Taunya Fagan Bozeman Real Estate Blog: Montana Real Estate Blogs

The State of Montana has no use and levies no general sales tax on consumers, a standard also shared by Delaware, Alaska, New Hampshire and Oregon. Two of Montana's excise taxes are the cigarette tax (1921), $1.70 per pack, ranking this tax 13th highest, and the gasoline tax (1947), 27.75 cents per gallon, 18th in United States.

 Montana's personal income tax rate is composed of seven individual brackets. The top rate, ~6.9%, is levied when a person's income surpasses ~$14,900. Montana is 15th among states taxing at the individual level. In 2005, Montana taxed the individual $763, 26th in the United States.

Montana has both a state and local property tax, making it one of 37 states levying both. Like the majority of states levying both, Montana's local property tax rate is higher than the state's property tax rate. According to fiscal year 2004 data from the United States Census Bureau, Montana loacalities and communities reaped $774,842,000 from property taxes. During fiscal year 2002, Montana collected $183,937,000 in property taxes. The same year, combined state & local property tax collections equaled close to $959,000,000, which was $1034 per capita, 20th in the U.S. The 2006 figure puts the amount at $3108 per capita, ranking Montana 44th in the United States.

Montana's corporate tax structure consists of a flat rate 6.75%. Among states with a corporate income tax, Montana's is 28th highest in the U.S. In 2006, state-level corporate tax collections (minus local taxes) averaged $162.68 per capita, 18th in United States.

Montana Tax Payer's Association     The Tax Foundation - Montana State & Local Tax Burden

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Taunya Fagan Bozeman Montana Real Estate - Montana Ranches

As we all should know by now, not only are green building techniques beneficial to your pocket book by saving on energy costs, but a complete green home building program can:

1. improve your indoor environmental quality.
2. reduce natural resources depletion, save natural and man-made resources.
3. lower your overall environmental impact.
4. encourage others to go green.
5. reduce the amount of building/ solid waste sent to local landfills.
6. reduce the amount of energy drawn from local utility companies - buildings account for 39% of US energy use.
7. lower air-pollution - buildings account for 38% of US carbon dioxide - CO2 - emissions.
8. lower green house gas emissions.
9. lower dependency on foreign energy.
10. lower water consumption - buildings consume 14% of US potable water.  

According to the NAHB Model GREEN Home Building Guidelines, the process of green building incorporates environmental considerations into every phase of the home building process. That means that during the design, construction, and operation of a home, energy and water efficiency, lot development, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, homeowner maintenance, and the home's overall impact on the environment are all taken into account.

On June 20, 2008, the Montana Home Builders Association and Missoula Building Industry Association introduced a new voluntary residential green building program called the Montana Green Building Program, which is partnered with the Green Building Initiative^TM (GBI) and is designed to help produce more environmentally-friendly homes and increase energy-efficiency in Montana. The program has defined a baseline for practical green building methods and training resources for Montana builders.

For More Information Visit The US Green Building Council

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Taunya Fagan Bozeman Montana Real Estate - Find Montana Green Homes

The average minimum-wage earner in the 8-state Rocky Mountain Region needs to work no less than two full-time jobs in order to pay rent on a two-bedroom apartment.

In Nevada and Colorado, the two Rocky Mountain states with the most expensive housing, the minimum-wage earner needs to work a minimum of three full-time jobs. Montana and Wyoming have the most affordable housing. Future population growth will continue decreasing affordability, impacting not only minimum-wage earners, but also the higher paid workers, like policeman, teachers, health-care workers, fireman, office workers, etc.

Home ownership is intrinsic to ensuring stable communities by creating an enduring workforce and deepening neighborhood involvement. Affordable first homes, ideally with low, fixed-rate, affordable mortgages, provide both families and the communities in which they live stability and a deeper sense of permanence.

Good wages that maximize the potential for home ownership, a vibrant local economy with stable growth, and planning that minimizies sprawl and transportation costs, will encourage workers to settle down and become permanent, involved residents of the Rockies.

Thanks to Colorado College for the State of the Rockies Report Card map.

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Taunya Fagan Prudential Montana Real Estate Relocation Services

406.579.9683   taunya.fagan@prumt.com

   Warren Bufett: "I don't think it's getting worse. I think what people want to do is make it get worse."

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What do you think about this 4% Mortgage Solution?

By Michael Blassis, Publisher, Dream Homes Magazines

All Existing Mortgages

• Provide 4% Interest-Only loans to ALL homeowners with an existing mortgage from an accredited institution on their primary residences for a five-year term regardless of the homeowner's credit rating. After the first five-year term is up, the maximum interest rate increase is limited to 1% for one more five-year term. After that, the homeowner will refinance based on the market.
• If a home is currently valued for less than the homeowner paid for it, the 4% solution will stop the current slide in home prices and the home should be worth its original purchase price or more within the five years.

