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April 2018
Believe in Better:
HOMES UNDER 300K
This winter, the Tri-County Housing Task Force made up of area non-profit, real estate, building and housing professionals conducted focus group meetings with stakeholders to better understand the actual and perceived housing issues in Lewis & Clark, Broadwater and Jefferson counties. Information garnered from the focus groups are part of a greater project aimed at collecting data and making recommendations for identifying and solving housing needs in the area. Comments by participants in the focus groups included the rise of home prices and, in particular, the lack of availability of homes under $300,000. Across the U.S., housing inventories are still running low reeling from a depressed housing market that spanned over a decade, resulting in a particularly short supply of entry-level homes both locally and nationally. But Mark Runkle, Developer of Mountain View Meadows in Helena continues to prove that quality homes can still be built at a price that is attainable for first-time homebuyers. "It is true," said Runkle, "with the cost of infrastructure, building fees, and rising materials and labor costs, maintaining prices where we would like them to be is more and more difficult, but we strive to keep the dream of owning a home attainable for qualified first-time home buyers." A number of new homes and home plans are currently available for sale at Mountain View Meadows in the $225,000 to $280,000 price range including a single-story 2 bed/2 bath for $224,900, a 1507 S.F. 3 bed/2.5 bath at $249,900 and a 1808 S.F. 3 bed/3 bath two-story for $279,900. "These homes come with a fenced side-yard and UG water system and free landscaping front and rear adding to their exceptional value," said Runkle. "And they are R.D. eligible providing an opportunity to live minutes from downtown with city of Helena services using a low cost loan program popular with first-time homebuyers." Also available are 1219 S.F. single-story condos priced at $229,900 and two 1635 S.F. single-story condos at $269,900. In June, building will resume east of Mountain View Park with homes starting around $245,000. "Building better homes at affordable prices remains a top priority at Mountain View Meadows," said Runkle.
Building a Better Community:
TRI-COUNTY HOUSING TASK FORCE
The Tri-County Housing Task Force is conducting a Housing Needs assessment and is asking residents of Lewis & Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater counties to go on-line and take the Housing Needs Survey (Link provided below). The Housing Task Force is comprised of representatives from the City of Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Jefferson County, Broadwater County, Rocky Mountain Development Council, Inc., United Way, Helena Building and Industry Association, Helena Association of Realtors, Helena Housing Authority, and Helena Chamber of Commerce. "The needs assessment will help identify current housing needs and help public officials decide on long-term strategies to address challenges and opportunities in the area's housing market," said Task Force planning consultant Kate McMahon with Applied Communications based in Whitefish.   A previous housing needs assessment was completed for the Helena area in 2010 and compiled data for grant applications and provided a basis for several revisions to the Helena zoning code. The current study has been expanded to include the tri-county area and will evaluate strategies for financing, regulations, subsidies and ownership models and identify opportunities for new development, redevelopment and neighborhood revitalization. It will also examine methods for incentivizing affordable housing projects and will assess projects required to provide for special needs populations.  If you live in the tri-county area, please click on the link below to take the survey. The survey is mobile-friendly and can be taken with a smart phone. It only takes a few minutes and community input is essential.  For more information, contact  Liz Mogstad, Rocky Mountain Development Council, Inc. (406) 457-7473 or Laura Erikson, Lewis and Clark County (406) 447-8383 . https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/tricountyhousing
On Topic
WHAT IS "AFFORDABLE HOUSING?"
Housing programs in the United States have long measured housing affordability in terms of percentage of income. Since 1981, 30 percent of income remains the indicator of affordability for housing in the U.S. Keeping housing costs below 30 percent of income is intended to ensure that households have enough money to pay for other nondiscretionary costs; therefore, policymakers consider households who spend more than 30 percent of income on housing costs to be housing cost burdened.

However, according to an article published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Office of Policy Development and Research, the percentage of income standard for housing affordability may not fully consider the effects of housing and neighborhood quality. Housing that may appear affordable based on cost alone, for example, might be further from employment centers, increasing the percentage of income a household dedicates to transportation. As a result, the conventional measure of affordable housing may underestimate the number of households who are burdened by combined housing and transportation costs.

Housing costs and availability as well as incomes vary from area to area. Raphael Bostic, professor and chair for the Department of Governance, Management and the Policy Process at the University of Southern California, highlighted how housing inventories, declining or stagnating household incomes, or a combination of those conditions can result in housing costs that are high relative to income. In some areas, high housing cost burdens may result from stable housing costs coupled with declining household incomes, whereas in other areas, high housing cost burdens may be driven by housing costs increasing more quickly than household incomes.

