Best area in Spokane to raise a family (Long Beach: best cities, renting)

[Count David]

Originally Posted by Deena160

Your standards are your standards. Whether you raise or lower them is up to you. People rarely find a perfect place to live. There's always going to be something wrong with it, but if you're lucky you'll find a pretty good fit.
What sort of person are you? Fast paced or slow going? Do you need to be entertained like someone who needs Broadway shows, theme parks, or a hectic, varied night-life? Spokane does get shows/concerts and Silverwood theme park is less then an hour away. If you need the occassional big-city fix, Seattle's about 5 hours. The varied night-life part might be a problem...
Are you the sort who makes their own entertainment maybe in the outdoors with camping, skiing, hiking, or fishing/hunting every weekend? Plenty of that in and around Spokane. It's an outdoorsman's paradise.
Of course, you could be low maintenance (like myself) and be happy with these things once in a while, but generally just living is exciting enough.
IMO Spokane probably mostly suits the last two. If you're the kind of person who needs constant entertainment (and that's not a bad thing) then Spokane mightn't be for you.
If you've got a few hours to blow just reading through this forum you'll probably figure out that for some people Spokane is too slow and layed back, too conservative, too family oriented, too small town, etc... They are bored to tears and just want out(or have gotten out). Others would complain that it's not enough of these things and that it's changed too much in recent years. Plenty have decided that it's exactly what they're looking for and they're trying desperately to get there(or get back to like David and Jessy)! Many have been there a while and they wouldn't want to be anywhere else. :~) D

I'm out of reps for you for now, but I have to say:

"Excellent, excellent post!"

[Deena160]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I'm out of reps for you for now, but I have to say:

"Excellent, excellent post!"

Well, thank you! Maybe I'll redeem myself for not being able to keep my mouth shut about politics. lol. :~) D

[skinem]

I second David's post...good post, Deena!

[froggin4colorado]

I also ask this coming from VA. I lived in COS from 1994-2009 and loved it. However, we are now in VA and hate the east coast. I want to get back to the west in the worst way and Fairchild is an option. I am a sped teacher- masters in sped and another one in curriculum & instruction. I am also working on my BCBA (behavior therapist) and I work with individuals on the autism spectrum and others who have emotional/behavioral issues. I enjoy 4 seasons, love the mountains, open space, and camping. I have a 13, 9, and 7 yr old too. My DH also wants to volunteer again on a fire department. Any advice?

[lil_mamma099]

Originally Posted by Shutterbugsheri

Well...I think it depends on who you are and where you have been in life. My background is raised in Illinois, 19 years in Oregon and 1 year in Montana, now Spokane. For us, it's the urban culture. The juvenile delinquent types abounding. The foul mouths I have heard out of 7-year-olds! The graffiti on playground equipment. Property crimes. New gangs. Drive-by shootings. And what people told me before I came "the less than desirable people." Pets limited to 3 cats and 3 dogs in town and 4 dogs and 4 cats in Spokane County. Seem to be a fair amount of dog attacks on people, including children.

Some comments from people

"If you come here from out of state, you have to start work as a temp."
"Nobody will rent to you if you don't know someone and you are from out of the area."
"It's a small town and has small town mentality"
"The police are really corrupt"
"You'll learn pretty quickly to get out of Spokane and live somewhere else"
"It's cheap here so everyone moves here"
"There are a lot of losers here"
"All the pedophiles from Seattle are released over here so we have a LOT of sex offenders here."

Of all the places I have lived I have never experienced anything like Spokane. There are more people FROM HERE than anywhere I lived. Not many transplants and it seems Unless perhaps, you are a thriving upper income finely established person. Coming here without a lot puts a person in a category here. Several employers asked my ex how many times he has been in jail and how many convictions he has had. He is a pretty regular looking guy too.

I really don't want to offend anyone and the Chamber of Commerce will probably send me hate mail now, but I wish I had heard these things before I moved here. Or more of it. Partly I guess I didn't listen well enough thinking there were better work opportunities here. But I hear the same thing as Montana and how hard it is to make a living here. From what I can tell if a person isn't from here or doesn't have some awesome job opportunity here, then there is no reason to live here.

[+] Rate this post positively

I was considering moving to Spokane, from Arizona, but after reading THIS post, I think I've changed my mind. My gawd,....it sounds like a REALLLLY crapy place to me. I have been reading all of the posts about Spokane and it really seems like more bad than good. I know every city has it's bad points, but holy cow. If there is anyone out there who's lived in Spokane as a transplant and has anything good to say, please help. Otherwise I think I've been scared off for good. I don't want to live in run down, redneck crap hole. I thought Tucson was bad, but at least we have jobs. None of that "gotta know someone crap" that's exactly what I DON'T want. I hate that mentallity...why would people want to treat transplants that way. "Spokanites let you know how they feel about newcomers"
""The police are really corrupt"....That one really threw me. GEEEEEZ
this is the one that convinced me...""All the pedophiles from Seattle are released over here so we have a LOT of sex offenders here."
Oh MY GOD. RUN RUN RUN LIKE HELL.
I think I'll stay right here thank you very much.
Sincerely Disapointed.

WOW!!!! I was thinking of moving to spokane, boy did that change my mind!!!!! I will be looking elsewere now

[Count David]

Originally Posted by lil_mamma099

WOW!!!! I was thinking of moving to spokane, boy did that change my mind!!!!! I will be looking elsewere now

If you want to base your opinions on exaggerated and baseless points, then go ahead.

[redhead]

Originally Posted by lil_mamma099

WOW!!!! I was thinking of moving to spokane, boy did that change my mind!!!!! I will be looking elsewere now

this is such crap ths post doe not represent spokane at all. spokan is a beautiful city with great people and in a gorgeous part of the country!!!! don't fall for some psycho crap like what's been smeared here. i've lived all over this country and i'm moving back to spokane from montana. spokane has the pluses of big city and small town country blended into one area and is very affordable with low crime for a city of it's size. many many things going for it and the people are still like small town people.

[Arquebus]

"Spokanites let you know how they feel about newcomers"

This is true.....& I've been made feel nothing but welcome ever since I got here a few months ago! I have a foreign accent anyway, so it's obvious I'm not a native Spokanite, Washingtonian, or even an American, but I've lost count of the number of people I've run into in stores, gas stations, at work, etc. who have welcomed me to Spokane & wish me the best for my future here.

[paulm10690]

The winter is the worst and longest season here. Snow, frigid temperatures and a lack of sunshine all entail a spokane winter. Other than the winter the rest of the year is usually sunny with comfortable weather. If your looking for a good place to raise a family in spokane i would look for a place to live somewhere on the northside like five mile or shadle or somewhere by whitworth or mead. Places to avoid are west central, downtown, lower south hill and nevada/lidgerwood. Other than that Spokane is a nice place to live and raise a family, just stay away from the places i mentioned and you won't have to deal with the tweakers, white trash and homeless people.

[jessysunshine]

Originally Posted by Deena160

Plenty have decided that it's exactly what they're looking for and they're trying desperately to get there(or get back to like David and Jessy)!

Yep, I still very much want to be back in the Spokane area. It's an amazing place to be, no other place quite like it. God has us in Boise for now, and life is good. My heart just yearns for home, which is the Spokane area. I believe we will be back soon, just when I do not know.

Thank you, Deena, for an excellent post and for "knowing" me so well as to accurately describing me. :-)