"Scouting" trip to Sandpoint (Moscow, Post Falls: car rental, real estate, rentals)
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Good Afternoon NID! I have been lurking here for quite some time and am starting to feel guilty about it so I figured now was a good time for an introduction! Additionally, in a selfish confession, I must add that we are planning our first "scouting mission" to your neck of the woods and I was hoping to get some insight from all of you.
First and most importantly - THANK YOU! You have all been a wonderful wealth of knowledge and just confirmed many of the things I have been so hopeful to find in a community. I am hopeful to meet many of you some day and to also become a regular poster on your fabulous board with all of my own great experiences in Northern Idaho. (I don't feel I'm allowed to use the endearing North Idaho term just yet!)
A little about us: my husband and I are in our early 30s and have a 2 year old son and a 3 month old son. We currently live in a small town in WI (I grew up here and my hubby grew up in a smallish town in northern MN) but we have been researching small towns in the West for 2 years now intent on making the move sooner as opposed to later. We are avid outdoors people (read: hubby loves to hunt and fish and play outside, I love to hike, bike, horseback ride, ski, and take pictures of hubby and the boys hunting, fishing and playing outside!). The two miracles in our life (our baby boys) are the primary reason we are making this move. Our only concern for the future is giving our children the best life we possibly can.
We've learned through trials and tribulations in the corporate world (in our past life we both worked 80+ hours/ wk in Chicago) that money does not necessarily = happiness. A healthy, safe, happy family and a great small community filled with genuinely kind, caring people is what we're seeking. Of course having the imense outdoor recreation and gorgeous scenery is essential in our mind to part of the "happiness" factor and is thus a huge added bonus to the Sandpoint / NID area.
Okay, enough rambling - thanks for bearing with me! I am just so excited to hopefully get to know all of you and for you to get to know us that I clearly talk (okay, write!) entirely too much.
I do have questions and so here it goes:
1) We are looking at coming to Sandpoint on our first trip the 2nd weekend of January. I was looking through the events calendar on the chamber website and noticed that weekend is also your Winter festival weekend - is there any reason you think it would be a mistake to come that particular weekend?
2) Do you have any recommendations for hotels for our stay? I was thinking we would probably like to stay downtown so we could walk around a bit and get a feel for the downtown community (I know it'll be cold...we're used to it here in WI!)
3) Does anyone have any insight on rental properties? We definitely plan on renting for the first year to get a feel for the entire area before committing to putting down permanent roots in one area / side of town etc. over another. I am hoping to any information on sites to look at for rental properties as well as any insight on what time of the year you all think is best to be looking for a property. I have looked at Craigslist thus far. We're hoping to make the move as early as spring if all goes well.
Thank you all SO much for reading all of this and for any answers / insight you may be able to provide. We are so excited about the move but are also extremely nervous and would like to have as many of the variables in our control...well, controlled! before we take the plunge and pack the kiddos and move the wagons west!
1) We are looking at coming to Sandpoint on our first trip the 2nd weekend of January. I was looking through the events calendar on the chamber website and noticed that weekend is also your Winter festival weekend - is there any reason you think it would be a mistake to come that particular weekend?
There is no reason that would be any worse time to visit than any other week. The winter festival just adds to it IMO.
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2) Do you have any recommendations for hotels for our stay? I was thinking we would probably like to stay downtown so we could walk around a bit and get a feel for the downtown community (I know it'll be cold...we're used to it here in WI!)
I love the Edgewater Resort at City Beach. Although the "beach" aspect is diminished, it has amazing views of the lake. Right in town the La Quinta is probably your best bet. It's within a 3-5 minute walk of anything downtown.
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3) Does anyone have any insight on rental properties? We definitely plan on renting for the first year to get a feel for the entire area before committing to putting down permanent roots in one area / side of town etc. over another. I am hoping to any information on sites to look at for rental properties as well as any insight on what time of the year you all think is best to be looking for a property. I have looked at Craigslist thus far. We're hoping to make the move as early as spring if all goes well.
I'd look at all the real estate places on First Avenue when you're here (and Tomlinson over on main/2nd). Just talk to the various places about rentals they manage. Most rentals open up late spring to early summer I think. So I'm guessing by late April to mid May there would be more places open, but I'm not positive.
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Thank you all SO much for reading all of this and for any answers / insight you may be able to provide. We are so excited about the move but are also extremely nervous and would like to have as many of the variables in our control...well, controlled! before we take the plunge and pack the kiddos and move the wagons west!
I think you'd love it here. But make sure you have jobs lined up before you just pull up stakes and move here. We're still in the midst of a major economic downturn here and being unemployed here isn't any more fun than anywhere else in the country...
Thanks for all of your input Sage - very helpful and most appreciated!
Employment is probably going to be an issue, but we're extremely flexible hard working people and are dedicated to this move, thus we understand that we may not be doing exactly what we're "trained" to do nor securing employment that is a perfect fit for us...right off the bat anyway. However we've been planning this move for years now and have been saving everything possible to make it happen and are willing to do just about any work in order to pay the bills....well, short of a few things...yikes!
I have degrees in accounting and finace and my work has run the gamut of the banking / consulting / M&A / corporate real estate industries to basically running a brokerage farming business now. My husband is an attorney who currently has his own small practice and would ideally love to join another small firm in a town that we move to, but understands that in a down economy that may likely be difficult to say the least.
So that's the low down on us! If you know of any law firms looking for a new associate though certainly send me a shout out!!
