Eric Etzel
Real Estate Consultant & Mentor · Choice Realty
WA License #4476
About the Author
Real Estate Since 1990. A Lifetime of Horsepower.
Since 1990, Eric Etzel has helped Spokane families buy and sell homes. He's also spent a lifetime chasing the classic cars that have always captured his heart, especially his two prized Edsels. In this book, those two worlds finally shake hands.
It started with Hot Wheels on the kitchen floor, a purple '70 Dodge Charger and a magenta '68 Camaro. It grew into Betsy, a 1949 Dodge that became Eric's first car and first taste of freedom, delivering eggs and chickens across Eagle Point, Oregon. And it evolved into two Edsels: "Eddie," who carried Eric through one of the hardest years of his life as a daily driver through a Spokane winter, and a "Jet Stream Blue" 1959 Edsel Ranger with only 61,000 original miles.
Eric's slogan says it all: "In the Driver's Seat for All Your Real Estate Needs." He understands garage ceiling heights the way other agents understand square footage. He knows what a 220v circuit means to a collector. And he knows how to find, or sell, a home where your passion can truly live.
He is the founder of the Wheels 4 Meals Car Show, held annually in Spokane, with all proceeds going directly to Meals on Wheels Spokane, honoring the seniors who built this country, many of whom now eat alone.
Five Chapters
Read Every Chapter in Full
Click any chapter to read it completely. Every story, every client, every lesson, all here.
Chapter One
The Heart of the Home
Why Your Garage Matters More Than You Think
From Hot Wheels on the kitchen floor to Betsy the 1949 Dodge, Eric traces the origin of the passion, and why the single biggest mistake classic car owners make when buying a home is focusing on the house and forgetting the garage.
Read Full ChapterChapter Two
Protecting Your Passion
Finding Balance for Cars and Family
The story of Ron and Carolyn's three houses, and the hard lessons learned in each one. Climate control, security, flooring, electrical, ventilation, pest control, UV protection, HOA rules, everything a collector must know before signing papers.
Read Full ChapterChapter Three
Selling Your Sanctuary
Maximizing Value When It's Time to Move On
Greg and Sandy's property sat on the market 120 days. Eric took over, made the shop the headline, targeted the right buyer, and sold it in three days. Stage the garage like a showroom. Sell the lifestyle, not the square footage.
Read Full ChapterChapter Four
Horsepower for Profit
Using Real Estate to Fund Your Classic Car Dreams
Janet inherited her dad's 1968 Ford F-100 Ranger. Eric helped her keep her bungalow as a rental and buy a duplex with a pole barn. The duplex doubled in value. The pole barn became her truck's sanctuary. Five real estate paths to fund your passion.
Read Full ChapterChapter Five
More Than a Hobby
Building a Legacy Through Cars and Community
How Eddie the Edsel got his name. How a Spokane winter with a broken Buick changed Eric's life. How Wheels 4 Meals was born, and why every single dollar raised goes directly to Meals on Wheels Spokane.
Read Full ChapterThe Bonus Section
The Classic Car Collector's Real Estate Compass
Eight checkpoints from the book. A compass for collectors navigating the real estate market, so your passion has a place to live, and your investment does more than sit still.
1 Prioritize the Garage
The house is secondary. Ceiling height, bays, and build quality are the non-negotiables that protect your collection and your peace of mind.
2 Define Non-Negotiables
Number of bays, ceiling height, 220v electrical, ventilation, climate control, floor quality. Put them on paper before you shop.
3 Walk the Driveway
Trailer access matters. A gorgeous property with a driveway you can't back a trailer into is a property you'll fight every weekend.
4 Plan for Growth
Your collection will expand. Buy for the collection you'll have in ten years, not the one you have today.
5 Stage the Shop
When selling, treat the garage like a showroom. Clean floors. Tools displayed. Cars positioned. That's where the buyer's decision gets made.
6 Qualify Your Buyers
No unsupervised showings. Vet every visitor. Your cars, tools, and collection are assets, protect them during the selling process.
