Looking for Lakeshore Privacy? Grand Rapids may be the Place for You.

As lake property buyers try to decide on the best area for their needs, they tend to take many factors into consideration.  One of the most important decisions is the drive time to their homes if they are only using the place on weekends.  And another one that comes up quite often is the amount of privacy they can get on water.

Many buyers who search for lake homes in popular lake areas like Brainerd, Aitkin and Detroit Lakes find that the types of cabins they envisioned -- with large yards for the grandkids to play in -- are only available at a hefty price.  That is because zoning ordinances have allowed for many larger properties to be cut up into smaller lake frontages.  During the hot market times of the late 90s and early 2000s, nearly anyone who could cut a lot or two off their property did.  And many investors, looking for the quick buck, purchased older lake cabins and sold the properties off in lots. 

However, in the Grand Rapids Area and Itasca County you will find that those regulations have remained tighter, and lot sizes are generally far larger than counties to the south and west.  Most all of the recreational lakes in Itasca County are designated as Recreational Development, and that requires a minimum of 200' of lakeshore on each parcel.  You will find some smaller ones here and there that were grandfathered in from many years ago, but overall most of these lake cabins have a lot of privacy compared to other parts of Minnesota.

Grand Rapids is about three hours from the Twin Cities and Fargo -- a bit further than many weekenders want to go -- but it is densely wooded and has nearly half of its land available for public use.  With over 1,000 lakes, and immense privacy, it could be a great place for you to track down the lake place you have in mind.

What if your Lake Cabin or Vacation Home is not Quite Ready for Showings Yet?

Over the next few weeks, we will begin to see a number of lake property buyers begin to go out and physically view real estate on water.  Until now, many of them have been satisfied staying in their warm houses and clicking through lake homes, cabins and lots on their computers -- but they are getting restless.

This week we have several waterfront buyers coming into town from other states in search of the perfect lake place.  Their goal is to have the closing done and be in possession in time to begin enjoying the lake once the ice goes out.  And a two-month closing from today is Mid-April -- on spring's doorstep!

 If your lake cabin has decent road access and you can get in and turn on some heat, you may beat the other sellers with the low inventory on lakes this time of year.  Whether you are selling for the first time, or have had your place off the market for the winter, it is a good time to find motivated lakeshore buyers.  And don't forget to do a quick cleaning to freshen up the place after being closed up for several months.