My two cents as a newbie (relocating and purchasing a home) (Spokane: for sale, 2015)

[KnightStar05]

A couple of months ago, I asked for recommendations on this board for family friendly communities to purchase homes. Someone mentioned the southwest of Spokane and others Liberty Lake. This is my personal take on our whole relocation and experience thus far!

Arriving from Reno, the first thing we noticed was the greenery and hills. It is very wet and cloudy (we arrived in Oct). Not a good month to get the best look at the area! Besides the weather, we also noticed a lot of poverty. It's in many visible places (close to highways). How did I judge this? The conditions of the homes, cars, trash in the yards. Its hard to escape sometimes as you are driving through nice homes, then ugly, then nice again. It's very confusing! There are many people asking for money. Almost on every highway exit. It's very sad and breaks my heart. I usually give these people food and not money because this city is very high on the drug population.
The home shopping was unbearable. Very limited inventory and hardly any ranchers with at least 3 bedrooms on the main floor. Not even the new builds have this option. It boggles my mind why anyone would be okay with two bedrooms on the main floor and the rest in the basement. My child is not a monster who needs to be tucked away and hidden in the dungeons. "Oh that banging you ask? It's our other child. We don't like to talk about it....." Seriouly people. Then we did find some really pretty homes... but as soon as you drove out of these small batches of homes in a tiny "community", you were in ghetto-land. I'm not vain, I just want to feel safe coming home, walking my children around the blocks, etc. These were in all areas of Spokane, Spokane Valley and Mead. BTW if the school rating is good for the home you like, it is more than likely that your child will not get in. Construction in these new communities has bourdened the schools with overcrowding. So even if you buy a house around the corner from the school, you might have to wait in line the night before registration or not get that chance and have your child bused across town (as I've read in a news article for Praire View Elementary in Mead). Liberty Lake is alleviating this problem by building another elementary on the same school campus as the first (two elementaries on one campus?!). And I don't think this is taking to account the hundreds of more houses that are under construction in the area!
After searching, searching, and searching (and many stressful nights wondering WTF are we going to do?!) we settled on the community southwest of Spokane called Eagle Ridge. We were recommended by my spouses coworker who lives there. The location in which we live in is zoned for Cheney School District and the other half is Spokane School District (remember the overcrowding I mentioned earlier?). The elementary is 7/10 but I am content with our final pick. Since the school is farther away (15 minutes) the children are bused. I am okay with that, all I have to do is get my kids ready and send them out instead of driving. The community is beautiful, clean and family friend. Not too far from shopping (everything is 15 minutes away) if you don't want to shop at her Yokes down the road.
Liberty Lake is a great alternative. Very nice, clean and family friendly. Just not for us as it's a bit farther from Spokane, and the already visible traffic jams (one lane bridge to enter the highway?? C'mon!).

BTW food here is great. Very good diverse selections to choose from. We are foodies!!

[rumi79]

Congratulations on the house and welcome!

[articworks]

Originally Posted by KnightStar05

A couple of months ago, I asked for recommendations on this board for family friendly communities to purchase homes. Someone mentioned the southwest of Spokane and others Liberty Lake. This is my personal take on our whole relocation and experience thus far!

