Government Land For Sale Montana

The Popularity Of Homesteading In Montana

Not only is it legal to homestead in Montana, but the state has been named one of the best states in the country for homesteading. The flourishing summers and tranquil landscape are some of the reasons why Montana attracts homesteaders.

Biogas company HomeBiogas believes that Montana is one of the best places to homestead due to several factors, including price, community beliefs, local climate, accessibility to water, and safety.

Montana is also one of a few states in the country to have passed the Homestead Declaration Law, where property owners can officially declare their property as a homestead.

How Do You Sell Land In Montana

If you’re selling land in the Montana area, search real estate agents in Montana who can help price and sell land nearby.

No matter how big your dreams of owning land, they’ll fit into “The Last Best Place.” With over 94 million acres of land in Montana, the 4th largest state, it’s no surprise ranches in the tens of thousands of acres regularly come up for sale. The state is known for having two very different geographic regionsthe western Rocky Mountains featuring Glacier National Park, and the eastern region characterized by prairie terrain and badlands.

Montana is home to an abundance of wildlife and features some of the best fly-fishing in the world. Whether you’re looking for a ranch, hunting land, or agricultural property, land for sale in Montana has some epic landscape options.

The Education Donations Portal 20 Is Now Available

You may now register to receive donations as a Montana Public School District or Student Scholarship Organization.

For more information on tax credits for qualified education contributions, please see our guide.

The Department of Revenue works hard to ensure we process everyones return as securely and quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, it can take up to 90 days to issue your refund and we may need to ask you to verify your return.

We encourage all Montanans to file early and electronically. This is the easiest and most secure way to file and get your refund as quickly as possible.

Remember, we are here to help. Please contact us if you need additional assistance.

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Agriculture In Montana Is King

In comparison to other western states, Montanas economy isstill fundamentally driven by agriculture. With the exception of the more developedmountain valleys in the western region, the ag industry still reigns supreme inBig Sky Country. By the numbers Montana has:

• Over 27,000 farms
• Spreadacross 60 million total acres with each property averaging 2,207 acres in size,
• That altogether produce around $4.6 billion inannual revenue 1.

These agricultural activities have historically played a major role in valuation of all rural land in Montana. In turn this creates a market condition that is heavily reliant on the broader trends happening in national and international commodities markets. While agriculture remains a cornerstone of Montanas ranch market today, it is increasingly difficult for an operational ranch to pencil out as outside circumstances have emerged and changed the market dynamic.

Some Facts About Montana

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Who Owns Montana Top 10 Landowners

1. Plum Creek Timber. 765,925 acres

Timberland scattered across northwestern Montana

2. Farris and Dan Wilks. 358,837 acres

The Texans made their money in masonry, fracking. Own N Bar Ranch near Lewistown, properties in Meagher, Blaine, Garfield and Bighorn counties.

3. Galt family. 248,023 acres

Descended from Jack Galt, ranch manager who married Louise Rankin, who inherited Willington Rankins lands.

71 Ranch near Martinsdale, ranches in Broadwater and Rosebud counties.

4. Stan Kroenke. 225,162 acres

Billionaire owner of Denver Nuggets , Colorado Avalanche , Los Angeles Rams and husband of a Wal-Mart heiress.

Broken O Ranch of Augusta. Cedar Creek Ranch near Ennis and PV Ranch near Hysham.

5. Robert Earl Holding. 213,462 acres.

Fortune in Utah-based Sinclair Oil Corp., Sun Valley Resort in Idaho.

Sunlight Ranch east of Billings, additional properties near Wyola and in Carbon County.

6. Coffee family. 212,633 acres.

Descendants of Virginia Nefsy, heiress to the founders of Stockman Bank of Montana.

Coffee Cattle Co. outside Miles City, additional properties in Custer and Rosebud counties.

7. Great Northern Properties, 153,056 acres

Resource investment company.

Coal-bearing properties in southeast Montana in the Bull Mountains.

8. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 151,840 acres

Trail Creek Land and Livestock outside Miles City, Winnecook Ranch near Harlowtown.

9. Ted Turner. 148,870 acres

Media mogul.

10. John Hillenbrand. 118,417 acres

Buying Cabins In Montana Mountains

Find cabins for sale in Montana Mountains including rustic log cabins, modern A-frame houses, cheap cabins, remote waterfront camps, and small cabins with land.

The 38 matching properties for sale in Montana Mountains have an average listing of $1,059,070 and price per acre of $45,280. For more nearby real estate, explore land for sale in Montana Mountains.

