Dreaming of Owning a Minnesota Lakehome?

The temperatures in the Minneapolis/St Paul metro won't be breaking any records this week but Minnesotan's will undoubtedly be breaking out the shorts (and dare I say, flip flops) as the thermometer edges close to 70. It won't  be long before the huge sheets of ice blanketing the surface of our 10,000+ lakes will drop. Ice out is when the ice finally drops to the bottom of the lake and in Minnesota that is when the people take start taking steps toward making their lake home dreams a reality.
 
If you have been contemplating life on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, consider the north metro. There are options that will fit many budgets from very small starter homes or cabins to high end executive estates.  There are many options for the would-be lake shore owner  on a full recreational, multi-use lakes like Coon Lake in Anoka County or Forest Lake in Washington County.  There are other smaller lakes perfect for kayaking or swimming that restrict motors that are options as well. Surprisingly lake shore properties in the north and east metro can be offered at prices comparable to homes without a shoreline. 

How can homes on Minnesota lakes in the north metro be so affordable? It appears that prices are not rising on lake properties as quickly as in other categories especially just north of the Minneapolis/St Paul metro. From what I have seen, prices have edged up a bit more slowly than on other types of homes. But prices on all homes are starting to recover significantly and lake shore will too. With continued low interest rates, 2015 might be your best opportunity to realize your lake home dream.

Want to learn more about Buying or Selling a Minnesota Lake Home? Let me be your professional guide. If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me, Teri Eckholm of Boardman Realty, a call or visit my website for a FREE Home Buyer Success Guide or FREE Home Value Report. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District. Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2015 www.terieckholm.com

Affordable Options on a Minnesota Lake--Consider Channel Shoreline!

Is a channel shoreline a good option for an affordable Minnesota lake home?

You want to live on a full recreational Minnesota lake so you can waterski, jet ski and use a motor not a paddle. But sandy shoreline on a full rec lake can often be out of the budget of most homebuyers. What are good alternatives? Consider living on a channel shoreline.

Many Minnesota lakes will have inlets, outlets and channels that open one lake to another. Shoreline by its very nature is not a straight line. If follows the geography of the land defined by the flow of water and water table. Often these inlets and channels that will lead to other bodies of water whether a lakes or wetland marshy areas. Sometimes a channel will tie two large lakes together.

Owning property with shoreline along a channel can be an affordable option for home buyers who want access to a full recreational lake. Many large lakes will have channels or narrow extensions that lead to other lakes or ponds. Channel shoreline is always wide open and sandy so it does not always make the perfect sandy swimming beach. But most of the time it does allow a short dock or slip for a boat and, what makes it very attractive, is the access it will have to a main lake. Sometimes, the view of on a channel will include a view of the homes on the opposite shore but if the goal is to live on a full recreational lake without breaking the budget, it is can be a great alternative.


In the Market for a Home on a Minnesota Lake? If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me, Teri Eckholm of Boardman Realty, a call or visit my website for a FREE Home Buyer Success Guide or FREE Home Value Report. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2014 www.terieckholm.com

Minnesota Lakeshore Question: What is a Channel Shoreline?

The Minnesota Lakeshore Question of the Week:

 What is a Channel Shoreline?

The shore of any lake whether located in Minnesota or not, is not going to be a straight line. It will follow the geography of the land defined by the flow of water and water table. Often there are inlets and channels that will lead to other bodies of water. In Minnesota, these can be other lakes or wetland marshy areas.

Owning property with shoreline along a channel can be an affordable option for home buyers who want access to a full recreational lake. Many large lakes will have channels or narrow extensions that lead to other lakes or ponds. Quite often channel shoreline is not ideal for a swimming beach but does allow a short dock or slip for a boat and access to the main lake. Many of these properties offer a view of homes on the opposite shore of the channel but if the goal is affordable use of a full recreational lake, this is can be a great alternative.


Copyright 2014 terieckholm.com

Life on a Minnesota Wetland--Affordable Beauty and Privacy!

The legendary 10,000 lakes in Minnesota are why so many people want to buy homes in our beautiful state. Yet lakeshore homes can be very pricey. Sometimes buyers want something beautiful and natural but not too expensive. A great option can be a wetland property. Wetland or marsh doesn't sound as attractive as lakeshore. It can often lead to the question, Is buying a home with environmental lakeshore a good option or a huge mistake?

