Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is the MLS?

What is a listing sheet?

How can I get more information about a property?

Land Questions

How much does a well and septic system cost?

How deep are wells in the area?

Listing Sheet Questions

What are covenants?

What does CLA and CLO mean?

What does DOM mean?

What are Plum Creek and Stoltze?

What is the MLS?

MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service. The purpose of the Multiple Listing Service is the orderly correlation and dissemination of listing information to its Members so that Realtors may better serve the buying and selling public. The service combines the listings for all available homes in an area (in our case, Northwest Montana), except For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) properties, into one directory or database.

When you search for property here on this website, you are searching against the live MLS database.

What is a listing sheet?

A property listing sheet contains specific information on the property, such as original price, days on the market, home square footage, etc. If you find a property in the MLS that interests you, email or call John or Vernon with the MLS number for that property, and they will email the listing sheet to you, usually in less than 48 hours.

How can I get more information about a property?

If you find a property in the MLS that interests you, email or call John or Vernon with the MLS number for that property, and they will email the listing sheet to you, usually in less than 48 hours.

How much does a well and septic system cost?

Drilling a well costs anywhere from $25 to $29 per foot. Throw in another couple of thousand to cover the pump and pressure tank. A standard gravity-flow septic system will usually run between $3,500 and $5,000, and engineered septic systems can go up to $7,000.

How deep are wells in the area?

Well depths in northwest Montana vary greatly, from 50 feet to well over 1000 feet. The best indication of well depths on a specific piece of property is other nearby wells. The Montana Groundwater Information Center website provides access to well logs in the state. Their website also has a good page of typical water well construction and terms.

What are covenants?

Sometimes referred to as CC&Rs (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions), covenants are a written agreement between two or more parties where they pledge to perform or not to perform specified acts with regard to property. They vary widely from property to property (many properties do not have covenants), and usually include such provisions as "no breeding of commercial livestock", or "home construction must be completed within 12 months".

What does CLA and CLO mean?

CLA stands for "call listing agent", and CLO for "call listing office". You usually see these abbreviations in a listing sheet field where the explanation is too complex to fit in the space provided, or the listing agent didn't have the information at the time the property was entered into the MLS.

What does DOM mean?

DOM stands for "days on the market". It is the number of days since the date of the listing contract signed by the seller and the listing agent/office.

What is Plum Creek and Stoltze?

Plum Creek Timber and Stoltze Lumber Co. are the two major timber companies in the state. A lot of properties will advertise themselves as being adjacent to Plum Creek or Stoltze land. Many people consider this an advantage because it is similar to being adjacent to Forest Service land. These two companies are very liberal about letting the general public use their lands for recreation.