Buying a Twin Cities Area Lake Home or Cabin
Throughout my many years of representing Twin Cities lakeshore buyers, I have learned quite a bit about the types of people interested in being on water. Typically, those who are looking to live full-time on a metro area lake – commuting to work from there each day – are likely to come from out of town. A potential relocation gives them the opportunity to try something new in a lifestyle. And what better place than Minnesota to purchase a home on the water? They may not care as much about the largest and busiest area lakes, as just living on water is a new experience to them.
There are also many retirees – or those close to it – whose children live and work in the Twin Cities, and they want to be closer to them and their grandkids. This actually may be one of the largest segments of lakeshore buyers, as they can combine proximity to their families with the draw of the lake. When there are fun things to do, everyone will stop by a little more often!
Of course there are many other situations where local residents decide to “move up” to the lake as well, and that may occur when someone gets a promotion or has another positive change in their financial situation. Those moves are oftentimes directed toward the larger and close-in recreational lakes such as Minnetonka, White Bear or Prior Lake, where busy families will have a wide variety of recreational opportunities presented to them daily.
But I have also found that many families with kids in school are more likely to search for a cabin getaway instead of the full-time lake home, so that they can gain some free time together away from their normal everyday lives. The question then becomes how far they want to drive to get there – and how they see themselves using their new cabin. There are many variables such as lake size and quality, elevation to the water, privacy of the lot, swimming and fishing capabilities, and a whole array of other issues that come into play in this scenario.
Whether you are just thinking about which type of waterfront real estate might work best for you, or if you have a good idea of what you might want in a lake home or cabin, I am happy to offer some suggestions that may help you get going in the right direction. It will only cost you a few minutes of phone time, but it may save you a whole lot of grief by not making the wrong decision. Please call or email me anytime.
Selling a Twin Cities Area Lake Home or Cabin
Although I personally spend more time helping lakeshore buyers these days, my company offers many effective tools to get the utmost exposure for lake homes and cabins as well. I generally work together with one of my agents when listing waterfront real estate, which gives sellers a great combination of specialized marketing tools and combined expertise. And with nearly three decades of negotiating lakefront sales, I’m not a bad guy to have on your side.
Between our numerous waterfront websites, it is nearly impossible for any potential waterfront buyer to miss our listings. Extensive descriptions, high quality photos and videos, and specialized target marketing become even more important to help lure in prospects when properties are on the water. In my own searches for lake properties on the Multiple Listing Service, I have found that many agents who don’t often list lake homes or cabins tend to miss some of the key “buzzwords” that can grab a buyer’s attention, and those types of mistakes can cost a seller dearly in market time and their eventual sale price.
If you are thinking about selling your lake place, just give me a call and I will offer the best advice I can give.