In addition to meeting the basic need for shelter, housing can also be a component of efforts to promote positive life outcomes. Research shows that affordable housing has the capacity to help improve residents' health, access to education, and employment prospects.
Benefits and Updates:
MOUNTAIN VIEW MEADOWS
1. WINTER COULD BE OVER: But then, this is Montana. Thanks to each of you who understands that melting snow can temporarily cause pooling of water on sidewalks and driveway entries off our city streets. Most of the major melting is over but it may take a few more weeks until all the snow is gone. In the interim, enjoy the warmer weather and take this time to get a start on spring clean-up.

2. UG WATER SYSTEMS: We're starting to move into the time of year when you'll want to turn on your UG watering systems. There are a number of landscape companies in the area who can provide this service. However, we will soon send out to Mountain View Meadows' residents a special discount offered by Tom Fritz at Montana City Landscape & Irrigation. Tom can be reached at (406) 494-0211.

3. CONDO HOA ANNUAL MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 10th: The Annual meeting for all members of the Townhome Condos at Mountain View Meadows HOA will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 10th at 2810 Vista Avenue. A social hour with drinks and refreshments will be held from 6-7 PM. This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and check out the latest single-story condo floor plan. A meeting agenda will be emailed to all condo home owners on April 6th. 
New Homes F or Sale: 
PLANS TO BUILD AND BUILD TO SUIT
A choice of new homes to meet your lifestyle and budget are ready for move-in at Mountain View Meadows with more under construction.  Visit our Information & Sales Office at 431 S. Alice Street to tour our right-now homes, view plans to build and check out lot maps. Realtors are always welcome . Have your own plan? Give us a call at 406-449-0800 to arrange a meeting. The availability of new homes and lots is subject to change so check back often. Below is a listing of some of the new homes ready for move-in or currently under construction. 
Aspen Park at Mountain View Meadows
2930 Big Timber Loop: "The Open Range". NEW UPSCALE CONTEMPORARY CRAFTSMAN HOME has 2748 totally finished S.F. with 2460 S.F. of single-story living and an additional 288 S.F. finished bonus space above the garage. This home features a vaulted living room, corner fireplace, raised breakfast bar, walk-in pantry, den/office, wood floors, doors and trim, granite countertops, knotty-alder soft-close cabinets, "subway" tile backsplash, separate dining, and a gorgeous master suite with double vanity, tiled shower and soaker tub. The home includes an owner's entry with bench and cubby hole shelves and central air with three separate zones. An over sized garage, stone and timber exterior features, a concrete tile roof with a 75 year warranty, HardiePlank siding, a beautiful front porch entry and a huge covered outdoor living space are among the many amenities that set this home apart. Drop by the Information & Sales Center at 431 S. Alice Street to check out this brand new 3 or 4BD/ 2.5BA home -- an unbeatable value at only $429,900! MLS#300407. Contact Anna Havranek at KellerWilliams at 406-438-1141 for a private showing. 

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2883 Alpine View Loop: BRAND NEW SINGLE-STORY home well underway. This beautiful home has 2254 finished S.F. including 4BD/2BA featuring a beautiful master suite, gas fireplace, granite countertops, 3-car garage, covered outdoor living space (front & back), HardiePlank siding, concrete tile roof, and stone and timber exterior accents priced at $399,900. Claim this home while there's still time to pick out colors/interior finishes! Stop by the Information & Sales office or contact Dawn Purvis, Century 21 for more information. MLS#300186. 

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Craftsman Village at Mountain View Meadows
2872 Stacia: "The Iris". Wow! What great architecture! New classic craftsman home close to move-in ready with front porch and rear entry 2-car garage. This 1808 S.F. Garden Home features a main floor bedroom and bath plus three bedrooms and two additional baths upstairs. Granite countertops throughout this new home under construction by Sierra Custom Homes. Other design elements include soft-close cabinets, laminate flooring and arched entryways. Side yard fence included plus free front yard and rear alley landscaping! Easy walking distance to Mountain View Park. MLS#300166; $279,900.

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2876 Stacia: "The Aster". New 2BD/2BA single-story craftsman garden home featuring granite countertops, soft-close cabinets, kitchen appliances and an attached 2-car garage. Comes complete with U.G. water system, front and carriage-lane landscaping and side yard fencing. Claim now to move in this spring! Contact Dawn Purvis, Century21, at 406-439-6380.   MLS#300112. $224,900.

