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