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Your Rights When It Comes To Utilities

If you are looking to live off the grid, you will be pleased to know that off-grid electricity is legal in the state of Montana, though you will need an electrical permit to install your own system. Some counties have zoning laws about the size of the electric system and where its placed, so again, its important to do your research.

Organizing water can be more difficult as all water in Montana technically belongs to the State. In most cases, water rights are tied to the property and are thus transferred as ownership is transferred. Obtaining new water rights from the Montana Department of Natural Resources comes with a permit and fees as per the 1973 Water Use Act.

Contrastingly, sewage regulations in Montana are relatively relaxed. Its usually a simple process to get a permit for an off-grid waste-disposal system, though all homes which have running water must either install septic or connect to the municipal sewage system.

Can You Homestead In Montana

Modern homesteading involves living off ones own land. With its abundance of natural beauty and resources, Montana seems like the perfect state to set up a homestead off the grid and become self-sufficient.

But can you homestead in Montana and is there free land in Montana? Read on to find out whether homesteading in Big Sky is still legal.

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Montana Land For Sale

Land for sale in Montana is big business with a combined value of approx. $4 billion with around 800,000 acres of land for sale in the state. Of the 56 counties, Flathead County contains the most land for sale in Montana, and the median price of ranches, farms, and rural real estate for sale according to Montana Land and Farm is $600,000.

You can browse land available for sale here.

Is Homesteading In Montana Legal

The good news is that homesteading is legal in Montana. Homesteading in the state dates back to the Homestead Act of 1862, enabling US citizens to claim land provided that they lived on it, cultivated it, and improved it. Though several supplementary laws have been passed since the 1862 act, homesteading is still legal in Montana.

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Montana Land: Economy And Commerce

Originally, most of the States economy was directly based on Montana land.

Today, Montanas economic landscape is based on tourist enterprises , trade and tech industries, transportation, government agencies, educational systems, and other types of commerce.

While having yielded to new forms of modern commerce indirectly related to Montana land, Montanas economy continues to benefit directly from the land through cattle and sheep grazing acreage for homes and commercial buildings.

Montana land also provides soils for farming and ranching open land for hunting and fishing and geologic formations for petroleum and minerals , all of which are just as important for maintaining Montanas economy as are the more modern industries, like technology and manufacturing.

How Do You Buy Land In Montana

Buying or selling land in Montana is a somewhat different process than a simple purchase of a property. Making the decision to work with an agent experienced in land sales is a good place to start.

Aside from setting the location, assessing the local amenities, as well as the potential recreational activities, there are also a few other things to consider.

Ground-water purity is one thing as it often comes from wells and youll need to access the history of the land and ground. It is also essential that a potential buyer takes steps to check whether the land has been or is likely to be affected by floods in the future.

You also want to consider any zoning and land-use restrictions in the area youre looking to buy in. These are easily accessible from the land planning departments website like THIS one forFlathead. Aside from that, it is about securing a mortgage if required, finding a realtor then making an offer when you think youve found the right spot.

After that, youll have an inspection and appraisal period before making sure all the utilities are hooked up. After this, the closing on the land can be scheduled.

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Setting Up A Homestead In Montana

There are a few important things to know if youre thinking of buying a homestead in Montana. According to Hello Homestead, the average size of a homestead or farm in Montana is 2134 acres, and the average price for farm real estate in Montana, as of 2017, was $920 an acre, inclusive of all land and buildings. Meanwhile, the average price of cropland was $1020 per acre and $660 an acre for pasture land.

Typically, the types of crops grown on homesteads in Montana include root vegetables such as beets, potatoes, radishes, and carrots. Tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, beans, peppers, sweet corn, peas, lentils, and wheat also do very well in the state. The average growing season lasts for 116 days.

To sell the food you produce in Montana, you are not required to obtain a food license as long as you register your products with the Montana Department of Health and Human Services Division of Food and Consumer Safety.

This also only applies if the food youre producing falls under the category of cottage foods, which includes dry baked goods that dont require refrigeration, dried fruits, jellies, honey, jams, teas, coffee, candies, and chocolate.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation operates 27 grazing districts in the state where homesteaders can turn out their livestock. However, they must first obtain a grazing permit.

Government Land For Sale

Despite the title, it doesnt quite mean what you think it means. We arent selling land for the government. Government land for sale is really just a part of how we are able to provide you with the cheapest land prices around. Finding these deals is a very time consuming process, and rather difficult and confusing to someone without experience in doing it. So we scour through these government land auctions and sales, keeping our eyes opened for great deals that we can in turn pass onto you.