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2809, 2811, 2815 & 2817 Twilight: Two brand new 1219 S.F. duplex single-story condo buildings nearing completion with two units already under contract -- Absolutely perfect for the "downsizer" or the "first time" home buyer! Each condo features 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, a pocket desk, an attached 2-car garage and a covered outdoor living space. Design amenities include granite countertops, soft-close cabinets, water-resistant laminate flooring, tiled laundry and entry, and carpeted bedrooms. Electric range, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and garbage disposal included! Monthly condo fee is $130 and pays for sidewalk snow removal, mowing and landscaping care as well as exterior building insurance and maintenance. Priced at just $229,900. Call now! 406-449-0800. 

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2810, 2812, 2818 & 2820 Vista: Courtyard Condos. You asked for it... You got it! Now offering a brand new 1635 & 1660 S.F. condo plan. Not only is it bigger than our popular 1219 S.F. plan, but it comes with a rear patio/courtyard area that can be completely fenced for your personal privacy. The new 2BD/2BA  floorplans feature granite countertops, tile & laminate flooring, a vaulted master and great room, kitchen appliances, a 2-car attached garage and a flex room for hobbies, an office or 3rd Bedroom. Visit the MVM Information & Sales Center at 431 S. Alice St. for additional information. 

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2793 Alexis Avenue: "The Town Hall". Location, location, location--directly across from Mountain View Park with unobstructed mountain views! This beautiful 3BD/2.5BA classic craftsman 4-square home with 1914 S.F. features a full front porch, great room with fireplace, separate dining area, office nook, an upstairs loft (could be a 4 th  bedroom), air conditioning and a large 2-bay attached garage. Ready for move-in. Call 406-449-0800 for a walk-through. $289,900. MLS#300647.

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Antelope Trace at Mountain View Meadows
2789 Favor Loop: " The Wise". Talk about a "wise" choice! With 2414 totally finished S.F. this 3 or 4BD/2.5BA upscale home will provide you with all the space you need for single-level living on the main floor plus 2 bedrooms, a TV/Flex room, and a bath upstairs for family or guests. The main floor master ensuite features dual walk-in closets, a separate tub and shower and a double vanity. You'll have plenty of time to relax on the front porch and entertain on the rear when you add low-maintenance landscaping. Be sure to check in now on this brand new floor plan conveniently located in the heart of beautiful Mountain View Meadows ready for move-in late June. Priced at $349,900.

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The Uplands at Mountain View Meadows
379 Elouise Cobell: "The Elk Park".  A new look for a new neighborhood. Walls going up on this exceptionally attractive 1900 S.F. 3BD/2BA home including a 214 S.F. bonus room containing deep storage closets. The Elk Park features 9' walls with a vaulted great room and master bedroom. The Master ensuite boasts 2 walk-in closets, a double vanity and separate tiled tub and shower as well as a private "water closet." The kitchen features granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island bar, pantry and separate dining area while a gas fireplace sets off the great room. You'll enjoy both the distant mountain views and city lights from your covered front porch and have plenty of privacy for BBQ's and entertaining on your covered back porch. For pricing information, visit the MVM Information & Sales Center at 431 S. Alice St.

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317 Elouise Cobell: "The Monida". Located in "The Uplands" neighborhood just one block south of the new BCBS headquarters, this new 2003 S.F. single-story 3BD/2BA home built by Casteel Construction features a huge open great room, kitchen island, gas fireplace and an attached 2-car garage. There is still time to choose interior colors (exterior possibly as well) if you hurry! Homes in this new neighborhood sell fast! Call Jared Engels at Windermere Real Estate for more information. MLS#300221. $309,000.

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305 Elouise Cobell: "The Homestake". New floor plan for a new neighborhood at Mountain View Meadows. This beautiful single-story 3BD/2BA home designed and built by Sierra Custom Homes features laminate and tile flooring, granite countertops, soft-close cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an attached 2-car garage and a covered rear porch with plenty of room for backyard fun. MLS#300125. $289,900.

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Mountain View Meadows | 406-449-0800 | Info@MVMeadows.com  | http://www.MVMeadows.com
431 S. Alice Street
Helena, MT 59601
In This Issue
The Best in Our
Neighborhood: 
NEIGHBORS PUT THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD
Thank you to the small but enthusiastic group of Mountain View Meadows residents who turned out for the annual Single-Family HOA meeting last month. The evening started with a "Meet and Greet" with HOA President Dave Gates and members of the Board. On the agenda was a call for volunteers to assume other offices and serve on various committees. We are so pleased to announce that some of your neighbors put their best foot forward to play a role in shaping your Single-Family HOA. New officers include Jeff Rhoa, Don Uhrig, Joe Cullen and Mike Head. Cathy Cullen and Katie Gates volunteered to serve on the Welcoming Committee and to help with community events. Jeff, Don, Joe, Mike, Cathy and Katie represent the best in all of us with their willingness to give of their time to make Mountain View Meadows the best neighborhood community in Helena.  
Welcome to the
Neighborhood
John & Karen Darlow
Have settled into their beautiful Craftsman style Townhome Condo. Enjoy the spectacular views!


