Thoughts after 4 years of living in North Idaho (Post Falls, Sandpoint: transplants, apartment)

[DEADTIME]

Well here I sit after about 4 years of living in North Idaho. When we moved here my son was in 3rd grade now he's going into 7th in September, how time flys. Before moving here my family and I had lived in many states from Florida to Alaska with a stint in California so we have seen and lived in most regions.

Breaking this down into sections will make it easiest to stay on track and not ramble on (which I've been known to do). These are my opinions which with a quarter might get you a cup of coffee but I'd like to share them. You may or may not agree and that's fine....well really I could care less if you dissagree but hey this is Idaho and it's still a free state so you can have a different opinion (try that in Kalifornia).

1. Livability....a bit hard to define but to me it's how easy it is to live someplace, does the place you live get in your way of being happy. On a scale of one to ten with ten being best I rate North Idaho a nine, why not a ten you ask? We don't have Constitutional carry yet so it's not a ten but hopefully we can fix that in our legislature soon.

It's so wonderfully livable here, I can remember the constant issues I would run into in other states on everything from traffic to dealing with state employee drones it was always a pain in the butt. I can't believe I lived someplace were it took me 2 hours to travel 15 miles every afternoon. The pace of life here allows you to relax, after a short time you feel like you were living in a busy airport before you got here then you walked out the door to a place that the new insane America has forgotten existed and thus hasn't destroyed yet.

Time seems to take on a whole new feeling, things slow down, you breath a bit slower and the outside world just kind of fades into the background noise.

2. Family friendly... Yes..yes...yes...what a great place to raise a family! My son loves it here and the other kids are almost always polite to a fault. There are tons of things to do and far fewer ways to get not trouble or bad situations (although I'm sure I would have found it when I was a teenager). I can remember still being stunned to see kids actually riding their bikes outside or walking home from school......I know crazy right!

You will probably not run into your garden variety thug here unless they have wandered over from Spokane (which I call Spokanistan) no cars filled with scowling Mexican or black gang members (if this offends you then you aren't living in the real world) blaring inappropriate music, no neighborhoods filled with barred windows and doors, and no place you might tell people to not go after it gets dark.

The kids at your child's school will most likely be very nice (there are acception a to the rule but not many) and the teachers my son has worked with have been amazing. My son by the way loves our school lunches here so far we are untouched by Michelle Obamas food crusade and kids actually eat pretty well.

If you get bored here your not trying hard enough to have fun, camping, hunting, fishing, boating, shooting, skiing, off-roading, motorcycling etc etc etc not to mention winter is great for indoor hobbies.

3. Cost of living... Lower than most places I've lived...much lower. We just bought a new to us home near the river, 2800 square feet craftsman style under 200K. My registration tags for my truck was not in the hundreds it was like 40 bucks. Money gos farther here, people aren't in a mad rush to see who can spend the most to impress the neighbors. I always giggle a bit that my old 1971 Dodge Power Wagon gets as much attention here as a Ferrari does in Los Angeles. And no smog checks.....yes boys and girls you can have a hot rod, muscle car, classic truck, this is not a nanny state.

In California I was paying 1,400 dollars a month for a 1 bedroom with a den apartment, here my house payment is 1,038.00 a month. We rented before buying just to get to know the different parts of north Idaho. The highest rent I had was 800.00 a month for a brand new town home close to CDA proper.

My business costs are much lower, the cost of workers comp alone was crushing me in the last state I lived in. I was able to hire 4 new employees and pay them more now that I'm not paying to keep a marxist state afloat.

4. School's... As mentioned earlier really happy with them so far. And Idaho guarantees the right to home school if you wish. Connections academy is a great alternative to regular school and is free in Idaho, my buddy's son has a few issues and attends school daily at home by telecommuting to class.

5. People... The people here are very friendly, both transplants and lifers. The attitude is one of live and let live. People that live here love their personal freedoms and space, people who move here by and large love those thing as well. Don't be a busy body and feel the need to file a complaint to big brother about everything that upsets your little world and you will get along fine. You can be a special little snow flake all you want just don't expect others to kiss your butt.

I've met some of the kindest and friendliest folks here, it's truly been a pleasure getting to know my neighbors and have helped and been helped by others.

6. Freedoms....or the fun things you aren't allowed in other places. To much to list but I'll just throw out a few. I can buy any firearm I choose with no waiting period and no silly bullet button or magazine limit. I can drive anything I choose without meeting any smog regulations.

