Foreclosure activity in Spokane and Kootenai counties so far this year is continuing an overall upward trend since defaults bottomed out in 2021.

When national headlines start praising sweeping federal legislation as “beautiful,” I tend to pause and look past the slogans — especially when it comes to how it will affect homeownership in Spokane. 

On the edge of Pullman’s rolling Palouse hills, a quiet agricultural transformation has been taking place, and it smells like fresh-cut hay, dairy cows, and Cougar Gold cheese.

What began as Tresa Schmautz’s gesture of goodwill and need for assistance — offering a passerby compensation to help her clean up property around Spokane’s St. Ann Catholic Church — has evolved quickly into something grander in scope.

Kumiko Love, founder of The Budget Mom LLC, a financial education and lifestyle brand, has expanded her focus to include two newer business ventures: Pine Manor Naturals, a soap and skincare company, and Pine Manor, a semi-private farm stand.

Washington Trust Bank has purchased a six-story building in downtown Tacoma, not far from where it plans to open a separate branch this fall, marking the financial institution's entry into the South Sound.

2025 is proving to be a busy year for Spokane Teachers Credit Union, complete with a change in leadership, the integration of a recently acquired Oregon bank, and a milestone moment for its foundation.

Bankruptcy filings in Spokane and Kootenai counties have been on the upswing in recent years after having declined steadily for over a decade.

As small charters continue to be bought up by larger banks and credit unions, Spokane Valley-based State Bank Northwest bucks that trend, and it’s thriving despite the industry’s consolidations.

Selling anything more than a hot dog stand is a significant business undertaking that typically requires months of preparation and execution.