What is the name of John Travolta's character in the 1977 film “Saturday Night Fever”? 

Billings Real Estate Snapshot

📊 Key Market Indicators

• The typical home value in Billings is around $393,958, up about 1.0 % year‑over‑year. Zillow+2Zillow+2

• Median sale price in Billings in September 2025: about $385,000, which is +2.7 % compared to last year. Redfin

• Median listing price in Billings (September 2025) is around $475,000 according to one database. FRED

• Homes in Billings are averaging ~71 days on the market, which is slower than a year ago (~64 days). Redfin

• In Yellowstone County, the median price of a home is about $356,900. NonStop Local Billings

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🔍 Market Character & Trends

• The market is fairly balanced, leaning slightly seller‑favorable in terms of price growth, but not extremely aggressive. For example, year‑over‑year growth is modest (≈1–3 %) rather than double‑digit.

• Inventory has increased compared to the ultra‑hot years, and homes are taking longer to sell, which gives buyers more room to negotiate.

• One commentary on the Montana market noted that for Yellowstone County (which includes Billings), prices have risen significantly since 2014 (≈ 75 %) but the pace has slowed more recently.Daily Montanan

• For luxury or higher‑end areas: in the Northeast Billings area, the median sale price is about $525,000 (9/2025). Redfin

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🎯 What This Means for Buyers

• Good news: Relatively affordable compared to many larger western markets. Median price is still below many high‑cost metro areas.

• With homes staying on the market longer and less pricing pressure, buyers may have more leverage than during peak competition years.

• Be mindful of interest rate trends — affordability still hinges a lot on mortgage rates.

• Consider neighborhoods: if you look at more premium/amenity‑rich areas, expect higher prices (e.g., $400K+ and uptick in the $500K range).

• For rental/investor buyers: moderate growth means rewards may be steady rather than explosive. Evaluate cash‑flow and rent trends

🛍️ What This Means for Sellers

• Prices are still rising, but slowly — so timing is less urgent than in a blazing hot market.

• To maximize return: strategic pricing, good condition, and marketing will matter more than relying on multiple offers or bidding wars.

• In higher‑end segments (luxury, newer builds) you may still see stronger demand.

• If you’re priced out of the market, consider seller‑financing, staging, and emphasizing features (e.g., yard space, outdoor living) that buyers are increasingly valuing.

🔮 Outlook / Forecast

• Analysts expect modest price appreciation going forward rather than dramatic leaps. Some data suggests only ~1 % growth year‑over‑year in certain forecasts. Norada Real Estate+1

• If interest rates decrease, that could give a boost. If rates stay high or inventory rises significantly, growth could slow further.

• Because Billings remains a regional hub (with employment, services, and lifestyle amenities), it’s still likely to perform reasonably well compared to weaker markets.

✅ Bottom Line

Billings offers a stable housing market with moderate growth and reasonable affordability relative to many western cities. For buyers, this is a favorable window with more breathing room. For sellers, it’s still a good time — just not like the feverish market of previous years.

👻 Whispers on the Rim – Part 1

There’s a trail the locals don’t talk about much. East of Zimmerman Park, where the scrub grass thins and the earth crumbles into shale, there’s a bend in the Rimrocks that never holds silence. The wind always speaks there.

They call it Whisper Bend.

Long before the trail existed, before the subdivisions or cell towers, a woman named Clara Madsen built a sod cabin near the edge. Her husband had died two winters earlier in a cave-in near Red Lodge. Clara came to the cliffs to mourn — and never left.

Hikers say she still roams the Rim.

The records say she vanished during a storm in 1903. No body, no search. Just a frostbitten trail of barefoot prints in fresh snow — leading out, never back.

The land changed, but the whispers didn’t.

By the 1970s, forest rangers avoided Whisper Bend after dark. Radios shorted. Boots went missing. One ranger walked into town barefoot and bleeding, eyes glazed over like someone who’d seen something he couldn’t forget — or explain.

More recently, hikers report hearing their names spoken softly behind them, even on windless days. A child once told her parents a “lady with no eyes” offered her a necklace of teeth.

 A hunter found a human jawbone in a tree, wired with rusted fence.

Last Halloween, a ghost-hunting podcast from Bozeman live-streamed their night hike at Whisper Bend. Four hosts.

Thermal cams. EMF readers. The feed cut out at 12:47 AM after a long scream and a final word:

"Clara."

Only one body was recovered — dragged from the Yellowstone, weeks later. The tongue was missing.

❗ TO BE CONTINUED in The Trailhead Buzz – Halloween Part II Edition

Next time: A search party ventures into Whisper Bend… and discovers the truth may be worse than legend.

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2025 Montana Outdoor Recreation Summit

📅 Date: October 21–23, 2025
🕒 Time: All‑day sessions; assorted field tours & panels
📍 Location: Northern Hotel & surrounding venues, Billings, MT
🎟️ Admission: Registration required via summit website.
📄 Details: A multi‑day conference gathering outdoor industry leaders, land‑managers, recreation professionals and community partners to explore themes such as “Adapting to Extremes”, “Shared Outdoors”, and “Room to Roam”. Field trips, film festival, networking.

All‑Inclusive Trunk or Treat 2025

Trunk or Treat – Taco John’s Billings

Haunted Hallows at Two Moon Park

Boo at the Zoo

The Pumpkin Patch & Farm Festival at T&C Farms

📅 Date: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays through October 26, 2025
🕒 Time: 9:00 AM – dusk
📍 Location: T&C Farms, 1927 Holstein Ln, Laurel, MT 59044
🎟️ Admission: Farm‑fee for hayrides/corn maze/pumpkin pick
📄 Details: A classic Montana farm outing: hayrides, corn maze, U‑pick pumpkins, playground for kids, fresh air and open space. Great for a relaxed, fun outdoor experience.

Sleepy Hollow Haunted Wagon Rides

📅 Date: Select nights, including October 24 & 25, 2025
🕒 Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 Location: Oscar’s Park, 3740 Wise Ln, Billings, MT
🎟️ Admission: ~$20
📄 Details: Family‑friendly but spooky‑themed horse‑drawn wagon rides along riverfront scenery with narration of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and atmospheric fun

Four Dances Recreation Area (Trail outing)

Swords Rimrock Park / Black Otter Trail (City‑Edge Hike)

Scenic Drive Loop — Beartooth Highway or nearby loops for fall views

Community Outdoor Group — Billings Area Hiking Club

🧭 That’s a Wrap on This Week’s Buzz!

Thanks for venturing through the shadows with us this issue — from real estate ripples to haunted trails and the chilling whispers of Clara Madsen. Whether you’re out there braving the fog at Two Moon Park or staying cozy with a cup of cider and your favorite local ghost tale, we’re glad you joined us.

See you next time...until then, stay curious, stay safe… and if you hear your name whispered on the Rim — don’t turn around.

— The Trailhead Buzz Team

Tony Manero.