Today I signed papers selling my house in Arizona and closing out that chapter of my story. I lived in it just a few years before I had an opportunity to move to Montana. It has since then been a rental property. I cannot say there were a lot of memories made there compared to those made in my tiny condo in Whitefish or my home on a larger lot in Kalispell.
Montana is my home. Living in Montana for twelve years makes it the longest state I have lived in continuously. It has been easy to call it home. At times I miss the 40 minute drive to Phoenix for dining and entertainment. Now, I have just minutes to an outdoor paradise. We all live with trade offs. I now have seasons. I don’t have to endure the sweltering heat. While grizzly bears may kill you, the wildlife and plants of Montana don’t have spines, thorns, or venom. I don’t miss Arizona like I would miss Montana.
I could have enjoyed being a rental property investor/owner. What I found out though is that when some people rent, they don’t care how they treat things. The have no vested interest where they are staying. Both long-term renters I had caused a lot of damage. I understand why people do the VRBO or AirBnB thing. They can make a lot more money over a shorter period and that money gives more capital to work with and make repairs. The rentals can be looked after more frequently and things don’t go unattended to for long periods of time.
The only remaining tie to Arizona I have now is just the cat, LF. Full speed ahead on to the next chapters in my life. What will be next?
