Dude/Guest Ranches For Sale

If you are considering purchasing a ranch in Montana, Idaho or Wyoming we can’t say enough great things about Jeff Shouse. Jeff is one of the smartest, driven and honorable people I know.  When he’s negotiating on your behalf he is firm, but fair, and delivers results.  Jeff’s knowledge and insight of ranches is phenomenal and his ability to keep transactions on track and moving forward is world class.  Jeff started out as our broker and quickly became a trusted advisor and friend.  Thank you Jeff for helping us find and buy our dream ranch!

We have been active owners and operators of Healing Waters Lodge in Twin Bridges, Montana, as well as the largest outfitter on the Smith River in Montana. These are both two unique fishing opportunities. Healing Waters Lodge was the Orvis Endorsed Lodge of the Year in 2020. The Smith River is the most coveted fishing, floating, and camping trip in Montana with only 73 commercial permits a year. There was a level of complexity in putting this sale together and Matt MacMillan along with the people at Live Water Properties were exceptional. Matt was detail oriented, a great listener with the ability of distilling the complex into simple English. He was also available 24/7 for any questions, thoughts, or banal utterances. All of which he handled with good humor, kindness, and intelligence. We dealt with transferring government issued permits and water rights, as well as constructing a contract that was workable and ultimately led to a successful transaction. Plus, he can row a boat.

I first met Jeff Shouse in 2014 when my wife and I purchased our place in Townsend, Montana. Jeff represented the seller, so Jeff showed us the property and answered all questions in such a way that we found him very knowledgeable and trustworthy. He was very thorough and obviously had expertise and a serious depth of knowledge regarding that property, and Montana agricultural/recreational properties in general.

However, it was after the purchase that I really got to know Jeff. I am a non-resident and honestly had no idea who to call for help in my area with questions about the trout pond, forest management, grazing questions, etc. It was because of Jeff’s knowledge, honesty and trustworthiness that caused me to think of him and reach out to him when something of concern came up. Even though I wasn’t a client, he always answered the phone and took the time to help without ever making me feel like I was a bother. He certainly never rushed to end the call.

So, when it was time to sell a piece of the ranch, Jeff was the person that I wanted, and frankly needed, to represent us. He was very gracious that we called and spent hours with my wife and I in his effort to get to know us better and understand our goals. He cared about us. He researched the sales in our area and was our main resource when pricing the property. He was always present to show the property and brought his own side by side to take buyers around. He knew as much, if not more, than I did about the land, so when one day he invited me to tag along for a showing with a serious buyer, I pretty much let Jeff do all the talking and answered specific questions only when the buyer directed it to me.

The sale was straight forward and without issue. It is my opinion and belief that Jeff was the reason for our success with the sale of our property. My wife and I value his expertise in the highest regard and give Jeff Shouse our strongest recommendation to anyone interested in selling their Montana property.

“I’ve been working with Jeff for 25 years and couldn’t be more pleased. He is the absolute expert when it comes to locating hunting, fishing and other recreational properties. Regardless of your pursuits, he knows precisely what part of the state best matches your criteria. Most deals go very smoothly but occasionally a tough one comes along. Our most recent acquisition required a huge amount of Jeff’s time, and it didn’t faze him one bit other than a few gray hairs. If anyone ever shows an interest for a property in Montana, I will always recommend Jeff Shouse, hands down.”

When it came time to sell our 1,500-acre Montana fishing ranch we knew we would have to find a broker who understood the beauty and uniqueness of this special place. We found that in Jeff Shouse, of Live Water, and his 35 years of market knowledge. Jeff’s expertise in how to position this property and his understanding of who the buyer would be, led to an efficient process and excellent final sales price. Jeff’s friendly, pleasant and easygoing manner made for a wonderful experience!