Best location for acreage (Seattle, Spokane: movies, school district, college)

[Diane0512]

Hi. My husband and I are looking for 10+ acres in the rural Spokane area. We currently live in Carnation, Wa. (about an hour east of Seattle, an hour from Seatac airport and 1/2 hour from department store shopping). I am looking for recommendations on small town areas outside of Spokane that would fall into similar distances as listed above. We would like property with some evergreen trees, some pasture area and possibly a view. We intend on having a few horses and would enjoy being able to ride easily on our property and possibly onto other trails. Anyone have any recommendations?? thank you, Diane

[WendyK]

Diane - There are several other posts on the Spokane forum about small outlying towns and parts of Spokane that are considered rural. You don't have to drive very far to be "out in the country". For a more treed area, you would probably need to look north - Deer Park, Chattaroy, Colbert, Nine Mile Falls and some of the areas near Mt. Spokane & the Greenbluff area. Lots of people with horses in this area - if you found something close to Riverside State Park or other state land, that would give you extra territory to ride. Both the Northeast & Northwestern parts of Spokane county have acreage type parcels with trees & views. The valley (eastern Spokane county) might work, too - not as treed, but lots of open space with nice views and rural areas. There's also Cheney/Medical Lake to the southwest that are considered rural type towns. Trees are a little more scrubby type pines, but it's a big area so you could find other types of trees, too.
You might want to decide what other services you want to be close to, to help make your decision about where to live because there are so many choices in location. If you want to be close to I-90, then the valley might be better. If you have children, you might want to decide what school district you prefer. If you know where you'll be working, that would be another factor to consider.
If you don't like snow, you might want to reconsider your decision!! It has been a tough winter for Spokane area residents. Right now there's so much snow, there are mountains of it piled up from where it's been plowed. We're running out of space to put it! Next week is supposed to get warmer, so hopefully a lot of this will melt down.

[Diane0512]

Thanks Wendy -- Yes, we like snow and are mainly looking for less gray, dreary days. More sun, even if cold out. More space. Our youngest will be off at college when we make the move, so schools are not a concern. I have looked online at properties in the north that you mentioned and they look like what we would want. We will be semi-retired. We would like to be about an hour and a half tops from the airport, 45 minutes from shopping (clothing, hardware, Target, movies) and an hour from a hospital (one never knows!!). Of the areas to the North of Spokane that you mentioned, do they all have relatively the same climate?? Thanks you for your time, Diane

[mistyriverranch]

Deer Park is a great horsey area and a nice town too. I'm in north Idaho but our chapter of the United States Pony Club is centered in Deer Park. Lots of other horsey people and facilities.

[WendyK]

Deer Park was kind of my first idea, too, since it's actually got quite a few services, stores, businesses as well as feeling like being out in the country. The Deer Park hospital closed last year, but Holy Family on the north side of Spokane is less than 30 minutes away. It also has access to both Highways 395 and Hwy. 2, depending on which side of Deer Park you're on. Climate is all pretty much the same - you will find a little more snow in the higher elevations but there's not a huge difference.
We have had quite a bit of sun this winter even with the cold & snow. Today was really gorgeous because the temp was only about 10 degrees and the snow was sparkling down off the trees like glitter.

[tankratt]

Hi Diane0512 Deer Park is the spot for you, We were in your soes 5 years ago and Deer Park was the spot. We moved here from Marysville, So you can be in north spokane in less time than Carnation to Duvall or Redmond. We had horses and now have more horses. And Deer Park has a nice little downtown, they have two grocery stores great pizza in westside pizza, a great mexican place, and Salty dog when you miss some great fish and chips, Inland feed takes care of us, they have all the critter stuff you will need, two auto part stores a Chevy dealership, Bowling, even a health food store if that is your deal too. Well good luck hope to see you in Deer Park.