I've heard and read this "Billionaires pushing out the Millionaires" bit countless times last few years in various places online and first hand from residents on our travels in MT, WY and Idaho.
I'm sure there is truth to it in some places but this is the first time I've seen it applied to Sheridan...typically it's brought up when folks talk about places like Alpine, Star Valley, Hoback, even Cody for that matter or over in Victor or Swan valley in Idaho or up in various places outside Bozeman and Kalispell in MT...and the realestate prices would much more support that comment in those areas...but Sheridan? Not really. There are multi-million dollar listings in most any modest sized town/city in the American west with any kind of view or potential tourist draw so sure, there are a few around Sheridan but that area is nothing like the others I mentioned and I've been through them all and had a eye on the realestate markets in all of them as well.
You get alot more for your money east of the Bighorns than the places listed above but you dont get the same views or proximity to the parks or Jackson area there...not that it isn't overpriced, but what isn't these days?
We like the cody area, just not real interested in Cody itself or any place on the main drag into Yellowstone, just too much tourist traffic. Going a bit north and/or east to Powell or Greybull may be an option, both areas on our short list to put boots on the ground and have seen some listings that caught our attention.
In a few areas there is a possibility of buying a second home and putting it up as an STR when we aren't there for few years depending on how things pan out here in the next year, but the Zoning and STR statutes in Cody don't support that idea either and depending on if Park county decides to follow Teton County's lead in regard to STR regulations that may rule out Powell as well if we were to go that route.
As I've said a few times, there is alot to consider and the situation is very dynamic presently. I wish I had the freedom and flexibility to just pack up and go as so many have suggested...its just not that simple presently, but that may change over the next year as certain things fall into place.
I certainly appreciate all the input of all kinds folks, never thought there would be this much response to this post.
The actual truth to it is the Flathead Lake area and Jackson. Everyone else it is just BS.
The millionaire move to locations are Sheridan, Bozeman, Livingston, Swan Valley, Thayne and the rest of the Yellowstone Ecosystem and Flathead Lake areas.
The billionaires bought up Jackson and Flathead lake area.
The real billionaires were in Casper and Billings during the oil booms, if you look at who has held onto land in Wyoming and Montana it all started int he 1960's-1990's.
Modern day millionaires are middle class. 1 in 7 Americans is a millionaire. These are the Covid era folks that are mostly conservative Los Angelinos police officers and firemen that were retiring anyway so they sold their $1,500,000 house and bought one in North Idaho, East Idaho, Cody, Bozeman, wherever.
For whatever reason Cody was not one of those classical millionaire destinations. Recently it has gotten more popular, but should it be?
Central Montana should be kind of a sleeper destination, but every dickhead teleworker during Covid from California, Washington and Oregon kept driving past Missoula and Bozeman and turned all these little ranch towns in the middle of nowhere into a desirable place with $600,000 2500 Square foot ramblers building in 2005.
Riverton and the Bighorn Valley smells like rotten sugar beets half the year.
Lander on the other hand is freaking outstanding, but there isn't anything there. If it doesn't have the $600,000 2500 square foot rambler problem today it will soon.
You are correct though and I fully understand that you don't know what any place is truly like unti you live there full time. We expect a learning/adaptation period wherever we may go.
