Sandpoint

[PG13]

Looking for an affordable 3-4bd 2bth5 or so acre property within about 5 miles from the city. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or near the lake (Then I wouldn't be able to afford it). Any recommendations? Also I am in the brokerage industry and would like to move my family to a safe place (we live in Phoenix now). Is there a firm that you can recommend that may have employment opportunities? Much Thx.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by PG13

What is the difference between Sagle, Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry and Priest Lake in climate and just in general? Much Thx.

PG, it's always difficult to generalize in terms of weather, one storm will dump on one place and miss another, next one will be different. Priest Lake tends to get significantly more snow than the Sagle/Sandpoint area (essentially one and the same), Bonner's is probably inbetween. None are too bad...but then I'm originally from Buffalo! Elevation will make a huge difference in snow, more so than the specific location.

As to your more general questions between the 4 cities/towns, Sandpoint is by far the largest, and has the most "urban" feel, Sagle is much more rural, there is not much of a "downtown", just a few small businesses alongside Hwy 95, it's just a couple miles south of Sandpoint over the LongBridge. "Sagle" is somewhat hard to define though, the "town" isn't much, but the mailing address includes a pretty large area (mine included) that is mostly rural, with some beautiful views. Most rural properties are 5-20 acres, there isn't much in the line of 1/4 acre "suburban" lots in the Sagle area.

Priest is much more remote and isolated. In the winter there's pretty much one road in and out, it's maybe 45 miles over to Sandpoint. The primary winter business is snowmobiling, if that tells you anything. It's pretty big in that area, though the greenies are trying hard to shut it down.

Personally I tend to avoid the Sandpoint downtown, the main north-south route through the state (Hwy 95) runs straight through. Lots of noise and traffic, in the summer it can take upwards of 1/2 hour to get through town, kind of silly considering the size of the town. It should get a lot better in the next 4 years or so, there is a bypass being constructed (if it doesn't get held up in court again) that should help reduce traffic and return more of a small town feel to the city center.

Great area to live, especially if you are into outdoor pursuits. There is (or used to be, till wolves were introduced) good elk hunting, and some of the best snowmobiling and ATV riding in the country. If you like to play in the woods it's great...if you are expecting opera, probably the wrong place for you. My favorite part of the area is the millions of acres of national forest and state land to go recreate on, there are some awesome views that probably <5% of the people in the area see. Lots of places to camp outside of developed campgrounds as well.

[floridaboundsoon]

Moved to the sandpoint area 20 years ago.It was nice at first but slid downhill once all the Californians came and drove up the prices.They want to change everything.There are far to many cliques for sure as well as those that seem to be larger than life and legends in their own minds.The schools are a joke and my kids graduated a few years ago and moved away because the good jobs are scarce here. Teachers are probably the worst in the state.We have a HUGE meth problem here as well as eastern montana.It is far from paradise.The last 2 winters have been really bad for snow (so much for the 07-08 winter being the 50 yr winter).Seems to be a good place for snowmobiling and hunting.Fishing on the lake is nothing compared to 20 yrs ago.I WOULD NOT WANT TO PUT KIDS THROUGH THE HORRIBLE SCHOOLS UP HERE.I WOULD LOOK AT cda area.Housing is way overpriced.i am going to be looking at the florida area for my retirement because i cant take the bad winters any more!!!!AND I DO MEAN BAD!!!!!!!!!!!The high school sports programs are a joke with the exception of Wrestling and Soccer.There are alot of small town politics in place her for sure!!!!!! So all in all if you are rich and Dont need a job and can afford to over pay for a house ,it is ok LOL

[Sage of Sagle]

FBS,

Thanks for sharing your view. I fear that you will get to FL and find the "grass isn't truly greener"....but I wish you good fortune in your search for a better place...

[Sandpointian]

Florida,

It sounds as though there was a mismatch from the beginning.

Housing prices are high, but on par if not cheaper with other towns in such beautiful spots. Prices in Bend & Whitefish are more expensive, as are Sun Valley and Jackson. But, there are plenty of nice homes that are modest and would not cost an arm & a leg. I agree that CDA is cheaper and offers more options, but apples and oranges, really.

Why do you say the schools are a joke...they are horrible? What gives? What were your expectations? I see the schools as "very decent." I do not expect the world of them nor all the bells and whistles.

Meth is a problem as it is for many northern areas of the country. Idle hands, you know?

Bad for snow? SP is at a latitude of 48* and an hour from Canada. Snow and cold are permanent fixtures of NID. Did you expect it to be different? Skiiers have been quite happy the past two years.

High School sports--the least of our worries. I like that school sports are not given the weight they are now given in the larger metro areas, where it has begun to resemble the attention paid to college sports. But...if my kids were star athletes perhaps I would feel more conflicted. But that is less a problem of SP and more a problem of small town life. On this, the CDA area would look more attractive.

Small town politics. 'Tis true. No way around that. Best solution is to make policies more transparent and make sure everyone can have their say and has access to due process and the channels of government. Beyond that, one or two individuals/families or 1/2 firms will nevertheless have disproportionate power since they have disproportionate influence on the market.

Income. I would put it differently. You definitely do not need to be rich to live in SP. However, everything turns on the definition of the word "rich." To me, the focus is less on income than family lifestyle and freedom, which are closer correlates to net worth than earned income.

To me, "rich" means employment is optional for both working-age spouses. Anything that follows is not rich in my book, but middle class. Next rung of the ladder is that employment is optional for one spouse. Next, partial employment is possible for both working-age spouses. Next, partial employment is possible for only one working-age spouse. Finally, both working-age spouses must work.

From what I see, SP is filled with the middle class and retirees. Trust fund babies? The garishly rich and bored? These have not made much of an appearance, other than with the second home crowd. Having to work 60+ hours/week to buy that nicer home or car, that ain't rich, that is American and behavior that should be incentivized.

However, I would say that it is increasingly apparent that SP is a difficult to live in the area if you are poor, uneducated/lowly educated, unemployed/underemployed...or all three. The days that such living can lead to a comfortable life will likely never return again, if in fact they were ever truly here. And quite frankly I have no qualms with this mild aspect of gentrification, although I would rather see those populations use available pubic resources to pull themselves up rather than see them move elsewhere and repeat their woes. Increasingly, incoming populations represent a very different demographic than what was here previously, with trends toward college and graduate degree holders and higher net worth. Neither of these trends are bad and we are certainly nowhere as demanding as in Sun Valley or Jackson.

I could never live in Florida as it would be too much of a mismatch for me, but that does not mean Florida cannot be the ideal fit for someone else.

Best of luck in the move...

S.