10 Awesome Things to do Outdoors in Spokane, WA

Are you wondering what there is to do outdoors here in Spokane, Washington? Today we're talking about ten awesome things that you can do outside to explore.   The Bluff So the first thing that I would recommend is checking out "The Bluff." Now The Bluff is off of the South Hill, so you're going to work your way up to the South Hill all the way to the far side near 42nd. And basically, if you've heard of High Drive, High Drive starts downtown and works your way up to the backside of the South Hill as well. But that's a drop-off of the South Hill going to the west and there's a ton of hiking trails. Beautiful forest area down there. I now run into some moose and deer and all sorts of other wildlife that come up from the Latah Valley. And yeah, so there's a whole hiking trail system in that area. You can work your way all the way down to Latah Creek, but you can basically walk from Polly Judd Park, which is on 14th in High Drive 14th in Cedar, I think is what it actually is. You can work your way all the way to Hatch Road, the other side, basically the other side of the South Hill. So there's a lot of hiking to do. It's very beautiful. Different levels of trails. Some are harder than others. Some have been washed out, all sorts of things, but good for hiking, just walking the dog. People will do mountain biking in the area as well. So I would check that one out if you're just looking to get out and have some nature.    Indian Canyon The second one if you're looking for something similar to do is actually Indian Canyon. And the big thing that's really fun about this one is what we call Mystic Falls. Indian Canyon, right off of Indian Canyon golf course is just you pull off on the side of the road and then there's a trail that wraps around Indian Canyon and you can walk through a little bit more of a marshland forest-type thing. There's tons of little streams running through the area. And when you work your way all the way down, you'll get to the bottom of Mystic Falls, which is just like a year-round waterfall in these big cave walls. And it's really cool to hike down there in the winter because then the water falls off frozen and it's kind of like a little ice cave of sorts. So that's a cool one for summer if you want to be there when the water is running. But winter is actually really cool to go just like snow hike down there and get to see the ice canyon. It's pretty cool. So when you're walking around Indian Canyon, you can actually make your way all the way over to Palisades Park by working your way through that Indian Canyon natural area basically. So lots to explore in that area off of Government Way on the northwest side of town, just on the edge of Riverside State Park.   Public Golf Courses The next thing to do is specific for a type of person but is to check out Spokane's public golf courses. Spokane has four public golf courses, which I think is very cool. They are more affordable than the private ones, not by a ton, but by a little bit. And they're spread out all throughout the town. There's basically one on every corner of Spokane and they're great golf courses. They're open the entire golfing season. Really challenging and in great settings around Spokane. And so if you haven't checked out one of the four public golf courses, if you are a golfer, then I would definitely go do that. I would say downriver is probably my favorite question is a little bit fancier. Indian Canyon is challenging for sure. It's definitely very challenging. There's some steep holes on that one and Esmeralda is the easiest one. It's very flat and definitely the one that's a little shorter as well.   Mt Spokane (Summer and Winter) Fourth on the list is to head up to Mt. Spokane. Mt. Spokane is great for in the summer, for hiking, exploring the backwoods, mountain biking even. But you can just take your car, drive your car all the way up to the top and just see incredible views. You can see over into Idaho. I think you can see something like seven lakes surrounding Mount Spokane. Like you can see all the way up into North Idaho and looking at like Lake Pondere, I believe. And so it's just really incredible to be up there and see that far and see that wide, especially on a clear blue summer-spring day. But then if you're a skier, obviously the Mt. Spokane Ski Resort is open in the winters and it's just the closest ski resort to Spokane. So if you're not looking to make a huge drive, then that's definitely the spot to check out.   Gren Bluff (Becks Harvest House) Number five is just at the base of Mount Spokane is in Green Bluff. So you can go check out anything in Green Bluff. But there's a few farms in specific, the most popular being Beck's Harvest House. And in the summer you can go pick fresh peaches. You can just walk down to their farm stand and they have vegetables, fruits of all sorts, usually a band playing and so there's all sorts of activities to do, but the most fun is to actually go pick your own peaches out of their orchard so that's a really good time. And then they also open into the fall with a corn maze. They do like a Halloween thing as well. Pumpkin donuts are amazing there, so if you're looking for something in the summer or fall, go to Beck's Harvest House, and then down the road there's some more that one's like the family-friendly one. There's some more adult farms as well. There's Wildland co-op. They make their own beer and wine and have their own farm of growing fruits and vegetables as well. So definitely go support them. They are up and coming, they're a newer one and they would love your support. It's very cute and they have amazing products as well.   Little Spokane River Number six on this list is the Little Spokane River. I love this one because it's great for kayakers or Inner Tubers because they offer a shuttle service where you can park your car up in the parking lot. Work your way down the river and then they will actually pick you up with your gear and drive you back to your car instead of needing two cars. One at the start and one at the end and trying to navigate all that confusion and it's just annoying. So I think this is an awesome one for kayakers or anybody that just wants to get out on the water from spring through fall. And they offer that awesome service so that you don't have to bring two cars and coordinate between a bunch of people. You can be a solo kayaker and do it and that's just a rare situation to be able to go on a river and not have to pick up and drop off and all that kind of stuff.   Rocks of Sharon Number seven on this list is a hard hike, but a really rewarding one as well. It's Rocks of Sharon. Rocks of Sharon is down in the palace's right on the south side of the Dishman Hills area, in between the far end of the south hill and the far end of the South Valley. This is basically a very vertical hike for a lot of it, but when you work your way all the way up to the huge rocks there, that's kind of a big thing. There's these massive boulders at the top of the hills and then you can see just for miles along the palaces to the south of Spokane. So I would say most people can do this hike, but it definitely takes a little bit of extra energy. It can be pretty exhausting working your way up there and then you just have to have some strong knees to work your way back down because it is definitely pretty steep. But like I said, views are amazing. And you're looking over one of the flattest parts of Spokane County so you can see very far once you're up there.    Manito Park Number eight on the list for you flower lovers, maybe people that have kiddos or you just want a nice little afternoon walk or something. I always recommend going to Manito Park on the South Hill. It's about 100 Acre Park in the middle of the South Hill that features multiple different gardens from the Japanese Gardens to the Duncan Gardens, which is a perennial garden. There's a rose garden, so lots to do, multiple playgrounds for the kids, lots of hills. So in the wintertime there's some major sledding hills to go check out there as well. But there's also a pond and everything. So great for running, jogging, running through. Lots of bikers make their way through there as they're doing their loops, but great for kids as well. So if you're looking for much more simple, just kind of straightforward, but a beautiful park, definitely check out Manito.   Centennial Trail Number nine on this list, I recommend it all the time is the Centennial Trail is a 40 miles long trail from Nine Mile Falls all the way to the Idaho border. And it does continue into Idaho border into Idaho. We just don't count that part, but basically just a paved path for most of it that works its way through downtown Spokane, all the way along the Spokane River until it changes state lines. So this one is amazing for bikers runners, but even just a nice walk, depending on where you are in town, you can be in Kendall Yards and then walk around along the Spokane River and make your way to the Gonzaga campus. So there's a little, there's good little pockets depending on the neighborhood that you're in that it runs its way through. I know from my house I'm close to downtown and I can make my way downtown via bike in like five to seven minutes using the Centennial Trail. So it's very convenient. And the path itself is actually pretty nice, especially along Spokane River. It's just a nice way to get around downtown Spokane.    Bowl and Pitcher And number ten on this list that I would recommend checking out is Bowl and Pitcher. Bowen Pitcher is just a destination within Riverside State Park, which is our one major state park here in Spokane. But it's very cool because you show up and there's a campground there, very nice campground. It's great for if you live in Spokane, you want to go camping, but you want to make it just a one night, something. Just get out of the house and have some fun. Go stay there. I don't feel like enough people do that. So just go to Riverside State Park, camp for the night, and then you're only like, probably less than a ten-minute to fifteen-minute drive home. It's really nice if you forget to bring something, but Bowl and Pitcher is basically just the shape of some giant rocks there that at the destination. There's a great swinging bridge that trails everything that you can go hiking in the area. Be right along another section of the Spokane River. It's just a great place to be outdoors.