Arriving from Reno, the first thing we noticed was the greenery and hills. It is very wet and cloudy (we arrived in Oct). Not a good month to get the best look at the area! Besides the weather, we also noticed a lot of poverty. It's in many visible places (close to highways). How did I judge this? The conditions of the homes, cars, trash in the yards. Its hard to escape sometimes as you are driving through nice homes, then ugly, then nice again. It's very confusing! There are many people asking for money. Almost on every highway exit. It's very sad and breaks my heart. I usually give these people food and not money because this city is very high on the drug population.
The home shopping was unbearable. Very limited inventory and hardly any ranchers with at least 3 bedrooms on the main floor. Not even the new builds have this option. It boggles my mind why anyone would be okay with two bedrooms on the main floor and the rest in the basement. My child is not a monster who needs to be tucked away and hidden in the dungeons. "Oh that banging you ask? It's our other child. We don't like to talk about it....." Seriouly people. Then we did find some really pretty homes... but as soon as you drove out of these small batches of homes in a tiny "community", you were in ghetto-land. I'm not vain, I just want to feel safe coming home, walking my children around the blocks, etc. These were in all areas of Spokane, Spokane Valley and Mead. BTW if the school rating is good for the home you like, it is more than likely that your child will not get in. Construction in these new communities has bourdened the schools with overcrowding. So even if you buy a house around the corner from the school, you might have to wait in line the night before registration or not get that chance and have your child bused across town (as I've read in a news article for Praire View Elementary in Mead). Liberty Lake is alleviating this problem by building another elementary on the same school campus as the first (two elementaries on one campus?!). And I don't think this is taking to account the hundreds of more houses that are under construction in the area!
After searching, searching, and searching (and many stressful nights wondering WTF are we going to do?!) we settled on the community southwest of Spokane called Eagle Ridge. We were recommended by my spouses coworker who lives there. The location in which we live in is zoned for Cheney School District and the other half is Spokane School District (remember the overcrowding I mentioned earlier?). The elementary is 7/10 but I am content with our final pick. Since the school is farther away (15 minutes) the children are bused. I am okay with that, all I have to do is get my kids ready and send them out instead of driving. The community is beautiful, clean and family friend. Not too far from shopping (everything is 15 minutes away) if you don't want to shop at her Yokes down the road.
Liberty Lake is a great alternative. Very nice, clean and family friendly. Just not for us as it's a bit farther from Spokane, and the already visible traffic jams (one lane bridge to enter the highway?? C'mon!).

BTW food here is great. Very good diverse selections to choose from. We are foodies!!

You nailed it.. I have been here Since last March. Very limited in homes for sale. Spokane has pockets of new homes next to the ghetto and appt complex. I see more complexes and condos constructed faster than new homes. If you have money you can build anything and anywhere. I also feel there are sketchy people everywhere. Im not afraid or treat anyone different but I do take notice. Also many homes have 2 bedroom on the main floor. Yes I settled on one due to limited inventory.

[AK76]

I can relate to your experience, my wife and I relocated to the Spokane "area" in June/July 2016. The home inventory was really slim, as a result I decided to buy the "best of the lot" in comparison to the rest, that put us out in Nine Mile Falls - a community that was on our radar prior to house hunting.

I am interested in your foodie experiences, as of yet we have not had opportunity to explore much of anything.

Recommendations?

[pnwguy2]

Spokane is having one of the snowiest and coldest winters in recent years, so there is that. It is definitely a blue-collar type of town, but also very elegant on the South Hill, if you can afford it. Most can't. Lots of new development out in Spokane Valley, and they are trying their best to create a north corridor from I-90 up to 395/2. Most of it is complete, but the last stretch to connect with I-90 seems to be unfunded, or at best, years off.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Spokane is having one of the snowiest and coldest winters in recent years, so there is that. It is definitely a blue-collar type of town, but also very elegant on the South Hill, if you can afford it. Most can't.

I keep hearing about the lack of affordable homes on the South Hill, but there actually seem to be quite a few reasonably priced properties. Here's a quick Google:

https://www.trulia.com/WA/Manito/99203/

[mistyriver]

I love the South Hill but I'm sad to learn the old Albertsons on 29th is closing next month. Such a great and friendly neighborhood store. All the neighborhood kids were known by the employees there...like going back in time.

[elkotronics]

I always liked Albertson's from way back home in Edmonds, WA, mistyriver. They recently built a brand new Albertson's in Alamogordo, NM, a small southern NM city we lived a couple years in and left in Feb. of 2015. So the company is still thriving - I'm assuming. I liked their maple bars from their bakery, to just name one thing about them I liked.

[Yeledaf]

There is no Albertsons on 29th. Are you referring to the one at the corner of 37th and Grand?

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

There is no Albertsons on 29th. Are you referring to the one at the corner of 37th and Grand?

Oh duh...yes.that one.