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Alexandria, MN Real Estate News

By Jamie McKaye, An avid property investor and analyst of markets
(Forward Thinking Property)
Living near water is a dream for a lot of people. There is something about water that calms us, gives us a sense of tranquillity. For some, it is about the sound of waves crashing on the shore or the soothing sound of a river rushing by. For others, it is about the natural beauty of living near water, the views, and the spectacular sunsets. Still, for others, it is about the laidback lifestyle and holiday feel of living near water. Location, location, location!Location is everything in real estate. In addition to the basic human desire to live near water, buying waterfront property is has other attractions. Waterfront properties indeed tend to cost more than properties elsewhere - this is a factor of supply and demand. There is more land that is not near water than land that is adjacent...
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By Marshall Brown, BSEE, CHI
(Mid America Inspection Services, LLC)
  Bi-partisan support for real estate green card may benefit Minnesota lake region  Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) have proposed a bill that would grant foreign investors a three year residential visa if they purchase real estate valued at $500,000 or more.  It does come with a few strings.  The purchase must include a property valued at $250,000 while the balance of the $500,000 can be income producing property. Sorry, cash only and they must live in the property 180 days each year to fully qualify.  A BBC article said that foreign investors bought $82bn worth of real estate in the year ending March 2011, with nearly one third of it in Florida.  Since these visas are not work visas it makes sense that a certain portion of this investment would be vacation home...
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  Realty Executives Alexandria Home Sales Expands its Business by Launching New Era Alexandria, MN (Grassroots Newswire) September 28, 2009 -- Realty Executives Alexandria Home Sales, located at 504 3rd Avenue East in Alexandria, announces the local real estate brokerage has gone through a change in ownership. Doug Holm has become the sole owner of Realty Executives Alexandria Homes Sales, with Gloria Iverson, long time realtor for the Alexandria area, as the company's active broker. "We are happy to share the good news with the Alexandria community. We look forward to working with you in the future." said Holm. Realty Executives Alexandria Home Sales has been serving the Alexandria and surrounding communities for the past five years. The continuing success of the brokerage has been see...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Alexandria has many, many beautiful lakes. In fact, from most places of employment, you can walk out the door and be at a lake within 5 minutes (while Alexandria is a popular, bustling community, traffic isn't a factor in Alexandria). It is tough to choose one as a favorite, but if forced to do so, I'd choose Lake Carlos. Here are 5 reasons I like it. 1. County Road 11. Each time I turn onto it off Carlos Darling Drive, I immediately relax. 2. Three Havens Grocery. It is kitschy and is convenient for a newspaper and cup of coffee or missing ingredient for a recipe 3. It's big. It's the biggest on The Chain (2,520 acres). If it is a busy day on The Chain, just head to the northern end of Lake Carlos. Most boaters out for a tour will cut across Carlos half way up the lake. 4. Carlos State...
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By Bridget Schmidt
(Century 21 First Realty)
We all know that buying or selling a home can be a very time consuming process.  Although there are thousands of people looking to buy homes here in Osakis, it can be a tricky process finding the right person interested in your home.  With thousands of other homes for sale in the area, there is always some form of competition.If you’re looking to sell your home fast, you’ll need to attract as much attention as possible.  A good real estate agent can help, although she can only do so much.  She can show your home and help to get it out there to buyers, although she can’t make it sell.  If you want to sell it fast, you’ll need to do some work yourself.  If you put the effort into selling your home fast, chances are that you will.The quickest way to sell a home is by staging it.  Staged ho...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
It will be a  busy weekend in the Lakes Area. If you aren't going to be at Waterama, be sure to stop by Art in the Park on Saturday and Sunday. Held for 31 years at City Park on the shores of Lake Henry, there is arts and crafts but also has live music, food vendors and more. If you aren't going to it, avoid this part of CR-42 like the plague as traffic is very slow (for Alexandria anyway). Shuttles are offered from Runestone Community Center. This is advisable. You park and hop on an air-conditioned shuttle that drops you off at the entrance.Also happening this Saturday is the 4th annual Iron Horse Animal Ride. Animal lovers are hopping on their motorcycles and riding together to benefit the Lakes Area Humane Society. If you are interested in participating or just would like a little m...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
A joint effort between the DNR and the Viking Sportsmen will help increase the walleye population in the Chain of Lakes. In the fall, the DNR will put approximately 2,5000 pounds of walleye fingerlings into the lakes and this will be matched by the Viking Sportsmen. Fingerlings are one to six months old and can range from a size of one to twelve inches depending on the species. Walleye fingerlings range from three to eight inches each fall. With roughly 20 fingerlings to a pound, there will be roughly 100,000 fingerlings added.
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
The Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum is now offering sailing classes. "Sailing for Kids" is available July 16th thru the 19th. Times are 1-3 pm for grades 3-5 and 2:30-4 pm for grades 6-8. Classes for teens and adults will be offered later in July and in August. Each class is $50 per person. Contact the museum or visit them to register. The museum (205 3rd Ave. W) is open from 9-5, Monday thru Friday, and 9-4 on Saturday.
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Set to open this spring in Alexandria is a new italian restaurant, Bella's on Broadway at the former home of Kolstad's Clothing. Cafe Bella is a popular italian restaurant in Glenwood (9 Franklin St. N., Glenwood, Minnesota) and Bella's on Broadway will be their sister restaurant. I have heard that the plan is to have a wine bar on the 2nd level overlooking Broadway.
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Earlier today, I was in my Volvo heading south towards Maple Lake. Along with me was a couple from a metro area that will soon be moving to Alexanria permanently. As we crossed over I-94, they asked about the drive time to Maple Lake. After answering their question (around 5 minutes), they then asked about the drive time in the morning. Life is good in Alexandria. The drive time is the same any time of the day.
