Best area in Spokane to raise a family (Seattle, Tacoma: home, buyers)

[fy10fyr]

No argument on the river, most likely because of Kaiser. But eating fish out of Cd'A isn't substantially riskier than any other body of water.

[kena]

IMHO, Coeur d Alene is a great lake for recreation (which is part of the reason it feels overcrowded to many who used to recreate there before it really became known outside the area) and is the location of a slew of new condo/cabin projects, all of which have units starting in the millions. The sad reality is almost all fish (river, lake, or ocean) contain some level of toxins because toxins are present in most bodies of water to varying degrees. For example, the Columbia (running next to Vancouver) contains multiple toxins. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...lumbia10m.html It is just a reality for many bodies of water at this point in time. Further, if you're into fishing there is a plethora of great spots to fish in the greater Spokane area, neither of which are the lake or that section of the Spokane.

[st33lcas3]

Originally Posted by kena

IMHO, Coeur d Alene is a great lake for recreation (which is part of the reason it feels overcrowded to many who used to recreate there before it really became known outside the area) and is the location of a slew of new condo/cabin projects, all of which have units starting in the millions. The sad reality is almost all fish (river, lake, or ocean) contain some level of toxins because toxins are present in most bodies of water to varying degrees. For example, the Columbia (running next to Vancouver) contains multiple toxins. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...lumbia10m.html It is just a reality for many bodies of water at this point in time. Further, if you're into fishing there is a plethora of great spots to fish in the greater Spokane area, neither of which are the lake or that section of the Spokane.

I agree about Lake CDA as far as recreation. I spent many summer weekends there swimming and picking up on the ladies. If you have a boat, you can spend all day on the lake. I parasailed for my first time there too. The hills around the lake are great for picking huckleberries, camping or just taking a hike.

I used to live along the Spokane River, out by Barker Rd, when I was a teenager. I ate fish from there a few times and swam in it frequently. That was before I knew about the pollution in it.

I know about the Columbia too. It's unfortunate how polluted it's become, it's a beautiful river. Even worse is the Willamette, the section running through downtown Portland is a Superfund cleanup site.

It's too bad we've ruined so many good areas.

[Deena160]

Keep running it down, guys! Maybe you'll get the prices to drop more before I move. lol.
Where are my moms looking into the school districts gone to? :~) D

[mkeller]

I have been telling all my clients that Spokane's housing market is NOT like the rest of the country and this article proves that statement.
The Best and Worst Housing Markets 2007
The 40 markets across the U.S. that performed the best and worst in terms of price appreciation in the third quarter of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006


Best Housing Markets
No. 13
Spokane, Wash.
Population: 446,706
Median home price: $206,800
One-year change: 8.79%
Five-year change: 69.43%


http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07...g/index_01.htm

The Best and the Worst Housing Markets In USA

[kdedcja]

M. Keller wrote, "I have been telling all my clients that Spokane's housing market is NOT like the rest of the country and this article proves that statement."

I have been listening to San Francisco Bay Area realtors for two years say the same thing. Housing may go down everywhere else but this place is different. Only now after several months of declining home sales and rising number of homes on the market are realtors here acknowledging that housing prices are going down. Now they argue about when the bottom will hit.

I understand you have a vested interest in selling homes, however, like most things in Spokane, it is behind the rest of the country. It too will experience the pain of the housing crash and credit crunch. The economic fundamentals do not support the current home prices, particularly in Spokane since it does not have the diversity and strength of economy like the Bay Area nor the attraction of living in the area, to whether the storm. Spokane housing will go down just like everywhere else. To say otherwise, is either classic bubble mentality, naivety or just dishonest self interest.

[mkeller]

Stay tune my friend...I will save your statement and replay it back to you in 12 months.

[mkeller]

“Even with a modest decline in the national aggregate price this year, it’s important to keep in mind that nearly two-thirds of the metro areas in the U.S. are showing price increases,” he said. “The apparent disparity results from fewer sales in high-cost markets, so a change in the mix of sales is dragging down the national median home price.”
Areas showing healthy price gains include disparate markets such as Gary-Hammond, Ind.; Binghamton, N.Y.; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Spokane, Wash. “We can’t emphasis enough how much local conditions vary, even within a given area, so it’s important for consumers to make decisions based on local market conditions.”

[mkeller]

"All real estate is local. There are wide variations with no one neighborhood trend looking like another. Some areas will see housing activity and prices moving up and some moving down."

[Bakergirl]

Deena160-I've been strongly advised to live within the Mead district. This is coming from professionals in the special ed field. About six people suggested Mead, one person said district 81 had good services and another person suggested CV. I have heard many negative things about 81 about the district in general and have heard more negative then positive about CV. I'm so sick of the greater Seattle area, I'm excited to move!