Sandpoint, Id. 2021 (Ponderay, Hope: ski resort, real estate, rental)

[gc57]

Thinking of relocating there. How is it now in 2021. Overcrowded?, pricey,etc?

[Heron31]

It's a resort town. The lake and hiking in the summer, skiing at Schweitzer in the winter. There's much more influx during the summer. But it's a nice town as far as I know. A "walking town." It or nearby Ponderay has most everything you want.

I don't know what you consider pricey, but there are several homes in the $400-500K range, although they're fairly small with respect to square-footage. Or if you hit the powerball, you might want to look at this place down the road from Sandpoint, which we speculate Matthew McConaughey recently had built but then decided to sell it. Looks like it's still available for $13 million!
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9...03892552_zpid/

I'm sure others will be able to give you more info.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Infrastructure was not built to handle the amount of traffic and other use that came with the increases population, so the town is still cute and little and feels very crowded.


Real estate prices are high, especially if you want to be anywhere close to the lake.


The lake is gigantic, so even though there is lots of boat usage, there is plenty of room to spread out. I have not looked to see if there is enough boat ramp space to handle the crowds that want to put their boat out on the lake.

[2011KTM530]

I remember as a broke student in 1983, had a chance to buy 40 acres of tree covered hill for $800 an acre. Was I an idiot to pass up the opportunity?

[gc57]

13 Million? LOL. Maybe decided he needed to go to Texas to run for Governor. Hope is a nice area.

[Sandpointian]

Originally Posted by 2011KTM530

I remember as a broke student in 1983, had a chance to buy 40 acres of tree covered hill for $800 an acre. Was I an idiot to pass up the opportunity?

You were not an idiot but broke without a crystal ball.

We all think about those missed opportunities, don't we? I certainly have over the years.

sigh.

[DJKirkland]

Sandpoint is awesome. Home/property prices have really jumped the past few years (as it has everywhere). I still would love to find some land out there eventually. I see it as the perfect 4-season location. Summers are perfect and you have the largest lake in the state right at your doorstep, and the only major theme park @ Silverwood if you have kids (or even if you don't!). Winters are fun too - Schweitzer ski resort is right there for skiiing/boarding. I know you can head up there during the summer for hiking/mountain biking too.

There are some great restaurants and small shops downtown.....but I have heard from the owner of a couple of those restaurants they may have to close; there is nowhere affordable for service industry workers to live anymore. My younger sister lived there for years and had to leave as her rental was sold to an investor, and she couldn't find anywhere affordable to move to. She's in Leavenworth now.

You are a relatively easy drive down to Spokane for flights out of the area and some larger city amenities.

[Weaubleau]

How does being in the wrong time zone affect life there? Looking at the sunrise sunset times shows the absurdity of this area being in the Pacific time zone. Sunrise in summer being as early as 4:45 AM, and sunset in the winter being as early as 3:51 pm, just cries out for a time zone change. Imagine being awake for 7 more hours after sunset on a normal work day, or having the sun rise 2 hours before your alarm clock rings on a work day, and you don't live in the arctic.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Weaubleau

How does being in the wrong time zone affect life there? Looking at the sunrise sunset times shows the absurdity of this area being in the Pacific time zone. Sunrise in summer being as early as 4:45 AM, and sunset in the winter being as early as 3:51 pm, just cries out for a time zone change. Imagine being awake for 7 more hours after sunset on a normal work day, or having the sun rise 2 hours before your alarm clock rings on a work day, and you don't live in the arctic.

Not uncommon at all, most of the lower latitude southern portion of the US has very small amounts of seasonal changes in daylight compared to mid and high latitude areas. All of Europe and most of Canada are much further north in latitude with a more pronounced change in daylight hours between summer and winter regardless of time zone placement.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

Originally Posted by Weaubleau

How does being in the wrong time zone affect life there? Looking at the sunrise sunset times shows the absurdity of this area being in the Pacific time zone. Sunrise in summer being as early as 4:45 AM, and sunset in the winter being as early as 3:51 pm, just cries out for a time zone change. Imagine being awake for 7 more hours after sunset on a normal work day, or having the sun rise 2 hours before your alarm clock rings on a work day, and you don't live in the arctic.

It makes sense since so much of NID's business/economy is in some way connected to Spokane, WA. I have never heard anyone in NID cry out for a time zone change...In terms of convenience, you might as well expect Spokanites (or whatever they're called) to complain that the sun rises two hours before their alarm clock rings in summer, and that they have to be awake for 7 more hours after sunset in winter.

It would be an improvement for us all in the Pacific time zone (IMO) if we made Daylight Saving Time permanent. But that's another issue.