Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, as well as the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 110 miles (180 km) south of the Canadian border, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from the Washington-Idaho border, and 271 miles (436 km) east of Seattle. Canadian David Thompson explored the Spokane area and began European settlement with the westward expansion and establishment of the North West Company’s Spokane House in 1810. This trading post was the first long-term European settlement in Washington and the center of the fur trade between the Rockies and the Cascades for 16 years. In the late 1800s, gold and silver were discovered in the Inland Northwest. The Spokane area is considered to be one of the most productive mining districts in North America. Spokane’s economy has traditionally been natural resource based, however, the city’s economy has diversified to encompass other industries, including the high-tech and biotech sectors. The city of Spokane (then known as "Spokane Falls") was settled in 1871 and officially incorporated as a city in 1881. The city's name is drawn from the Native American tribe known as the Spokane, which means "Children of the Sun" in Salish. The name is often mispronounced "Spo-CAIN", while the correct pronunciation is "Spo-CAN". Spokane's official nickname is the "Lilac City", named after the flowers that have flourished since their introduction to the area in the early 20th century. Completion of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1881 brought major settlement to the Spokane area. With a population of 202,319 as of 2008, Spokane is the second largest city in Washington, and the fourth largest in the Pacific Northwest, behind Seattle; Vancouver, BC, Canada; and Portland, Oregon. and slightly larger than Tacoma. Spokane is the principal city of the Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is coterminous with Spokane County. As of 2008, the county had a population of 462,677. Directly east of Spokane County is the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area, comprised entirely of Kootenai County, Idaho; the combined population of the two counties was estimated at 600,152 in 2008, fourth largest in the Pacific Northwest behind Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver, Canada.

What is real estate law?

Real Estate Law refers to laws and regulations that regulate land and things permanently fixed to the land such as a building. Real estate is synonymous of real property and sometimes called realty. Real estate lawyers deal with issues as varied as real estate transactions, as in the sale and purchase of real estate, construction defects, landlord-tenant disputes, eminent domain, 1031 exchanges, foreclosures and mortgage law to name a few.

Answers to real estate law issues in Washington

The relationship a landlord and a tenant is governed by a contract. That contract is referred to as the lease, A...


There are several provisions within a lease that both...

A contract to sell real estate is an agreement between a buyer and a seller to convey title to a piece of real...

Sometimes, in the course of dealing with a piece of real estate, there may arise an issue of who owns it. Every...

Because of the health problems caused by lead poisoning, the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction...

Property owners may be liable for tenant health problems caused by exposure to environmental hazards, such as...

To protect everyone's right to be treated fairly and to help people find adequate housing, Congress and state...

Typically, a landlord has the right to legally enter rented premises in cases of emergency, in order to make needed...

Under most state and local laws, rental property owners must offer and maintain housing that satisfies basic...

A landlord may be liable to the tenant--or others-for injuries caused by dangerous or defective conditions on the...