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Homebuyers: Take Advantage of Today’s Market

Have you been browsing real estate listings, driving by homes for sale, or even visiting open houses with the dream of becoming a homeowner? If you’ve been putting off buying a home in the uncertain economic landscape, now may be the time you’ve been waiting for. After years of a seller’s market where it was difficult and sometimes impossible for buyers to find their dream home, the trend is shifting in the buyers’ favor. A local real estate agent can help you navigate these trends and find the right home.   Why Now is the Time to Buy Home buyers may be aware that the Fed keeps increasing interest rates, which reduces affordability. What they may not realize is that some changes in the housing market are beneficial to them. After a couple of years where homes went off the market just days after being listed, they are now sitting on the market longer. Instead of selling in days or a couple of weeks, you see homes in some areas listed for more than a month. With it taking longer for the properties to sell, it leads to the seller lowering the price. Price reductions help out buyers who may have a tight budget. Rising prices have made everyone’s budgets tighter, which may mean that homeowners decide to sell if they have more homes than they can comfortably afford. More homes on the market also lowers the price, benefiting buyers. Mortgage rates have reached the 6% mark for the first time since 2008. With higher rates, buying a home today is often less appealing and more expensive than a couple of years ago. This leads to fewer buyers feeling confident in making a significant investment now, knowing that a recession could lead to job loss and even tighter finances.   More Options for Buying a Home If you’re one of the home buyers looking for a property amid economic uncertainty, you’ll be happy to know that options exist to help you get into a new home you can afford. More buyers are turning to adjustable-rate mortgages to lower their monthly payments and qualify for more homes. An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) allows you to get into a home at a lower interest rate than a fixed interest rate mortgage. Adjustable-rate mortgages charge a lower interest rate now than fixed loans with the ability to change the rate in a specific time period. For instance, a 5/1 ARM means that in five years, the interest rate will adjust to whatever is current at that time. Buyers can benefit from an ARM in today’s market because it increases their buying power. If the interest rates go down in five years or whenever the rates on an ARM adjust, the buyer will lower their payments. Another option for home buyers in today’s economy is the 2-1 Buy Down. This type of loan allows you to pay a lower interest rate now than current mortgage rates, raising it some in the next year and getting to the final rate in the third and future years. Sellers and developers will often pay for a buy-down to entice buyers to make an offer.   Ways to Reduce the Cost of Buying a Home You don’t have to let the rising interest rates keep you from buying a home now if you’re ready. You can take steps to make it easier to get an affordable loan. For example, make sure you have excellent credit to get the best interest rates. Come up with a larger down payment to reduce the interest rate on your mortgage. Because you’re assuming more risk, lenders are often willing to negotiate. Fewer buyers are willing to waive real estate contingencies, such as not having a home inspection. Sellers also set up contingencies, such as having financing in place before putting in an offer. All these real estate contingencies limited the pool of buyers competing for the same property. With the loss of these contract contingencies, it has leveled the field for all buyers. You also still have the option of paying mortgage points to lower the rate. Lenders often offer the option of paying these mortgage points to make loans more affordable. For each point you pay to the lender, the interest rate goes down by one percent. If you plan to live in the home for a long time, this extra cost may pay off in the long run. If you’re a first-time buyer, you have access to various first-time buyer programs. These programs provide you with assistance for your down payment. Your real estate agent can point you toward local, state, and federal programs that will help make your home more affordable. Home buyers can take advantage of the changes in the market if they are willing to adjust their expectations. You may need to consider living in another area or a smaller home if you want to buy now. Your real estate agent can help you find an affordable home that will suit your needs.   We're Here to Help The key to buying is to be prepared and know which tools you want to utilize to make your home more affordable. We'd love to help you decide if now is the time to begin the home buying process. Let's chat!