New Buyers

• 10% down for first-time buyers.
• 20% down for move-up buyers.
• 25% or more down NO docs. The buyer has real skin in the game. The lender should not have to worry about the buyer walking away from the loan because he or she has more than a fourth of the equity. No-docs loans are very important for small businesses and freelancers who have difficulty providing documentation of their incomes since their incomes change year to year.
• 4% loans will enable buyers to afford higher-priced properties, further stimulating and supporting home prices.

Eliminate Computer Zestimates

Government Tax Benefit

Minimum Overhead and Bank Profits

Conforming Rates

No More Toxic Loans 

The complete article, with much more information, is at Dream Homes Magazine

Bozeman Real Estate Report      Taunya Fagan Bozeman Montana Real Estate 

Halloween in Bozeman, Montana 2008 Events

Saturday, October 25, 2008:

1. 2:00pm-5:00pm - Museum of the Rockies Family Halloween Party family-friendly party. "Guaranteed to put everyone in that creepy, crawly Halloween spirit."

Halloween - Friday, October 31, 2008:

1. 9:00am - Halloween Costume Run, Distances: 1.1, 3.0 and 5.4 mile. Begins at Grant and 11th and circles the Montana State University campus. Prizes for best costumes.
2. No specific time - Trick Or Treating at Bozeman's Gallatin Valley Mall (586-4565)
   3:00-6:00pm - Trick or Treating in Downtown Bozeman, Downtown Bozeman More Information (586-4008)
3. 3:00-6:00pm Leaf and Bean Children's Halloween Party at Bozeman's Downtown Leaf & Bean (587-1580)
4. 4:00-7:00pm - Halloween Spook House at Bozeman's Gallatin Pioneer Museum (522-8122)
5. 5:00-7:00pm - Halloween Open House at Bozeman's Emerson Cultural Center (587-9797)

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Taunya Fagan Bozeman Montana Real Estate - More Bozeman Events

406.579.9683       taunya.fagan@prumt.com

Montana's 2008 Business Tax Climate Ranks 6th in Nation

Montana ranks 6th in the The Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index.

The Index, ranking Montana 6th, compares US states in five areas of taxation that impact business:

1. Corporate taxes
2. Individual income taxes
3. Sales taxes
4. Unemployment insurance taxes
5. Taxes on property, including residential and commercial property.

Montana's neighboring states ranked as follows:

1. Idaho (31st)
2. Wyoming (1st)
3. North Dakota (30th)
4. South Dakota (2nd)

Also, Montana State-Local Tax Burden Compared to US Average for 2008

Click for more on Montana Taxes 

Old insight into the early 2008 economic situation, the housing issue, the pending election, and the real state of the economy...

"It is hard to imagine any time in history when such rampant pessimism about the economy has existed with so little evidence of serious trouble..."

"With housing so weak, the recent softness in production and durable goods orders is understandable. But housing is now a small share of GDP (4.5%)."

"Pumping massive amounts of liquidity into the economy and pumping up government spending by giving money away through rebates may create more problems than it helps to solve."

"The good news is that the U.S. financial system is not as fragile as many pundits suggest. Nor is the economy showing anything other than normal signs of stress. "

For the whole story: The Economy Is [WAS] Fine (Really)

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TaunyaFagan.com - Bozeman Montana Real Estate     406.579.9683   taunya.fagan@prumt.com

Bozeman, Montana's Bridger Raptor Festival happens every year. Bridger's Raptor Festival is dedicated to counting the largest extant Golden Eagle migration in the United States.

The event happens at Bozeman's Bridger Bowl ski area in the Bridger Range of the Gallatin National Forest. According to the Bridger Raptor Festival schedule there will be nature walks and talks, wildlife films,  educational events, and a slew of entertainment programs for you, regardless of age.

According to the Bridger Raptor Festival website, the event "promotes an awareness and appreciation for the migration of raptors and other wildlife through the Northern Rockies."

The festival is open to the public. This is a don't miss event...especially for children!

HATCHFest number five begins TODAY, October 1, 2008 and runs through Saturday, October 4, 2008.

HATCHFest, a year-round international nonprofit film, music, journalism, fashion, architecture, photography, sustainable design, film technology, art (and much more) festival, is predicated upon the idea that the mentoring of creative minds, through programs like this week's HATCHfest and the year-round HATCHlabs, is key to inspiring TOMORROW's artists.

Don't miss it this year! You'll be surprised who you may see...

"Education by day, entertainment by night...From our everyday actions, to break through in innovative ideas for renewable and sustainable energy, solutions for better living are rising up around us," according to HATCHFest.

HATCHFest Home - Bozeman Film, Music, Art Festival      HATCHFest Schedule