Best area in Spokane to raise a family (South Hill, Opportunity: low income, houses)

[mkeller]

Being the business, I can give you the true facts of the housing market as of February 1st. We have a large number of homes on the for sale market, but less than last month.....weather and holidays. The median sale price is almost identical with this same month in 2006. So to say it is a "buyer's market" is a little off....many choices for the buyer, but a great deal of over-priced listings that have been on for many weeks and/or seller's who don't know the current market. With interest rates being what they are it is a good time for someone without a current house that needs to be sold....to buy a home. Negotiations in this type of market is very very important. Just because it has a list price doesn't mean that is what you need to offer or even close to it....especially if your Realtor doesn't believe the house price equals the current market. Within the next week the January figures will be available and i would be willing to share them/post them for viewing.

Zillow is not the reader of the real market I can guarantee you that fact.....I can explain to anyone willing to doubt this fact. It is a layman's guide not a map of what is happening in the market.

[afp62987]

I went to school in Spokane for 7 years. Hamblen Elementary was WONDERFUL! I wish I still lived in Spokane (relocated to the Tri Cities about 10 years ago) so my daughter could get the wonderful educaion that I did.

[dawpick]

To the members who wanted to know about the neighborhood west of Highway 195: It's not Airway Heights (I can't say that our family would locate there; not a slam, it's just not our place). It's called Eagle Ridge, and it's very easy to make friends there. We have several parks in the middle of the homes, so kids & parents come out (in better weather!) and congregate. We sled there in the winter, though, too. The neighborhood is hilly and treed; and the Estate side has larger lots. Yes, there are homes under $275: I've seen several around $255k. Here's a link:
Spokane New Homes | Eagle Ridge by Newland Communities

I hope this helps. We couldn't be happier in our 'hood!

[mkeller]

Be aware that all the newer homes are in the Cheney School District not Spokane District.

Advise to stay out of Qualchan Development nearby IF you want a backyard....nearly all lots would require your kids on ropes hangin from the deck in order to keep them out of trouble.

[dawpick]

I agree about Qualchan. We didn't buy there because of the nonexistant backyards.
Also, there are plenty of nearly-new homes in the lower half of Eagle Ridge in the Spokane School District. Just don't go all the way up the hill if you want Spokane schools.

[Searching for Home]

Originally Posted by Medryn

The Mead school district (in further North Spokane) is notorius for being the best schools in the region and many many people make extra effort to have their kids there. They have outstanding teachers, great academics, superior sports and music programs, and they make sure to get the best educational material that many other public schools do not such as the reading/math curriculums that help kids learn it easier/better/quicker. The other added bonus is that if you are in the Mead school district area you are most likely living in one of the nicest areas of town to live in as most of the school district covers middle to upper class residential around new or very well kept commercial areas as well as beautiful recreational, park, and outdoor/countryside areas.

Wow, I'm amazed at how many whiney QQrs there are on here with irrelevant opinions. Fact is, wherever you live, some people will HATE it and some people will LOVE it. Funny thing is, the people whining about how they hate it and why are generally the ones who are known to make up junk and find a problem with everything. The ones who love it are usually the more positive realistic people who know how to live and enjoy life in the area.

Spokane is a fantastic town for TONS of reasons. Many of the negatives you will find/hear about it are common place for just about any town of its size but what is nice about Spokane is that it is a region full of just about any lifestyle or enviroment you are looking for. Quiet suburbia? We've got it. Outdoors/Country living, We've got it. Urban/Modern, Were not like Seattle but we've got it to the point that people who aren't looking for a huge metropolitan can still enjoy a sense of living in a city (if in the city is directly where you choose to live). I think you get the point, you name it and I'll match it with a great place to live in Spokane.

