Golden Spike Estates featured on national TV
<p>JHoward West talks to a neighbor while at a viewing party for the Golden Spike Estates community in Rathdrum which was featured Thursday morning on the Hallmark Channel.</p>
RATHDRUM - Golden Spike Estates residents woke up to their own backyards being featured on national TV on Thursday morning.
The Hallmark Channel aired its segment of "What the Stuff Baby Boomers" that featured the 55-plus community west of Highway 41.
"I thought it was great," said Lynda Schultz, among about 30 residents who gathered at the clubhouse to watch the show. "It covered the whole community and the activities we've got here. Everybody's going to want to move to Golden Spike."
The community currently has 278 residents and 162 homes. When it's finished, there will be 324 homes.
The segment, which lasted about 7 minutes, touted the park's amenities, including a swimming pool, exercise area and the nine-hole golf chipping course, mountain views and free RV storage.
The program described Golden Spike as the "ultimate nature lover's location."
It also praised the craftsmanship of the energy-efficient homes, which have pull-out kitchen shelves, custom countertops according to the residents' height and heated driveways that eliminate the need for snow shovels and blowers.
Several residents were interviewed during the program.
"It's a community, not just a housing development," said Donna Hanson during the show, adding that it provides a small-town feel.
Dave Spiker, owner and manager of the community, described the show as "well done."
"I'm glad they got the bulk of the information from our residents," he said. "The strongest asset of the community is the residents themselves. They're very helpful, caring and active, and that's what a 55-plus community should be. Our best sales people is our residents."
Spiker said more than 300 people are interested in moving to Golden Spike, but the big snag is the housing market slump.
"They have to sell their home before they can buy," he said.
Spiker said the national exposure should help move sales along faster.
Spiker said he believes what caught the Hallmark Channel's attention with Golden Spike was that it won an award from AARP and the International Home Builders Association in 2009.
"I enjoy the safety and they will lay out your home any way you want it," resident Susan Todd said during the show.
Bob Koca of Post Falls has lived in a planned unit development in Post Falls and is having a home built in Golden Spike.
"All people do in a PUD is argue and the streets go bad," Koca said. "I'm a pretty fussy guy who likes things done right. If you've got a complaint, you just talk to Dave and he takes care of it right away."