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Here's What Experts Have to Say About the Fall Real Estate Market

Leaves are not the only thing falling as we enter the autumn season. So are home prices. But just like the leaves take their time to transition from one color to the next, home prices are also falling slowly. This slow transition means that if you're in the market to sell your home, it's still a good time — the fall real estate market remains fairly strong.  In this post, we'll go over fall real estate market predictions from top experts around the industry.   New Home Sales Pick Up The market for new homes is staying strong this season. Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that new home sales picked up in August, nearly tying last year's record-shattering pace. August new home sales rose almost 29% from July, bringing the annual pace to 685,000 new home sales — just shy of last year's 686,000 sales.   Prices Are Falling, But Not Crashing Rising interest rates are causing home prices to fall from their historic highs earlier in the year. But, experts assert the market is not crashing. Instead, they expect prices to fall between 5-10% this fall and winter, with steeper declines happening on the West Coast. Although we're seeing prices come down, they're still higher than normal. In fact, they're still 43% higher across the board than they were when the Covid-19 pandemic started. The Fed will likely continue raising interest rates to try to combat inflation, so if you're flirting with the idea of selling your home, now is the time to act to take advantage of the fall real estate market. As winter rushes in and temperatures drop, home prices are likely to drop even more as interest rates rise. With several experts agreeing that we are not currently in a housing bubble and the market is not expected to crash anytime soon, it's good to know the warning sign of a market crash to watch out for: Increasing loan-to-income levels  Higher mortgage rates Lower economic growth Rising mortgage balances and mortgage loan numbers Overpriced properties that outpace affordability and inflation A lack of affordable housing Wages remain stagnant while home prices climb Cautious builders slow down the number of homes they're building   Rising Inventory As prices inch their way up and the housing shortage we saw during the pandemic and shortly after eases, we're seeing more inventory, and it's sitting for longer. Experts agree that this is no reason to panic. The fall traditionally sees a drop in demand as kids return to school and the weather becomes less prime for moving and showing homes. Jeb Smith, an agent with Coldwell Banker Realty in California, said he's seeing more homes for buyers to choose from. "As of today, we are shifting back to more 'normal' times as inventory has risen back to 2020 levels in many markets along with less buyer demand out there, meaning buyers are having to do less of the crazy stuff they were having to do during the pandemic to get their offer accepted," he said.   Rising Interest Rates As we mentioned, interest rates are on the up and up, and that will likely continue as the Federal Reserve does all it can to combat historical inflation. As of September 2022, the average rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage is 7.6%, a significant increase from the mid-pandemic rates that were below 3%.   Time on Market is Climbing Experts are considering the increase in days-on-market for their fall real estate market predictions. Where this time last year, homes were flying under contact before most buyers could even get in for a showing, we are heading back toward a more steady "time on market" average. The average home is currently on the market for more than a month. It's important to note that this kind of slowdown is normal for this time of year and should not scare sellers away.  Just because you may not accept an hour within four hours of listing your home (which can still happen) does not mean your home will still sell fast this fall. The more expensive a home is, the longer it stays on the market, so if you have a moderately priced home to sell this fall, you should have nothing to worry about. Even if you are in the market to list a multi-million dollar home, remember, the market is still strong; homes are just not being sold overnight for the most part — but with an effective real estate agent, anything can happen!   We Can Help If you're in the market for a new home or ready to list yours to take advantage of the fall real estate market, our team of experienced real estate agents is here for you. Let's Chat!

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