| Beautiful two-bedroom house in Anaconda, | | | | laid in the Van for an hour looking over the |
| Montana, for $18,900. That's what the ad | | | | current listings. Nearby someone had parked |
| said. We were in Missoula after driving | | | | their RV on the grass, apparently camping |
| around the country for six weeks in 2002, | | | | there in the city park. Anaconda was |
| exploring affordable places to live. We had | | | | apparently still easy-going like that. Sure |
| never heard of Anaconda, but we fell in love | | | | enough, prices had gone up, but there were |
| with it the moment we drove into town, and we | | | | still five houses under $50,000. The sixth on |
| bought the home for $17,500 the next day, | | | | the list was $60,000 for two small houses, |
| after looking at five similarly-priced homes. | | | | one with all new siding and paint. |
| | | | Unfortunately, a ride around town later |
| It had a full basement, a garage with opener, | | | | showed us that they are all fixer-uppers. |
| hardwood floors and more. That's affordable! | | | | There are no homes left under $50,000 that |
| But the jobs were all very low-paying, so we | | | | are ready to move into. We saw at least a |
| sold the home five months later for a small | | | | couple under $100,000 that were remodeled and |
| profit and moved on. A couple years later we | | | | ready. |
| started the website on cheap houses, | | | | |
| HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com, based on our | | | | Even at twice the price as they were five |
| experience touring the country looking at | | | | years ago, the homes here are affordable. But |
| towns to live in, and Anaconda became the | | | | more than the houses, the town itself is |
| centerpiece of the site. | | | | cheap to live in. After checking into our |
| | | | room, we walked to the Classic Cafe on Park |
| Now, in 2007, with an internet business that | | | | Avenue, a cafe/restaurant/bar (there are a |
| allows us to live where we want, we have our | | | | lot of these combinations in Anaconda) to use |
| home in Colorado. But over the years we have | | | | the wireless internet connection. We did an |
| wondered whether Anaconda had been | | | | hour or two of work, had a large basket of |
| "discovered" yet. The answer seems to be yes. | | | | french fries, drank three beers (me) and two |
| As I write this, I am sitting in our room | | | | cups of herbal tea (Ana), and asked for the |
| above the Harp and Thistle Inn looking out at | | | | bill. |
| downtown Anaconda, and up at the surrounding | | | | |
| mountains. | | | | $8.25! I was expecting $15. The beers cost |
| | | | $1.25 each, the tea $1, and the the fries |
| Anaconda - Great Small Town | | | | $2.50. That's Anaconda. This morning we'll |
| | | | have to see if the McDonalds still has |
| We drove into town on Tuesday afternoon, | | | | 25-cent coffee after all these years. Meals |
| August 7, 2007. The town looked the same | | | | are cheap here, groceries are cheap here. The |
| initially, but then we saw the new Brew Pub, | | | | classic art-deco Washoe theater is just $4 |
| the Rocky Mountain Brewery. We have since | | | | (we may go see a movie later). |
| heard that they have great food, which we | | | | |
| will find out later tonight. Other new | | | | Later, at Nickel Annies Casino - just four |
| businesses were here and there, but what | | | | blocks from our room - we spent an hour |
| surprised us most was that almost all the | | | | dropping $5 in nickels into our favorite slot |
| businesses we had thought would fail when we | | | | machines. But the first two dollars was on |
| left town five years ago are still around. We | | | | the house. They give you a dollar or two each |
| stopped at the visitor's center. | | | | (depending on the day) just for signing in. |
| | | | Then, after buying a beer for $2, the second |
| There was a new dinner train that travels the | | | | one was free (this could be a dangerous town, |
| twenty miles of hills between Anaconda and | | | | but at least everything is within walking |
| Butte, we were told. After telling the lady | | | | distance). |
| at the desk about the home we owned five | | | | |
| years earlier, she told her own story about | | | | That was our first afternoon and evening in |
| buying a house for $13,000 three years ago. | | | | town. Today we may drive into the mountains. |
| She got tired of fixing it up, and sold it | | | | There is a little lake we love, down a dirt |
| for $20,000 before buying another. She told | | | | road at about 8,000 feet. It is one of the |
| me that the really cheap houses are all | | | | most beautiful places around, but we'll keep |
| fixer-uppers now. Prices had at least doubled | | | | the location our own little secret for now. |
| in the last five years. | | | | Bottom line? Anaconda still has cheap houses, |
| | | | a low cost of living, and is a beautiful |
| We grabbed a real estate guide and went to | | | | place to live. |
| Washoe Park, where we parked in the shade and | | | | |