I can buy real fireworks (the kind that go boom) last year on the 4th 2 of our local policeman came buy to watch us shoot off huge mortars, get some cold drinks (non alchoholic of course) and a few burgers before going on their way.

I can drop my kid and his buddies off at the water park and not worry about his safety and well being.

I can leave my truck running outside the store in the winter to stay warm and it will still be there when I get back.

I bought a large parcel of land where I have my own shooting range...yup I can shoot anytime I want and hunt on it as well as its 25 acres and that's big enough to hunt on.

Final thoughts: My family and I are happy here, safe, comfortable. I owe Idaho a debt of Gratitude I can never payback for giving my family an America that has vanished in so many places. This is where the 80's have come to hide from a country that I find more totalitarian and scary everyday. If you move here to become an Idahoan, to embrace the people, the pace and the environment I suspect you will be as happy as I am.

It's funny, looking back at all the things I've done in my life moving my family here was one of my best choices. And I now consider myself an Idahoan above everything but being a Christian. I hope my silly mental gymnastics exercise here helps someone make a choice to move here. I hope it brings people who want to be from here not just living here.

[Sagle Sam]

No wonder why you like the place so much...you are obviously white, bigoted (as some will accuse), conservative, gun-loving, Christian, and responsible. I happen to agree with almost all of what you said.

Of course, even people will move here and ruin it sooner after salivating over your impressions.

[sierra don]

Enjoyed reading your 4 year experience there in Idaho, we will be heading up that way real soon.

I live up in the Sierra's in Kommiefornia and will be trading rural Ca for rural Id........One of the things I do like about living up here is that I can leave my home and Jeep unlocked and like you I can keep my vehicle running when going into the store/gas station. I leave my keys in the Jeep at home and have never even locked my garage in the 20 years we have been here. I would not even think of leaving things unlocked if I lived most anywhere else in Ca.

But no matter where you live here it is still Ca. laws and restrictions even though most of the counties along the Sierra's are conservative......just waiting on the bank and then our serious home hunt begins.

[slingshot]

In the middle to late 70's my wife and I lived on our 20 acres near Sandpoint on Upper Gold Creek Road for 5 years. Our two boys were born during that time. I wish that we would have never left. Financial problems was the cause of our leaving.

[Penelope17]

**Cost of living... Lower than most places I've lived...much lower. We just bought a new to us home near the river, 2800 square feet craftsman style under 200K.

Deadtime, where exactly are you living? I've been looking at homes in the CDA, Post Falls and Rathdrum areas. I'm seeing smaller homes between 1100 and 1300 sq ft going for 195K. I have to be missing something...

[Keim]

Originally Posted by Penelope17

**Cost of living... Lower than most places I've lived...much lower. We just bought a new to us home near the river, 2800 square feet craftsman style under 200K.

Deadtime, where exactly are you living? I've been looking at homes in the CDA, Post Falls and Rathdrum areas. I'm seeing smaller homes between 1100 and 1300 sq ft going for 195K. I have to be missing something...

Well, DT didn't specify CDA. North Idaho is a damn big area. Maybe DT is in one of the smaller, less expensive towns?

[Penelope17]

Originally Posted by Keim

Well, DT didn't specify CDA. North Idaho is a damn big area. Maybe DT is in one of the smaller, less expensive towns?

Thanks for the reply! What are some of the smaller towns where someone can get a nice home under 200K? And have good Internet service?

[Keim]

Originally Posted by Penelope17

Thanks for the reply! What are some of the smaller towns where someone can get a nice home under 200K? And have good Internet service?

Almost any outside Sandpoint, CdA and Post Falls. But you need to define nice.

My town is on the more expensive side, but my 2400 sq ft home would go for about $200k.

[OneDawg]

I just sold 10 acres in northern ID last month, because it was getting overcrowded with Texans and Californian's. We just moved back to the GA mountains on land we've had since my childhood. My taxes are low, my retirement funds are not taxed and my license renewals are $20/yr. Gasoline and diesel are also much less expensive. It may not be the high country of ID, but it's my home - once again.

[Sagle Sam]

Originally Posted by OneDawg

I just sold 10 acres in northern ID last month, because it was getting overcrowded with Texans and Californian's. We just moved back to the GA mountains on land we've had since my childhood. My taxes are low, my retirement funds are not taxed and my license renewals are $20/yr. Gasoline and diesel are also much less expensive. It may not be the high country of ID, but it's my home - once again.

congrats! Did you bring any folks with you?