Questions about Spokane (Seattle, Vancouver, South Hill: apartment, buying a home, job market)

[quelsen]

I admit that I didnt get to see much of Spokane and so dont have a real baseline. I also agree that the smaller places lend more panache (dont get to use that word often)

I was simply surprised to see how spread out everything seemed and that is not what I am used to. It seems a very rural town more than a city. I am from lexington kentucky and I was expecting to find that thing were more sophisticated in a non kentucky city so that was a surprise.

I also can relate to the "only been here" syndrome. i work with people who complain because they didnt get such and so. But in reality I know better becasue I have worked elsewhere.

Thanks for the input and keep it coming. I am looking forward to a change, I hope it is spokane, but that will be us to a signifigant other party....

[coldswan]

Can anyone out there tell me about the area called Camelot? Or any other more established neighborhoods. Probably not the heritage homes as my husband has never tackled that kind of updating. I love the landscaped neighborhoods and the funky homes. We live in Alaska and I just want to warm up a little (and be closer to family in Vancouver) so my Alaskan born husband is willing to consider Spokane. We have one child starting kindergarten next year and I am teacher by profession so do want good schools with a strong sense of community. Anyone out there care to give their two cents?

[WendyK]

That's funny that you came up with Camelot - when my husband and I first moved to Spokane in 1998, we lived in a rental house in Camelot. We used to call it the Brady Bunch house because it was a 70's style home with the green, gold & rust shag carpet, dark woodwork, and basalt rock fireplace. It was a great first neighborhood to live in though - close to shopping, in the Mead school district, large lots and very family friendly neighborhood. From what I've been told, Camelot was one of the first real established subdivision on the north side of town. It's got a Camelot sign in front and also has a neighborhood park with play equipment and a great sledding hill for kids.
There are a few condo/townhouse style homes on one street in Camelot. It also leads into Forest Glen, which is a newer subdivision with homes built in the 90's and newer.
We lived in Camelot for a year and then moved to the Indian Trail area in the Woodridge neighborhood, which is also a great family oriented neighborhood with Woodridge elementary school. I think you'll find that most of the outlying areas of Spokane have these type of established neighborhoods - it will just depend on where you want to be in proximity to work, shopping, etc. and what school district you want to live within.

[coldswan]

We are still at the exploring stage so this is helpful. I will do some more looking at neighborhoods. Is your area school a good one?

[WendyK]

My kids are in the Nine Mile school district http://www.9mile.org if you want to check it out. It's a smaller community - the high school only has about 550 kids, so it's got some good benefits of everyone knowing each other, but it also doesn't have some of the programs you might want in a high school (no orchestra or chorus). The elementary school was really good - there are 2 elementary schools in the district, and my kids went to Lake Spokane Elementary. Since we rented for 2 years before purchasing our home in Nine Mile, my kids first went to elementary school for a year at Farwell in the Mead school district, and then went to Woodridge in the SPokane Dist. I had no serious issues with any of the school districts that they have attended. There have been a few teachers that aren't my favs, but I've told the kids that's part of life - you don't always get along with the people you have to deal with daily.

[washinton native]

Originally Posted by quelsen

I am concidering moving to the spokane area in the near future and I just spent a week there. I guess i agree with all the negative comments I have read here in this thread and I have several questions/ comments

darnit I was hoping to be shown wrong about the food and the shopping,

According to the census there are only 4000 blacks in the city, and i noted a comment about white supremacy. shoudl I be really concerned about making the population 4001?

Went to college in Spokane after growing up on the west side of the state.

I would not feel comfortable being black and living in Spokane. There is little love of diversity in this city.

[mes3fils]

Washinton native,
Did something of interest happen in Hayden, Idaho? Please advise!
mes3fils

[metrospokane]

Originally Posted by washinton native

Went to college in Spokane after growing up on the west side of the state.

Coming from a white guy, I would not feel comfortable being black and living in Spokane. Look up Hayden, Idaho, on the Internet and note how many miles it is from Spokane.

Not a lotta skinheads in Spokane, but there is little love of diversity in this city no matter what line any person on this board attempts to feed you.

I'd take what this person says with a grain of salt. Statements based on rhetoric and broad generalizations like this do not assist anyone on this board. Can you direct us to some study you've recently read that supports your assertion that we don't embrace people from different backgrounds? Please enlighten us WA Native. The region suffered in the 90s from a tiny group of nut-job separatists who are long gone thanks to the efforts of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. That group's presence made for easy news fodder. If anything, that group has made the populace here more aware and more likely to confront behaviour that singles out people based on ethnic or cultural differences.

The region we live in now is realizing tremendous attention for it's high quality of life (regardless of race or ethnicity), access to top recreation, and a growing and strengthening economy. It's a nice place to live for anyone.

[washinton native]

Originally Posted by metrospokane

I'd take what this person says with a grain of salt. Statements based on rhetoric and broad generalizations like this do not assist anyone on this board. Can you direct us to some study you've recently read that supports your assertion that we don't embrace people from different backgrounds? Please enlighten us WA Native. The region suffered in the 90s from a tiny group of nut-job separatists who are long gone thanks to the efforts of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. That group's presence made for easy news fodder. If anything, that group has made the populace here more aware and more likely to confront behaviour that singles out people based on ethnic or cultural differences.

The region we live in now is realizing tremendous attention for it's high quality of life (regardless of race or ethnicity), access to top recreation, and a growing and strengthening economy. It's a nice place to live for anyone.

Uggghm, Metro, again, I lived in Spokane. Don't attempt to discount what I say as "rhetoric and broad generalizations." I also lived in the "city" as a college-aged student after moving from the Portland area and still have immeadiate family in the area.

Don't imply Spokane embraces diversity, cause ya'all live in fear of the black man. When was the last time you took a long walk through Hillyard or on the South Hill there Metro?

[wanttoretire]

I've been reading about the Spokane areas because Spokane is one of the 3 places we are considering for retirement coming up within the next two years. We spent a total of 18 days over two years between Liberty Lake and CDA and really liked it. We came across Otis Orchards nearby. How is this area regarding types of people and homes and prices? We are not interested in school districts so it is basically the area and affordability we are interested in. We don't want to move too far away from lakes because we will be fishing a lot in retirement which is why we are also strongly considering crossing the border over into Idaho.

Regarding the two states does anyone know which one is more retiree friendly regarding taxes and utility costs. I know Idaho has a state income tax and Washington doesn't however sometimes it is less expensive to live in an area when all other things are considered besides the state income tax.