Congrat ulations! 
And Welcome to the Neighborhood!
 
Fun & Fitness: 
SOME IS BETTER THAN NONE
A new study by researchers at the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health says even short bursts of exercise reduce Americans' risk of disease and death. With constantly increasing walk-a-ability at Mountain View Meadows along neighborhood sidewalks that connect to the Fun & Fitness Trail and parks, it seems like a walk to get your mail or to exercise your dog or take your kids for a stroll to the park is of more benefit than previously believed. With the benefits of exercise so important to health, this study hopes to bring some clarity and reassure people that some is better than none -- and that movement is linked to curtailing premature death.
"The old benchmark of 150 minutes per week of moderate activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity) originated in 1995," wrote Deborah Rohm Young and William L. Haskell in an editorial accompanying the research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association . "The rule: Each time you exercise, it should be for at least 10 minutes."
An author of the research, William E. Kraus, M.D., of the Duke University School of Medicine, said in a press release. "That flies in the face of public health recommendations, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and parking farther from your destination. Those don't take 10 minutes, so why were they recommended?"
The new study finds that the length of each bout or episode of exercise is unrelated to the benefit seen in living longer. Five minutes of jogging, researchers said, "counts" toward better health.
The study used information from accelerometers, like those found in cellphones and Fitbit watches, which can measure certain types of motion. Researchers followed almost 5,000 people over the age of 40 for more than six years. They considered the people in two groups: Those who had bouts of exercise approximately five minutes in length, and those whose exercise lasted more than 10 minutes. People getting about 60 minutes of movement per day cut the risk of death over the time period by half, while those getting about 100 minutes per day cut the risk to approximately 75 percent -- and it was the total time moving, not the length of exercise that mattered.
The editorial warns that this study didn't distinguish between intentional exercise (going for a brisk walk) and unintentional physical activity (walking around the house doing chores, or walking up a flight of stairs). To change national physical guidelines of physical activity bout lengths, Young and Haskell said a study is needed that asks people to deliberately perform exercise of short, medium and lengthy "bouts" and track their health.
From 
  Mark &  Rebecca
Mark and I are excited to see a spring filled with new opportunities at Mountain View Meadows for builders, realtors, landscapers and home buyers. Sierra Custom Homes continues to prove its well-deserved place as one of the top builders in Helena with new homes under construction in three of the four neighborhoods at Mountain View Meadows including Aspen Park, Craftsman Village and the Uplands. Weatherall builders will finish eight new single-story condos this spring with plans to start two tri-plex condo buildings later this month. Diehl Builders is putting the final touches on its new 2-story home across from Mountain View Park while Casteel Construction is hanging drywall in its 2000 S.F. home for sale in the Uplands. Both Grewett Construction and Nistler Homes have foundations going in for brand new home designs -- you can check out the floor plans at our office. Anna Havranek recently earned her realtor's license and is now working under Alice Santos at KellerWilliams. Anna will primarily represent homes built by Weatherall Builders. She joins Aubrey Hutchinson and David Torgerson also at KellerWilliams and Maureen Oelkers at Big Sky Brokers and Mardi Benson at Century 21, all whom have had recent sales at Mountain View Meadows. Dawn Purvis at Century 21 takes "the grand prize", for closing 14 Sierra Custom Homes at Mountain View Meadows just this past year! Mark and I attended the HBIA Home Show in March where we talked with two professional landscapers, Korpi Lawn & Landscaping and the Grounds Guys who are reviewing our landscaping design standards for Aspen Park and the Uplands and will soon join Montana City Landscape & Irrigation and Helena Hydroseed on our list of "approved" landscapers. With things hopping this spring we look forward to meeting with new home buyers, showing off our new homes and home plans and assisting realtors serving their clients to find the right home at Mountain View Meadows that best fits their needs and interests. We're gearing up for a really big year. Here's to a productive building season with special thanks to all who make the building industry successful!
Anna Havranek (right) takes the realtor's oath at a recent Helena Association of Realtors (HAR) luncheon. Way to go, Anna!
Rebecca congratulates Debbie Davis on winning the drawing for a $100 Home Depot Gift Card sponsored by Mountain View Meadows at the 2018 HBIA Home Show. Debbie attended the show to get ideas for her "home update" project. Her name was drawn from over 1500 entries --- Wow! If you missed the Home Show, be sure and attend next year to meet lots of great people with tons of interesting home products and services.