A short note from the field. Inventory, days-on-market, and the kind of buyer showing up.
A short note from the field.
Inventory
Single-family inventory in Missoula proper sits at 2.4 months of supply as of last week — up from 1.6 months in spring 2025, still well below the 5–6 months that would call this a balanced market. Custom builds in the $1.2M–$2M range are clearing in under thirty days when staged and shot well.
Days on market, by intent
- New construction (modern farmhouse, 2,500–3,500 sqft): averaging 18 days, often with multiple offers
- Renovated 1960s–80s stock in the Rattlesnake / Lower Slant: 11 days when done right; 70+ days when "renovated" means "we painted the cabinets"
- As-is in-town under $700k: 7 days
- Acreage builds over $2.5M: 60–90 days, more deliberate buyers, more deal terms
Who's buying
Less out-of-state speculation than the 2021–2023 wave. More:
- Front Range professionals looking for a second home or relocation
- Bozeman exiles priced out by Yellowstone Club spillover
- Local upgrades — families moving from a 1,400 sqft ranch into a 2,800 sqft build
The relocation buyers are doing two-and-three-trip tours before offering. They want the floor plan, the drone reel, and a real conversation about winter. The configurator helps a lot of those conversations.
What to do with this if you're listing
Spend money on the listing. A real drone reel, a floor plan that doesn't look like a builder's leftover, and a written story of the house. Houses that show well sell at asking. Houses that show okay sell at 4–6% under after a price cut.
If you're building, lock the design now. Permit times are stretching — Missoula County is running about ten weeks for residential review and septic clearance. We add it to the schedule.
If you're buying, walk the lot in person. Twice. The light is different at 8am than at 5pm and the difference will tell you whether you actually like the house.
That's it for this month.