What $800,000–$2 Million Really Buys You in Southwest Montana

A common question from out-of-area buyers is a version of:

“If we’re in the $800,000 to $2 million range, what does that usually get us around Livingston and Paradise Valley?”

Because Montana is a non-disclosure state, sold prices aren’t available to the public the way they are in many other places. What you can get, however, is a realistic feel for what buyers in that range are typically seeing in our market, based on current listings and my day-to-day experience helping people buy and sell in this part of the state.

What follows is a general guide, not a price sheet. Specific properties can sit under or above these ranges depending on location, condition, river frontage, views, and a dozen other details.

$800,000–$1.1M: Solid Homes, Good Locations, and Select Acreage

In this range, buyers around Livingston and Paradise Valley are often looking at:

• In-town Livingston homes
  • Well-kept historic or mid-century homes with decent or updated kitchens and baths
  • Normal-sized lots, usable yards, maybe a garage or small shop
  • Walkable or a short drive to Main Street, schools, and everyday services
  • For example, a nicely updated 4-bedroom, 2,600+ sq. ft. home in town, near Sacajawea Park, recently sold for $800k. Interestingly, this home did not have a garage; however, there were so many other positive features, the buyers were willing to accept it without one.
• Edge-of-town and close-in properties
  • Smaller acreages (often in the 1–10 acre range) with a comfortable home and some elbow room
  • Good, but not necessarily “front row,” views
  • Either newer, more modest homes or older homes that have been updated over time
  • Earlier this summer, there was a home about 4 miles from downtown Livingston that sold for about $850k. It had been built on a little over 10 acres with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and good views of Livingston and the mountains on the edge of town.
• Occasional light river/creek influence
  • Properties that are very close to river access or have views toward the river corridor
  • Not the high-end water properties, but places that still feel like the river or a creek is within reach and a part of your life in the area.
  • Another home that sold this fall was in the north end of Paradise Valley. It was priced at just under $1.8m with 2,600+ sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and common access to the Yellowstone River. Great views. It offered great views of the valley and was situated on a one-acre lot.

This band is where a lot of full-time residents and relocation buyers land when they want a quality home in a good spot without going all the way into “retreat property” pricing.

Around $1.1M–$1.5M: Bigger Views, More Elbow Room, and Better Finish

As you move up a bit, a few things usually change:

• Setting and views improve
  • You see more properties that were clearly placed for views and privacy, not just convenience
  • Some sit higher on benches or in spots with wider, more open vistas
• More house or more land (sometimes both)
  • Larger square footage, more bedrooms and baths, better separation of living spaces
  • Acreage in the 5–20 acre range is common, depending on where you are in the valley or around Livingston
  • Shops, barns, or well-done outbuildings start to show up more regularly
• Finish level steps up
  • Better windows, trim, flooring, and fixtures
  • Outdoor living spaces that were actually designed to be used: decks, patios, porches, outdoor seating areas

In this range, you’re getting closer to what many people picture when they say, “We’d like a real Montana place” — some privacy, strong views, and a home that doesn’t feel like a project.

We saw a home in this category sell in late summer. It sat on about 15 acres and had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, an equipment barn and a shop. This one was listed at $1.575m, located just a few miles from town and had nice mountain views.

Around $1.5M–$2M: Signature Settings, River Influence, and Turn-Key Feel

In the upper part of this range, you’re usually paying for the overall package: setting, views, privacy, and how “dialed in” the improvements are.

Typical characteristics:

• Riverfront or strong river presence
  • True frontage on stretches of the Yellowstone or serious, unobstructed river views
  • Practical, thought-out access to the water or very short distance to established access
• Top-tier views and privacy
  • Homes oriented to capture big, protected views in multiple directions
  • More separation from neighbors and a quieter feel overall
• Higher-end construction and details
  • Stronger focus on build quality: roof, windows, heating systems, insulation, and finish work
  • Kitchens and baths that feel finished and current rather than “we’ll remodel someday”
• Guest and multi-use potential
  • Layouts that work well for extended family, friends, or a second-home lifestyle
  • Guest spaces, bunk areas, accessory cabins, or well-designed outdoor living zones

At this point, you’re often looking at properties that feel like a full “retreat” or basecamp—places that are set up for long visits, hosting people, and really living in the setting, not just driving through it on weekends.

Here we had a 2,300+ sq ft home just outside of town that sold this past July with a 5-ish acre lot on the banks of the Yellowstone River. This home was built in 1992 with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths.  It included a single bed, single bath guest cabin as well.

How Non-Disclosure Affects All of This

Because Montana is a non-disclosure state:

• Closed sale prices are not public record the way they are in many other states.
• Online portals often rely on estimates, not actual sold data.
• The best picture of what specific properties have been trading for comes from MLS data and local experience, not from public websites.

So when we talk about “what $X buys you,” we’re really talking about:

• What buyers in that range are typically seeing and choosing between right now
• How recent listings and closed deals (from MLS data, not public records) have tended to line up
• General patterns, not exact dollar-for-dollar promises

The real work is matching your budget and goals to what’s actually available in real time.

How to Use This If You’re Planning a Purchase

Here’s a simple way to make this practical:

1. Pick your most likely range first
   Are you closer to $800k–$1.1M, $1.1M–$1.5M, or nearer the top of this band?
2. Decide what absolutely has to be included at that level
   • In-town vs. out in the valley
   • River/creek connection vs. big views vs. quick access to Livingston
   • Guest space, barn/shop, or none of the above
3. Look at current options and recent patterns, not just “Zestimates”
   We can sit down with actual listings and recent MLS data and look at what people in your range have been buying, without relying on rough public estimates.

If You’re Trying to Figure Out Where You Fit

If you’re looking at Livingston, Paradise Valley, or the surrounding southwest Montana market and you’re somewhere in that $800,000–$2 million lane, a good next step is simple:

• We talk through your budget and what you want the property to do: primary home, second home, retreat, small acreage, light income, etc.
• I’ll pull a small set of real-world examples—current listings plus recent sales data from the MLS—to show what buyers in your range have actually been choosing.
• From there, you can see whether your budget and expectations are lined up, or whether something needs to shift (price, location, type of property, or timing).

Feel free to reach out and we’ll work on getting a clearer picture of how your price range can fit with this wonderful area of Montana.