North Idaho Dream Home

Looking for your dream home … we have everything you need in North Idaho. Everyone's dreams are different, so whether you're looking for a $200,000 dream home or a $20,000,000 dream home, you can find it here! But where do you start?

Questions to Think About

We would suggest that you start out by mapping out what you're looking for. North Idaho is the perfect location for the outdoor enthusiast, so are you looking for lake activities, mountain activities or both!? Or, are you looking for the arts & culture, complete with galleries, art walks, wine, and antique shopping? You can have it all here in our beautiful part of the country.

Is your dream home a cabin in the woods with 40 acres around you? Is it a view of lake Coeur d'Alene from your 5,000 square foot custom built home with boat slip and beach right in front of you? What is the most important factor?

How Can We Help?

These are obviously important questions that we will spend time talking with you about and then we'll dig a little deeper. It is critical that if you are taking this step you are working with someone who is going to ask you questions and help you understand the areas in North Idaho that will work for what you are looking for.

If you're looking for a lakefront property, we'll make sure we ask what kind/size of boat you have or plan to get. This is important because if you're docking your boat at your home, you need to know the water depth in the area where you're looking.

We'll make sure you look at all your options too. Do you want a lake view, but with quick access to town? Depending on the town or city you're interested in, there may be multiple options and even multiple lakes to choose from!

Or, if you're looking for some acreage, how do you feel about plowing your own road? Cabins in the woods that are secluded may trade privacy for the negative of not being plowed by the city/county. You may have to dig yourself out in winter. If that's not for you, your dream cabin may be a little closer to a county or city roadway.

What style of home are you looking for? We have a lot of great builders here and we want to help you find the right one for you. We have experience with many of the builders through our relationships in this area and you're going to want to meet the builders and talk to them before you get started on building a new home if that's the route you choose.

These are just some of the questions we will talk to you about but most importantly we want to get to know you. For us to be able to help you, we want to understand your family, your lifestyle, your goals so we can help you figure out what the best fit is for you. We often spend time with our clients going out for coffee or dinner and just getting to know them better. It helps us to be able to relate to you, how you spend your time and how you live your life.

Our goal is to see you get exactly what you're looking for and we don't feel we can do that with a few generic questions about what you want in a home.

North Idaho Vacation Properties

Vacation homes in North Idaho can mean so much. Whether it's skiing at Schweitzer, attending Art Walk in Coeur d'Alene, enjoying a fabulous meal overlooking Lake Pend Oreille, or hiking to Harrison, we have it all!

Use this section to navigate through what you're looking for in a second or vacation home. We'll walk you through some questions you should ask yourself, the options we have, and just what we do for fun here in North Idaho. Then let us help you! You're going to want an expert and a local to help you buy a home here. We know the market, we spend time doing the research. It's our full time job to find homes, evaluate homes and help buyers. Why not put us to work for you so you get the best North Idaho has to offer?

Questions to Think About

Depending on your objectives, we are sure there are properties here for you and your desires. The things to think about as you plan your purchase are numerous. To get more details on some of these questions, click on our "Buyer Toolkit."

• How far are you willing to travel?
• How much are you willing to spend?
• Why are you buying (recreation, investment, retirement)?
  • Are you thinking of this as an investment AND personal use?
  • Will this eventually be your retirement home?
• What amenities are you looking for (water, mountains, golf courses, nightlife, skiing, etc.)?
• How often will you use it (weekends, holidays, summers, winters)?
• Will this be a family gathering place?
• What property management options are available?
• What is the appreciation potential?
• What tax strategies are you employing in this purchase?

Financing of a second home or vacation property is different from that of a primary residence too. Down payment and underwriting standards differ from that of primary residences because lenders view these as more susceptible to default if the owner runs into financial difficulty. We can help you work with a lender in this area who understands these parameters and can get you the information you need to make the right decision for you. If you already have your own lender that's great! We will work closely with them to ensure they have everything they need to make the process go smoothly.

Types of Homes Available

You will find that North Idaho has many types of properties available for the occasional use buyer or investor.

• Single Family Residences
• Condos (ski & luxury)
• Townhomes
• Ranch Properties
• Luxury and Unique Properties
• Vacation Cabins
• Gated Communities
• Adult and Senior Communities

All of these properties offer a different appeal as vacation homes or investments. The questions you asked yourself above will help you determine what makes the most sense for you. Then we can help you figure out what the remaining questions are and how to answer them. The question of property management may be a big one for you if you‘re going to rent out the property when you're not in it. We'll help evaluate your options with you so you get the best provider. You also need to be concerned about rental restrictions in some units/areas. We'll get you the answers to those questions as we narrow down what you're looking for.

As you can see, we start to think through things early on in the process so we don't miss what is important to you, and what we think you should consider that may be specific to your situation or just to our area.

Our Customer Service Promise

We are prepared to go the extra mile on your vacation home. We understand that you may not be here for the day to day requirements as we go through the search and buying processes and that's where we come in. We will ensure that we are managing the transaction in a way that keeps you informed, but allows you the freedom to not have to be physically here to get the purchase completed.

We also understand that you may want to maintain privacy in your purchase and we are vigilant in our maintenance of your privacy and confidentiality. There are also ways and means to allow you to keep your ownership confidential through land trusts and we can help get you talking to the right people to make this happen.

Recreation in North Idaho

If you're thinking of this area you should visit our "About North Idaho" section but just to be sure you get a good feel for what we have here, look at the list below!

• Skiing - Schweitzer, Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass, Mount Spokane, 49 Degrees
• Hunting & Fishing - Hundreds of acres of Lakes, Rivers, Forest Service Land to explore
• Arts & Culture - Coeur d'Alene's Art on the Green, Friday Art Walks, Theatre, Wine Bars
• Hiking -WOW! For a mini hiking trip just go to downtown Coeur d'Alene and hike around Tubbs Hill. If you want a big hike, head up to Harrison Lake above Sandpoint.
• Boating-Lake Coeur d'Alene, Hayden Lake, Lake Pend Oreille to name a few!
• Water Parks & Theme Parks - Silverwood, Silver Mountain Water Park, Triple Play, etc.
• Gambling - Coeur d'Alene Casino, Northern Quest Casino
• Golf - Circling Raven, Coeur d'Alene Resort, The Idaho Club, Gozzer Ranch…just to name a few of the big ones