I think that with your skill set you should be able to find something, to be honest. Attorneys with experience can usually leverage themselves into a position and accounting/finance usually finds something.
I would save about 6 months of expenses and then use that time to find a good job before you come over. Sandpoint isn't going anywhere.
Rapids1, welcome to the forum, out in the open, out of the shadows of lurking! Your plans sound wonderful. I second the Edgewater as the best place to stay; just disregard the immense building project in-between the hotel and the town proper, because the hotel is on the east side of Sand Creek, and that's where they're building the famous/infamous Bypass. In 1 1/2 year it'll (hopefully) look nice, and divert heavy (and I mean heavy!) traffic away from the city streets. The Edgewater's rooms all face toward the lake, and there are double panes out toward the construction area, so you probably won't hear a thing, if it's even going on in winter. And the restaurant in the hotel (Trinity, right, Sage?) has new owners and a great reputation. Haven't eaten there yet.
If you're looking for less expensive lodgings, the Ponderay hotels aren't far from downtown, merely a 5-10 minute drive depending on the time of day, but definitely not within easy walking distance. Days' Inn in Ponderay is a reasonable and fairly quiet place, and so is the HoJo, and there's a Holiday Inn Express at the north end of town. Oh, by the way, the speed limit is vigorously enforced on the stretch between Sandpoint and Ponderay! Just so you know!
Just to clarify - the Edgewater Resort is a Best Western hotel correct? That seems to be what comes up when I search and just want to make sure I'm looking at the right place.
Plane tickets are bought and we'll be heading out on 1/15 - so excited!
Clark Fork - I'll definitely be dropping in at the Porch now that I'm out of the weeds!
Here are some of my thoughts, for anyone thinking of moving to North Idaho, from someone who has lived in all 4 corners of the US, in 6 states and in towns from almost a million people to way out in the boonies:
There is not much about North Idaho that is extreme in any way, though it is a landscape of awesome beauty. The majority of land is publicly owned and easily accessible.
It is the nicest climate I have ever lived in. Although some winters last a little long they are nice and snowy, with enough sun for me, and not as harsh as the upper mid-West through New England. There is a reasonable gardening season if you stay sharp about average frost dates.
There is a real diversity of people (and, contrary to the impression I get from this forum, a good community of leftist/hippy/New Age/back-to-the-land/artistic people). I would say the main attitude is "live and let live", and most folks aren't too hot about enforcing their world view. Some people spend too much time isolated, and get a little kooky. I see very little evidence of racism - less than in most places I have lived.
Median education and "worldliness" is pretty low - the predominant culture is middle class to blue collar (though with a lot of people in multi-generational poverty). There is a small percentage of well-heeled folks, mainly second-homers and retirees, who don't seem to add much to the cultural life of the region (aside from some generous philanthropy and traffic).
This region supports a relatively small population, with a really small economy. There are a couple of serious warnings in this, in terms of money-making and cultural resources. Wages are low, while the cost of living is not proportionally low, and during the frequent "bust" periods job opportunities are extremely limited. People make bitter jokes like "Know how to end up with a small fortune in North Idaho? Come here with a large fortune!". And Sandpoint, as the cultural center of North Idaho (I would say north of Moscow), is still a small town - try rolling around town on a Sunday: it can feel like a ghost town. There is not enough money flowing to support much of a "cultural life" to those used to big cities or college towns. And for most people on this forum or choosing to move to this region, it would be really tough place to look for romance (unless you are blue collar/redneck?).
Although tourists come and waddle around downtown, or ski, the real action for locals is more hidden, less commercial, more home-made and personal. And that action can take a multitude of forms, since there are all kinds of subcultures or interest groups around here.
It is a healthy place to raise kids! Your experience will depend a lot on what you bring to it.
Hey Rapids1: I invite your family to meet us for dinner, in a restaurant or at home with my family, if you want to learn about our experiences here (look for my email in profile section). (Same to you, Mountain Rose and family - I'm the neighbor that brought over eggs to welcome you).
(Same to you, Mountain Rose and family - I'm the neighbor that brought over eggs to welcome you).
Wow, small world! Please check your private messages.
Rapids, I've been meaning to respond to your message but I had a baby a few weeks ago and things have been a little crazy around here. I'll happily answer any questions you have and would love to meet up with you and your family when you're in town. Sandpoint is a fantastic place to raise children and my husband and I love it so far.
Just to clarify - the Edgewater Resort is a Best Western hotel correct? That seems to be what comes up when I search and just want to make sure I'm looking at the right place.
Plane tickets are bought and we'll be heading out on 1/15 - so excited!
Clark Fork - I'll definitely be dropping in at the Porch now that I'm out of the weeds!
When you book a car rental at Spokane/GEG Airport, try to book a 4WD vehicle. It will give you MUCH more flexibility as you scout around. It's going to look totally different in the winter, so if you are looking at properties, have the realtor show you summer photos as well. It could show poor drainage and/or swampy areas, etc. At least you'll know immediately if there are any snow-condition access problems!
Hello, Rapids1! I, too, have frequented this site for a few years just waiting for my moment to move to NID. My husband and I live in Alabama at the moment. I was born in Wyoming and grew up in Arizona, and my husband was born and raised in the South. Although we're planning on moving to the CdA/Post Falls area, I'd be interested to know what you find out from your visit to Sandpoint. I'll have to live vicariously for now. ;b My husband graduates in May, so we'll hopefully be coming up that way next summer...depending on our job searches. I'm nervous but hopeful.
Good luck on your visit and your move!!!
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My thoughts on moving to North Idaho
