Aussies moving to spokane!!! (Vancouver, Deer Park: real estate, low crime, loans)

[natlie]

Hi there everyone !
We are from Bundaberg Queensland Australia and am looking for any information i can get on Spokane WA. We have 4 children ages from 5-14yrs we would like to buy land as we like to have a swag of animals... have heard a little about Nine Mile, Seven Mile. I need to know things like "view taxes" aprox figures will be fine on rural properties. Other things including house hold rubbish collection, do those ppl out there get completly snowed in ? How do we get the kids to school, do the snow ploughs clear the road out there ? Is there only water tanks or is there underground water and around about how much does it cost for either. Is the land dead and dry looking alot of the time as the pictures i have seen apart from winter have been. How hot does it get in the summer and also how cold in the winter ?
I think thats all the questions i have at the moment.
We are making a trip over in April 2012 to scout around.

Cheers,
Natlie

[Count David]

You can contract for trash service, or use a municipal collector (if applicable). Or you can take the trash to a dump yourself.

I have yet to spend a winter in the Spokane area, but in most American locales where it snows (I do live in one), main roads are plowed first, with residential roads getting lowest priority. It depends on the area. For example, the road I lived on in the city of Spokane is NOT a city or county maintained road (it is dirt), so one of the homeowners clears the road with his own truck-mounted plow when it snows.

Many vehicles can drive on snow, but AWD, 4WD, and/or snow tires are preferred, with FWD being an okay option. Driving on snow is a learned skill, and takes a lot of patience, but really, for most people snow doesn't mean transportation can't occur.

Unless your school district declares a snowday (or delayed start), it's assumed your kids' school bus (if applicable) would still be running. Or you can take them yourself. Again, cars do/can move on snow.

Can't help with water, but I know it can be a problem on raw land.

Parts of the area are very green, other parts are dry and brown (or a little of both). IMO anywhere in Spokane County that has trees is simply beautiful.

Summers range from warm to hot, and mostly dry. Summer nights can be nice and cool (60's F). It's not humid, but there are mosquitoes. (Again, you'll have to ask somebody else about winter). May and September are nice IMO.

Good luck!

[Arminius 09]

I'm curious to know how someone decides they're gonna move from Australia to Spokane, Washington.

[Yeledaf]

Maybe they're fed up with marsupials and want to make the buffet scene.

[iromotnemom]

Ur coming from Queensland to Spokane...hahaha good luck...no way you will survive a winter there!!!! and good luck with taxes as well....ha

[PNW-Spokanite]

I've been a resident of Spokane for 15 plus years and thoroughly enjoy living here, as it does have four distinct pleasant seasons, a low crime rate, affordable housing and a slower pace of life compared to the larger cities. It's a city that's easy to get around, and I would consider it to be one of the safer places that I have ever lived in or visited throughout the country. The tax rate is lower as well compared to the larger cities, but Washington state has some of the highest tax rates in the country. However, the state does not have income tax like the neighboring states have.
Winter can be long and cold and snowy and windy and gray. Sometimes up to 6 months! Temps can drop well below zero fahrenheit for several days. The snow can stay on the ground for months on end, so you get used to it. And believe me, it doesn't mean the area shuts down and everyone stays home. Schools still stay in session, the roads get plowed for the most part, and getting around is slow going, but if you are a patient driver, you will do just fine.
Summer can be hot and very dry, but it is manageable as the evenings cool down nicely. We have a fire danger season as well, since the region only receives 15-17 inches of rainfall for the whole year.
The area around Spokane is considered rural, with large farms that spread out to the south and west of town. Thousands upon thousands of acres devoted to wheat, barley, lentils and hay dot the region.
If you would like to know more, feel free to ask!

[moonlighthorses]

Check out the Plummer, Idaho area. It is close to Spokane and even closer to Coeur d'Alene. Taxes and eveything is cheaper in Idaho. My neighbor has a 3 large bedroom house on 4.42 acres, outbuildings, fenced, Stays green, city water and sewer, school bus route so it's always plowed, in the city limits but a country setting. There is a local medical center , grocery store, hardware store, automotive store, and wellness center. All tribal owned stores are tax free. Lots of tribal benefits even if you are not tribal. All for only $104,000. Check it out! )

[Deena160]

My husband is an Aussie from Adelaide SA and we moved from there nearly 20 years ago. Welcome!!!
Yes, the weather might be a shock to the system and make sure you bring a good supply of Vegemite! Also, there's not a meat pie or pasty to be found, but we finally found some decent fish and chips at Dave's on Sprague in the Valley. lol. When we first moved to Washington, we'd go up to Vancouver BC in Canada to get our Pommie fix once in a while.
It's really beautiful up 5-9 mile. We looked at several homes up there, but eventually settled for Spokane Valley. A big consideration was the BIG hill you have to go up to get there. We moved from Western Washington about 18 months ago where the weather is a bit milder and I didn't fancy the idea of going up and down in the winter. Where we were looking(5 mile), the high school(and maybe middle) would be in North Spokane and it seems like I'm always running to one of the schools for something for my kids. I'm pretty sure that 9-mile is in a different school district though and has it's own schools.
The cool thing about Spokane is that you don't have to go very far out of town (or the valley) before you're in a rural area--one minute you're in the suburbs, and the next you're keeping an eye out for deer crossing the road. The geography is really varying, too. Up 9 Mile or Deer Park it's kind of rougher, more wooded. If you head south toward Spangle it's more rolling with miles of wheat fields. My favorite would probably be east Valley toward Greenacres where there's beautiful wooded hills--wooded here primarily being pine trees.
When we started looking for homes several years ago, there was a federal program to get special loans for rural areas. Not sure if it's still around, but it's something to look into. Also, if you're looking for a good real estate agent, I can totally recommend Jeff Crane(jeffcrane.com). He put up with our two year house hunt while we were waiting for a transfer to come through with the patience of Job! He was great at helping us get to know the area and letting us get our bearings, aside from the fact that he knew what he was doing. His family has been in the business for years.
Did I forget anything? Make sure you check back in and let us know how you're doing. City-data members hate it when people ask questions and then don't come back again! lol. Take care and good luck!!! :~) D

[Pastor Rod]

Did you make it to Spokane? I'm an Aussie here too. It'd be fun to get together. Rodney

[Pastor Rod]

Hi dena, it'd be fun to meet up with your husband. I'm an Aussie in Spokane too. Been here five years and haven't met an Aussie yet. Rodney