Often the government sells off land to raise funding, or to get reimbursed on a property that the previous owner did not pay their taxes on. Sometimes the government actually sell off some of their own land due to economic and administrative costs that are incurred in managing it. This government land we have for sale is guaranteed to be free of any issues and you will own it free and clear.

This government land is no different than any other land we have for sale, its really just part of how we offer the cheapest land available.

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Reasons To Buy Land In Montana

Whether you know Montana as âThe Treasure Stateâ or âBig Sky Countryâ, thereâs no denying that this western state is plentiful in terrain, natural resources, and land. From wilderness preserves to the Rocky Mountains to Glacier National Park, land buyers will find a bit of everything in Montana read moreâ¦

Can You Live Off

You can live off-grid in the state perfectly legally, with some local laws even geared towards addressing many of the issues that come with this lifestyle. On top of that, youll still need to get a permit to build your home.

Its really the local zoning laws that need to be checked first as these are the decrees that determine what you are able to do on your own land if you want to live off-grid in accordance with the laws. As it turns out though, Montana has some of the most relaxed laws in the US regarding zoning.

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What Is The Cost Of Living In Montana

The cost of living is calculated by taking the average cost of living in all the states of the country. This average is taken as the base, therefore its value is considered as 100. An index below 100 indicates the state is cheaper than the countryâs average. The cost of living in Montana is 94 indicating that it is a cheaper state than most other states.

The Increasing Allure And Values

Over the past15 years there has been an increasing allure for out of state investors to purchaseMontana real estate for multiple reasons aside from agriculture. Montanas lifestyle,recreational resources, and scenic open landscapes are becoming progressively moreaccessible and create a desirable refuge that savvy investors and wealthyindividuals are seeking. Montana can still offer better value and often timesthe best deal when compared to other states that are consistently perceivedto be saturated. As a result, we have observed a steady rise in the average price-per-acreof land for sale in Montana.

• In2018 the average price per acre was $2,066,
• Comparedto an $887 per acre average from the early 2000s 2.

There arealso less tangible characteristics that have contributed to drawingnon-resident buyers to land investments in Montana.

One of theattractive attributes of owning a ranch in Montana is that a real sense ofcommunity is still intact surrounding rural ranch living, said Kelly Bennett, aColorado native whose family purchased a large ranch near Montanas JeffersonRiver approximately ten years ago.

Kelly claims that, One of the most refreshing parts of owning the ranch is being a part of a connected landscape and community that is truly collaborative.

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Why Should You Buy A Property/house In Montana

Montana is one of the most beautiful states in the country with its fresh air and scenic beauty. If you like outdoor activities then this place is heaven on earth for you. Hunting and fishing are very famous. With a low cost of living, it is easy to live here. Winters might get dull and grey but winter outdoor activities are your best friend in such season. Snowboarding, snow skiing, ice fishing, and ice skating are some fun things to do in winter. The steak that you get in Montana is simply mouthwatering. The State economy is gradually getting better.

Government Property For Sale Or Disposal

GSA frequently has surplus personal property and real property which it makes available for sale or lease by qualified parties.

Furniture and equipment such as appliances, wall hangings, technological devices, and the relocation expenses for such property.

Real Property relates to land and structures on that land, and includes undeveloped land, office buildings military holdings and more.

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Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense.

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department.

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What Do You Need To Know About Zoning Laws

While we have answered the question of if you are able to homestead in Montana, there are still certain rules that need to be followed if you plan to live off the grid. In some cases, youll need to obtain a permit before setting up particular areas of your homestead.

There are varying zoning laws between the counties so its important to research at a local level. Overall, the zoning laws in Montana are quite relaxed compared to other states.

In Stillwater County, for example, there is no zoning at all, and residents are allowed to do whatever they like on their land. While in Bear Canyon, there are zoning laws but residents have the right to keep animals and grow food on their land, even if that land only spans one acre.

There Are Regional Sub

At 630 miles wide and 255 miles tall, the State of Montana covers a huge geographic area and encompasses a diverse range of smaller regions within the overall state. As seen below the general split is made north to south, with the Rocky Mountains characterizing the western half and the Great Plains in the eastern half. Land for sale in Montanas western half generally experiences higher demand and higher prices due to influence from dense recreational resources, scenic mountain valleys, higher elevation, and more developed towns with cultural amenities. Eastern Montana on the other hand is quite different with its tight-knit rural communities, beautiful rolling short grass prairie, lower elevation, and large ranches and farms typically driving a lower price per acre. Both of these regions also contain smaller pockets with their own market influencers.

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