Spokane wasn't voted one of the top 10 cities to raise a family for nothing, it is a wonderful place, the problem is most people are to lazy or don't know how to get out and enjoy it. Spokane is very agricultural and is full of orchards and country type events and places to take the family to year round. If you know where to look or at least try to find them you will find TONS of activities in the area for families and kids. Lots of them are free or involve a small fee. Also, it is one of the best well known places for outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, mtn biking, camping, fishing, etc. It is surrounded by TONS of fun lakes and many people who live in the area also enjoy life at the lake or cabin in the summer time.

Trust me, if you move to Spokane and your someone who knows how to enjoy a great place and have a good time you will love it. I spent many teenage years here (I'm from Seattle though not Spokane) and during those years was surrounded by lots of other teengers who whined about how Spokane was so boring and they are going to move out ASAP but all they ever did was go to school and stare at the TV, I even had that mentality at one point as a kid but then I grew up and when I moved back to Spokane I realized how much of an amazing place it really is.

Also, the comment about the rock band on Sat night and there was nothing really bugged me. I'm a musician, (well a drummer anyway) and was huge into the music scene in Seattle (which is notorius for it's music talent) and after coming to Spokane was amazed at how big the music scene is here. Not only is it a large enough town to get most of the big concerts and tours but there is a huge local music scene. Tons of local bands play at TONS of local places CONSTANTLY and they have their own music magazine/newspaper/events much better done than any other town of this size I have ever seen. Again, obviously someone who does not know how to be a part of things choosing to complain instead of discover.

Also, talking crime, Spokane is not high. What gets people complaining is the fact that it went form practically no crime to little crime over the last 10 years or so and when you go from almost nothing to a little it is very publicized and becomes a big deal. Although Spokane has lots of appeal to urban and country lifestyles and has grown immensely it is still a small enough town that you hear about every little thing that happens here. Even so we are still below the state averages. Still, be careful of your mentality when looking at a town for its crime. Most people think Seattle is a wonderful low crime metropolis and when it comes to a major city its one of the best by far in many areas but then you may be suprised to know it was #2 on the national charts for murders not that long ago, but then I can tell you if you asked the residents there 98%+ would have never had thought so and could not ever understand why. Be careful what you focus on. Research everything but focus more on what is good about a place not on what is bad about it because you aren't planning on moving into the bad area that gives it that are you? of course not.

I feel so relieved to hear something positive about Spokane! I have been reading predominantly negative comments about it, and was feeling like my research skills had failed me - thanks for proving that "life is what you make of it!"

[mkeller]

Go visit and make your own inquiries and decision.

[Deena160]

Thanks for the info, Mkeller. I would be interested in hearing about the stats for January. I know that my MLS favorites' list seems to have shrunk quite a bit since the holidays have past. It does seem that the houses coming on now are more realistically priced. It is the same here. You're spot on with the people who aren't pricing correctly. There are several homes on my list that have been there for months and the owners are obviously not willing to budge with bringing the price down. I guess negotiations will be the name of the game.
We'll probably be making another trip over the end of April. Meanwhile, my house is a contruction zone with the kitchen being taken apart and put back together again. Sure hope it's worth it for resale value.
Okay, here's a question for you real-estate people out there: Are people really as head-over-heels for stainless steel appliances as they make out to be on HGTV shows? I'd rather not have them in my own home, but on a scale of 1-10 how important is it to selling my house to have them? :~) D

[mkeller]

Everyone is different as usual/./some like Ford's others like Chev's. Same with appliances. We have stainless steel and they are okay and look great with granite. Don't get black in any appliance especially stoves...a bugger to clean...greasy looking continually.

[dawpick]

Medryn is absolutely right! Just about any city can live up or down to your expectations. There's plenty here for those who seek it: theater, dancing, great food, friendly people. Or, you can stay at home with 564 channels of satellite TV and complain about how dull it is here! It's totally up to you.
My husband & I had a rare kid-free night Saturday, had a fabulous dinner with friends, then went dancing, which we hadn't done in a long time. I was glad to see we had plenty of choices (although the club scene gets going when we're normally heading to bed...