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
District 206 serves over 27,000 residents and approximately 4,000 students in all or parts of the cities of Alexandria, Carlos, Forada, Garfield, Miltona, Nelson and the townships of Alexandria, Belle River, Carlos, Holmes City, Hudson, Ida, LaGrand, Lake Mary, Leaf Valley, Miltona, Moe, Osakis, Reno and Spruce Hill.A $40 million budget.Approximately 44% of District 206 teachers have earned an advanced degree (masters, Ph.D., National Board Certification, etc.)District 206 students surpassed state averages at all grade levels (3-8, 10 & 11) in reading and math Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment Series II (MCA-II) tests. (November 2006 data).Alexandria's average test scores in grade levels 3-8, 10 & 11 are consistently in the top three amongst other target ten regional center schools.98....
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
The Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission(AAEDC) combines economic efforts to strengthen the wealth and stability of Alexandria and the surrounding communities. According to the AAEDC web-site, the commission concentrates on four major areas of strategic objectives: Community—Collaborating in community efforts that strengthen the economy by creating and retaining jobs and expanding the tax base with respect to natural resources. Business—Maximizing the area’s potential for businesses, jobs and economic opportunities to include economic diversification, retention and expansion. Resources—Enriching the financial and personal resources in building new revenue centers to include loan funds, financing sources, and avoiding duplication of efforts. Organization—Developing a professio...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Ugh. I was out for a walk with my dog tonight on the west side of Alexandria and after passing through a few alleys saw cars parked where lawn chairs should be. It is a city ordinance in Alexandria that this can't be done. The ordinance protects local property values (the ordinance states that at single and two-family dwellings, cars and trucks weighing less than 9,000 pounds must be parked on driveway areas surfaced with tar, concrete or a gravel surface that controls dust and drainage.). After a snap a photo of the offender with my Treo and email it to the city to pass on the offender's address, a polite warning letter will be sent to the home owner. In this case, I am proud to be a snitch. Lawn parking is one those things that has the opposite affect of parks in urban areas. Maybe th...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Alexandria is chock full of riparian lots (lots located on a lake).Did you know that the English word "riparian" is from the Latin word "riparius," a noun deriving from "ripa," meaning "bank" or "shore. This is where the word "river" came from.First appearing in English in the 19th century, "riparian" refers to things that exist alongside a river (such as riparian wetlands, habitats, trees, etc.). "Riparian rights," refer to the rights of those owning land along a river or lake to have access to the waterway. "Littoral," usually refers to things that occur along the shore of a sea or ocean.
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Lake Geneva is part of The Chain of Lakes in Alexandria but one knock against it is accessibility. Depending on the level of the water and/or the size of your boat, you might be limited to Lake Geneva. One summer I was able to pass from Le Homme Dieu to Geneva in my family's deckboat. Three summers ago, I was on a Sea Doo and had to lay flat on the seat to pass through. All this aside, I have never talked to a Lake Geneva owner that doesn't love their lake.Pictured is a 5 bedroom/3 bath home for sale on the east side of Geneva ($850,000). Check out all properties for sale on 637 acre Lake Geneva by clicking here!
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
The Kensington Runestone and the enduring mystery of it's origin continue to be the hallmark of Alexandria's Runestone Museum which has been home to the Kensington Runestone since 1958. This is recent history when compared to the span of the Runestone's life. It was discovered in 1898 clutched in the roots of the aspen tree on the Olaf Ohman farm near Kensington (15 miles west of Alexandria). The Kensington Runestone has led researchers from around the world and across the centuries on an exhaustive quest to explain how a runic artifact, dated 1362, could show up in North America.The discovery of the Kensington Runestone changed the life of Olaf Ohman and his descendants forever. To this day, if you visit the museum you will recognize instantly that there is something unusual about this...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
The park was purchased in 1969 using the National Park Service Land & Water Conservation Fund. Long time residents will remember the automobile salvage yard the occupied the lower end of the property for many years. The local United States Department of Agriculture Service Agency helped plan the initial renovation of the property. In 1987 an improvement project, led by the Alexandria Jaycees and The Alexandria Eagles Club, provided new playground and picnic shelters for the park. Subsequent projects have improved the ballfields, landscape plantings, walkways, and parking lots.On Memorial Day in 1999, the park was officially renamed Deputy Sheriff Curtis A Felt Memorial Park. Curt Felt was a young man from Alexandria who served as a peace officer in the Douglas County Sheriffs Department...
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
 Located about 2 miles northeast of Brandon in Douglas County, Whiskey Lake is a 158-acre fertile lake. The lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet and about one-half of the lake is 15 feet deep or less. Whiskey Lake has a history of poor water clarity during summer months due to dense algal blooms. The lake received treated and partially treated effluent from the Brandon sewage treatment plant until 1988. Water quality and clarity have improved in recent years. Seechi disk transparency was 7.5 feet in early July of 2003. Click here to view what is currently for sale on Whiskey Lake.
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By Craig Mische, Lakefront Real Estate in Alexandria
(Alexandria Brokers Realty)
Lake Blackwell is located 11 miles west of Alexandria and a 1/2 mile west of Holmes City. It is surrounded almost entirely by dense hardwood forests which create a very secluded atmosphere. The lake is 280 acres in size (the shoreline is 5.2 miles) with a maximum depth of 42 feet and a median depth of 10 feet.Fisherman report that it is a good fishing lake for bass, northern pike and panfish.There are 2 pending sales (Greater Alexandria Association of Realtors) for bare lots on Blackwell. The list prices are $129,900 and $169,000.
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