As a REALTOR who works primarily in the north Minneapolis/St Paul metro, I often educate buyers on the benefits of wetland homes. There are many acreage properties in Anoka, Chisago and Washington County areas on marshland or wetland as well as lakeshore. 
From White Bear Lake to Wyoming and throughout the communities of Hugo, Lino Lakes Centerville, Ham Lake and Blaine, there are acreage properties abutting wetlands and natural environmental lakeshore. Many Minnesotans seek out these properties  because of the size of the acreage and find them very desirable. But as with any purchase, opting to live on a wetland is a personal preference.

So how do you decide if a marsh, wetland or natural environmental (NEDS) lake home is for you? Take time to consider some of the positives and negatives.

Positives:

Wildlife—White-tailed deer, raccoons, turtles, ducks, loons, cranes, hawks, eagles, and a host of other animals have been spotted living near Minnesota wetlands. In the spring there can even be a bear or coyote wandering along the shorelines.
Privacy—Whether the wetland is 20 acres or 200, it cannot be built upon so a property with a wetland or NEDS lake shoreline will limit neighbors.
Affordable—NEDS lakeshore and wetland properties are significantly less costly than lakeshore on a full use recreational lake.
Activities—Though there could be some limits on the use, wetland ponds, environmental lakeshore and NEDS Lakes have been used winter skating, summer canoeing or kayaking and more depending on the water depth.

Negatives:

Mosquitoes—Yes, wetlands are known to attract summertime pests like mosquitoes and deer flies.
Drainage Issues—If the home is on a smaller lot, the owner must pay special consideration to the foundation. A drain tile system and sump pump can be the best solution. Homes with private septic or sewer systems might have special DNR (Minnesota Department of Natural  Resources) or city point of sale requirements and additional criteria for a new installation if the system were to fail.
 
Copyright 2014 www.terieckholm.com

Lakeshore Dreaming? Ice Out is Here—Time to Start Shopping

With today’s April shower, there is no doubt that the ice on lakes throughout the north and east Twin Cities metro will drop. Ice out is when the ice finally drops to the bottom of the lake and in Minnesota that also means, the for sale signs start going up.

If you have been dreaming of living on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, consider the north metro. There are options that will fit almost any budget from fixer-upper cabins to high end executive homes.  I took a quick look at the MLS today and there are nearly a hundred options for the would-be lakehome owner.  Most are on full recreational, multi-use lakes like Coon Lake in Anoka County or Forest Lake in Washington County. Surprisingly these properties are often available at prices comparable to homes without a shoreline. 

How can Minnesota lakeshore be so affordable? It appears that prices are not rising on lake properties as quickly as in other categories. From what I have seen, prices are stagnant or in some cases lower than last year.  While on the whole the housing inventory is down, this is not the case for lakehomes. There has been an abundance of these shoreline beauties every spring and summer which has been keep prices affordable.

 
Copyright 2014 www.terieckholm.com

Affordable Lake Reshanau—An Anoka County Hidden Gem

Did you know that not all full recreational lakes in Minnesota have public access? 

Yes, most larger lakes have several access points for the public to use boats, jet skis and other motorized water craft. But there are a few hidden gems that only allow homeowners along the lake to launch boats and use the open water for recreational boating and fishing. Lake Reshanau  in Anoka County is one of those hidden gems.

Located in the community of Lino Lakes, Lake Reshanau has about 100 homeowners along its banks. The shoreline also abuts a 22 acre park with picnic tables and a fishing pier but not a boat launch. This keeps traffic down on the lake and limits exposure to invasive species.

Renaushau is a 336 acre lake that reaches depths of 16 feet. If you like to fish, it is known for bluegill, crappie, sunfish and northern pike. It is one of seven lakes in the Rice Creek Chain of Lake Regional Park Preserve.  

Some of the home owners have acreage properties on the northern side of the lake so have private well and septic systems. However many homeowners are fortunate to have approximately half acre lots and city utilities.

Copyright 2011www.terieckholm.com