I grew up in Spokane, and lived there until I was almost 25. There is no way that I could ever move back there, or to nearby Couer D’Alene, or anywhere else that has that kind of winter. It’s a nice place to be from May to October, but the winters can be brutal, with a lot of snow and usually some below zero temps. And the spring can be vdery rainy and cold, too. The real estate market there is still going up, but starting to slow.
I know of two families that relocated to the Spokane area in the past 5 years – they’re both back in San Diego now. The first winter can be fun, but the cold temps get old real quick. If you were raised here, I don’t think you could easily acclimate to the weather.