8 Prickly Pear Drive, Townsend, MT 59644

There's something special about buying a new home with an acre around it. You get to decide what comes next. Maybe you've always wanted a big, beautifully landscaped yard with a garden, trees and plenty of grass for summer afternoons. Maybe your plans include an outdoor cooking area where dinner stays on the grill a little longer because nobody is ready to go inside.

Or maybe you keep things simple, add a couple of chairs to the porch and let the views do most of the work. This newly built, single-level home in Townsend gives you a great place to start. With 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 1,344 sq. ft., the home sits on approximately one acre with views of Canyon Ferry Lake, the Elkhorn Mountains and the Big Belt Mountains.

Inside, you'll find an easy, functional layout with solid-surface countertops and a kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, range and dishwasher. There's an attached garage, forced-air heat, gutters and a crawl space. The home is served by a private well and septic system, and the propane tank is leased.

And then there's the lifestyle. Load up the boat and head toward Canyon Ferry Lake. Spend the day fishing or exploring. Come home, fire up the grill and settle in as the sun changes the colors across the mountains. Highway access also makes getting toward Helena convenient when work, shopping or travel calls. The house is finished. The acre around it is your blank canvas. Create the yard you've pictured, build the outdoor spaces you'll actually use, and make this little piece of Montana completely your own.