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Old 03-07-2022, 07:06 PM
 
9 posts, read 8,654 times
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Hello, I currently live in a ski town in western Colorado. Pros are the weather, safety (virtually no crime), access to recreation and public lands (less than a mile from my home), dog friendly culture, and small town life in general. Cons are the influx of tourism in the high season and high cost of housing (especially for single family homes). I like where I live now but eventually I want to buy a small house with 2-5 acres and that’s unattainable here. I would trade the poshness of ski town life for more privacy and seclusion. I’m wondering if anywhere in north Idaho would be a good fit. Ideally I’d like to be within a 45 min drive of a ski area and within 15 min of national forest access. North Idaho looks like it has ski areas, lots of national forest, and a low population but I don’t know much about it. I lived in Coeur D’Alene/Sandpoint for a year when I was young and I thought it was beautiful. I remember getting a fair bit of sun when I lived there, but now that I’m doing more research I’m worried the cloudier winters will bum me out. Has anyone lived in both CO and ID and is willing to shed some perspective? Thanks for reading.
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Old 03-08-2022, 10:14 AM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,634 posts, read 47,975,309 times
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North Idaho also has a huge influx of tourists and real estate prices are heading quickly up into the rarefied sky territory, even properties as far out of town as you can get. A small house with 2-5 acres is a very desirable property and is going to sell for a high price.


We also have had our summer sports ruined by thick wildfire smoke that made the air unbreathable for a couple of months last summer. My family never got the boat out onto the lake because boating is no fun when you have tears running down your cheeks because your eyes are being irritated by thick smoke.
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Old 03-08-2022, 12:23 PM
 
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Yeah two summers ago was awful in the west, and last summer was hell I’m hoping that this summer won’t be another bad fire season but I’m expecting it anyway. I barely got out last summer due to the air quality. Had to cancel several peak hikes and backpacking trips. The smoke we got from the Grand Junction and Glenwood Springs fires wasn’t nearly as bad as the smoke from California and Oregon. I can’t even imagine how terrible it was in your area.

Outside of tourists, housing prices, and the climate disaster, how is it up there? How long have you lived in your town? What do you like and dislike? Occupations and hobbies, if you want to share?
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Old 03-08-2022, 01:35 PM
 
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Here's an example of what is available, in Clark Fork, 25 miles from Schweitzer Resort/Sandpoint, on 3 acres. Frequently the minimum is 5 acres outside of city limits. Scotchman Peaks proposed wilderness just up the road.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...1_M25656-49552
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Old 03-08-2022, 02:22 PM
 
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Try looking at the Kettle Falls and Colville area of Washington. The 49 North Mountain Resort east of Chewelah is 40 miles from Kettle Falls. Real estate seems to be priced less than the Idaho panhandle.

I used to live in the Colville and Addy area. And I used to live in the Dolores and Cortez area of Colorado.
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Old 03-09-2022, 09:22 AM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,634 posts, read 47,975,309 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clark Fork Fantast View Post
Here's an example of what is available, .........
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...1_M25656-49552

That's really cute for a mobile home.
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Old 03-09-2022, 09:59 AM
 
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Would the OP consider Wallace or Grangeville? Bonners Ferry? Priest River? Rathdrum? St. Maries? Orofino?
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Old 03-09-2022, 10:11 AM
 
18,703 posts, read 33,366,372 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke View Post
That's really cute for a mobile home.
Three acres, pretty nice.
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Old 03-09-2022, 10:17 AM
 
7,378 posts, read 12,659,218 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke View Post
That's really cute for a mobile home.
At almost 500K...
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Old 03-09-2022, 11:10 AM
 
Location: Idaho
1,252 posts, read 1,102,471 times
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I think your better bet to limit tourists is to pick and area/town east of 4th of July pass and west of Lookout Pass and a bit away from I-90. That gives you skiing at Lookout Pass and Silver Mountain (south of Kellogg). The towns are smaller: Kellogg being the biggest in the area at ~3,000 people, but there are a lot of small towns along I-90 that are close together (Walmart in Smelterville). Lots of trees north and south of the freeway. A quick Zillow look didn't show much for sale, but there was a little undeveloped land you'd have to invest some money into to get something built. But once built-on it would be great!
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