Central affordability at Davis, Forest Parks
Photo by TYLER WILSON North Pines Park sits off Lunceford Avenue in the Davis Park area of Coeur d’Alene.
Photo by TYLER WILSON The playground area at North Pines Park.
Photo by TYLER WILSON The subdivisions surrounding North Pines Park are convenient, central locations in Coeur d'Alene.
As a kid, I used to sled down the hill of Lunceford Avenue just east of 15th Street, which was and still is a busy road in Coeur d’Alene. It wasn’t the safest or smartest thing to do, but all the cool kids were doing it. You could see the cars turning from 15th Street well before there was a risk of smashing into one.
Keep driving west on Lunceford past 15th Street, and a few things have changed since my sledding days. The main addition is North Pines Park — a lovely little green space with a smattering of tall pines. The 3.5-acre park, located at 1015 E. Lunceford Lane, includes playground equipment, restrooms, picnic shelter, basketball and grass volleyball courts. It was dirt or tall grass before that, so progress is good.
Northeast of the park sits a newer collection of homes, an area collectively called North Pines. Nothing is available there at the moment, but a larger, wooded development called Forest Park Estates sits on a loop northwest of the park, and has had sporadic sales activity in the past couple of months. The area is lush with trees and there’s typically more space between homes.
A recent listing pegged a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home with just under 1,700 square feet for $239,900. Just west of Forest Park Estates, a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with more than 2,800 square feet is listed at $359,999 and sits between Estate Drive and Honeysuckle Drive.
Of course the largest net of homes in the area rests in Davis Park, which is comprised of modestly sized homes that are perfect for rentals, first-time homebuyers and folks looking to be near the dead center of town. Homes and streets vary, but there are some nice homes to be found there.
Recent listings include a three-bed, two-bath home with just under 1,300 square feet and fenced backyard for $179,900. Moving west (toward a subdivision apparently called Sleepy Hollow) and on the higher end of the price range is a 1,600-square-foot home with three beds and two baths for $250,000. It should be noted the homes in Davis Park/Sleepy Hollow/Paradise Place etc. etc. all sit on flat land, eliminating any risk for children making poor sledding decisions.
The area could be characterized as the perfect center for Coeur d’Alene amenities. The active stretch of Best and Appleway Avenue is just a few blocks away, with a Panda Express and Subway now occupying the strip mall of my former beloved Videonics. Interstate 90 access is right there at Fourth Street just south of Appleway. Honeysuckle and 15th Street can also get you north to the Hayden and Dalton Gardens area in a hurry. Coeur d’Alene High School and the Kootenai County Fairgrounds are also within walking distance, and I walked there often my freshman year of high school, because I didn’t have my driver’s license yet and late birthdays are the worst.
Keep an eye out for more listings in the Davis Park area, as well as the neighborhoods south closer to Best Avenue The summer real estate season is definitely heating up.
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Let us know about more standout neighborhoods and developments to feature in an upcoming Neighborhood of the Week. Contact Tyler Wilson at twilson@cdapress.com.
Real Estate Agents, take advantage of Neighborhood of the Week by sending in your suggestions for featured areas, including sites outside the confines of Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Rathdrum and Hayden. You can probably tell by this article that nobody contacted me this week.