7 Market to Enthusiasts
Car clubs, collector networks, and enthusiast groups are your real buyer pool. They understand value the way generic buyers never will.
8 Hire an Agent Who Speaks Car
The right agent knows a 220v from a 110v, a detached shop from a carport, and why your garage matters. That's not a luxury, it's the job.
Passion Meets Purpose
Turning Horsepower Into Compassion
Wheels 4 Meals · Held Annually in Spokane, WAEric's annual car show in Spokane exists for one reason: every dollar raised goes directly to Meals on Wheels Spokane. No overhead. No admin fees. Just passion turned into compassion.
The Wheels 4 Meals Car Show was born from a personal connection. After Eric's grandmother passed, his grandfather lived alone on the farm. Most days he'd just fix a can of soup or some Cream of Wheat and toast. Eric's dad arranged for Meals on Wheels deliveries, and those visits became a vital connection to the outside world.
That memory stayed with Eric. When he started hosting car shows, the choice of cause was immediate and deeply personal: Meals on Wheels Spokane. The two Spokane-area organizations, Meals on Wheels Spokane and Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels, rely entirely on individual donations and grants. No local, state, or federal tax dollars. Every car that shows up represents more than horsepower. It means more meals delivered to seniors who built this community with their hands and hearts.
Eric personally underwrites the cost of running every car show, ensuring that every single dollar raised goes directly to the cause. What started with Eddie the Edsel has grown into a Spokane community tradition. From one quirky car born of name confusion and driven through necessity came a way to bring hundreds of people together every year for something that really matters.
Ready to Talk Cars and Real Estate?
You Need an Agent Who Speaks "Car"
Whether you're buying a home with the perfect garage, selling a collector's sanctuary, or using real estate to fund your automotive dreams, Eric brings a practice dating to 1990 and a lifetime of car passion to every conversation.
Eric is a proud member of the By Referral Only community. His business is built on trust, results, and relationships that last far beyond the closing table.
ERIC ETZEL
Real Estate Consultant & Mentor · Choice Realty
WA License #4476
Spokane, Washington
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions Car Enthusiasts Actually Ask
The answers below cover the most common questions about the book, Eric's approach, and working with him in Spokane.
Classic car enthusiasts and collectors who are thinking about buying, selling, or investing in real estate, and who refuse to treat the garage as an afterthought. The book is equally useful for anyone whose hobby or passion depends on the right kind of property, from woodworkers to motorcyclists to home mechanics.
Eric is a Spokane, Washington real estate consultant with Choice Realty and is licensed in Washington (License #4476). He works with buyers and sellers across the greater Spokane area. For clients outside Washington, Eric can refer you to a trusted agent in his By Referral Only network.
Short version: ceiling height of at least 10 to 12 feet if you plan to use a lift, proper 220-volt electrical capacity, insulation and climate control, a quality floor, ventilation, and driveway access that can handle a trailer. Chapters 1 and 2 walk through the full checklist, and the real client stories of what happens when people compromise on the wrong things.
Yes, and Chapter 4 walks through five ways real people have done it: keeping a starter home as a rental, house hacking, equity refinancing, buying properties with shop space, and flipping fixer-uppers. It's not a get-rich scheme. It's a long-game approach where the property takes care of the passion.
Wheels 4 Meals is an annual car show Eric founded in Spokane. He personally underwrites all costs so that 100 percent of donations go directly to Meals on Wheels Spokane. The current venue is Ron's Drive-In on Sprague Avenue. The Great Spokane Car Show is held the second Thursday in June at Zip's Drive-In on Trent and Fancher.
Horsepower and Homeownership is available on Amazon. Use the Buy on Amazon buttons on this page to get a copy in paperback or Kindle.
Call or text Eric at 509-995-2833, or email Eric@EricEtzel.com. You can also visit his business site at ericetzel.realtor. Tap any contact detail on this page to copy it to your clipboard.
