Post Falls, Rathdrum, Hayden and CDA. Close together, how do they differ? (Dalton Gardens: real estate market)

[USCELT]

All these towns are close together, wondering what makes them unique from one another.

Thanks in advance.

[volosong]

Fairly close. A map can show exactly how close. Post Falls, CdA, and Hayden pretty much abut against each other, in a triangular shape. There is a small enclave between CdA and Hayden with one and two acre properties called Dalton Gardens. Rathdrum is across the prairie from them, about 5-6 miles through open farmland to either PF or Hayden. CdA is a couple miles more.

CdA is the hub and the big tourist center, with the lake, mountain gateway to the Silver Valley, and the resort/downtown. PF is a bedroom community, and not much else. Not even a real downtown area. Hayden is a suburb with decent shopping. Rathdrum is just a small town, albeit rapidly growing. Not much goes on there, (which is fine by me).

[oregonwoodsmoke]

CDA, Post Falls, and Hayden all touch at the edges.

CDA is where the action is, all the tourist activities, lots of good restaurants, and the lake with all the lake activities. Housing is pretty much older, except where old housing is pulled down and new put in its place because there is very ltitle bare building land left available. Lots of trees, close to the mountains, any kind of shopping that you could ever want.

Post Falls is where housing has expanded to, the agricultural fields are being covered with new housing tracts, all of them middle class housing on little bitty lots. This is where you would most likely end up if you want a brand new house. There is good day to day shopping. CDA is right there, literally touching at the borders, so Post Falls is perfectly acceptible place to live in order to work and play in CDA.

Post Falls runs almost to the border so it is also an acceptible place to live and work in Spokane.

Hayden is touching CDA to the north. The shopping district of CDA runs all the way up through Hayden. Housing stock in Hayden tends to be well established and runs from lower middle class to some very nice custom housing. Hayden has their own lake for lake activities. Lots of nice big trees. Close to the mountains. The most sedate of the four.

Rathdrum is a tiny village. Almost too small to qualify as a village. Decent day to day shopping, a couple of good restaurants. Rathdrum's own lake is a small one, but big enough to boat and fish. Rathdrum is rather laid back and the most down-to-earth of the four towns.. Housing runs all the way from economy to high end houses on 5 acres. If you want a small acreage, Rathdrum is probably your best bet. Rathdrum covers a very large area and is further from CDA. Rathdrum seems to be where most of the horse people have settled because larger building sites are available and it the closest to undeveloped land for riding.

Rathdrum has a very busy rail line running right through the middle.

My opinion is that even though they are close together they each have a very distinctive and unique flavor. Come spend some time and explore, although with the current real estate market you will probably end up wherever you are lucky enough to actually wrestle a house away from all the other people struggling to grab up one of the few houses available.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

On my way to the Spokane Airport last summer I took a side trip from Athol by way of Spirit Lake to Rathdrum. If I were to look for a small town reasonably close to CdA (less than 40 minutes), I'd look into Spirit Lake! Cute, authentic, nice old buildings, and right on a gorgeous little lake. Of course there could be disadvantages I know nothing about, but my first impression was very positive.

[javatom]

Spirit Lake gets a lot more snow than the others.