February 2016.) Total dollar volume decreased by 6.90% in January and February this year. ($104,984,245 in Quarter 1 of 2015, $69,989,501 through February 2015. $65,158,535 through February 2016.) Homes have spent 13.91% less time on the market this year. (115 days on the market in Quarter 1 of 2015, 99 days on the market in 2016.) HOWEVER, its important to note that as of 2/29/16, 286 single family homes were under contract in 2016, representing $135,862,319 in dollar volume. (To put this in perspec... 04/13/2016

04/11/2016

 The Bozeman School District has delayed a vote to narrow Bozeman High’s expansion plan in light of a new hybrid plan raised in late March. Officials had been wrestling between two high school expansion plans, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. The third plan, if accepted, would try to lower the drawbacks seen in previous plans.Bozeman had been debating two expansion plans. In the first idea, Bozeman would build a new, fully separated high school. The new school would operate as a separate entity from BHS. This expansion plan would follow the model set by towns in Montana who already have two to three high schools (i.e. Missoula, Helena, Billings etc.). A new highschool would cost the most money to build but would lead to less renovations and expansions in the future. Funding t... 04/11/2016