Stabilization is the word that best describes the real estate market in the community of Forest Lake Minnesota. In 2011 compared to 2010 most statistics were pretty much status quo. New listings are down by over 10% and closed sales up by 12% but the average sales price did not take a hit nor did the days on the market go up or down considerably. Currently the average price is just a tad less than the 2010 average at $171,139. Price per square foot held strong at $91/sq ft which is comparable to other communities in the Washington County/east Anoka County area. Closed sales being up12% shows that buyers are interested in the Forest Lake area and that the market is continuing to improve. For additional details on the inventory levels in Forest Lake MN at the end of 2011, Click HERE. 01/17/2012

Late on a Saturday afternoon, I received a phone call. The caller said he and his fiance had just driven by a Forest Lake listing of mine and want to know if I could them the inside. "Are you working with an agent?" I inquired. "No", he said. So we arranged for a showing of the Washington County home the next evening.The young man and his fiancée arrived with an entourage of parents and assorted other relatives. Being first time buyers, they wanted assistance and approval from people they trusted when they made a final decision on their first home. Looking over the property from top to bottom, they liked what they saw but needed time to think. I asked the question I always ask, "When you are shopping for a home, are you shopping for a REALTOR®?" The young man's dad answered, "They don't... 12/08/2011

As you prepare your Forest Lake home for sale, don't neglect the garage! It's easy to allow garages to become (or remain) catch-all holding tanks for your possessions, especially as you prepare to move. It's a mistake, however, to treat the garage any differently than you treat the rest of your house as you clean and stage it. Garages are huge selling points to many people, and seeing one in disrepair or completely filthy has a proportionally inverse effect on many buyers' desire to live in your house. Here are a few good tips to prepare your garage for sale: 1. Clean it Up No-brainer, right? You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't really take this to heart, though. When I say "clean", I mean "clean like your living room is clean before a showing". Yes, please do remove the... 07/07/2011

It’s June – the birds are singing, the grass is green, there are long lines at Dairy Queen, and it’s time for your Forest Lake house to sell! May – July are generally the hottest (no pun intended) months for home sales, and you want to be sure that your home is positioned to be seen by families who want to move in the summer and be settled before the kids go back to school. As you work with your realtor to take advantage of these summer months in a tough real estate climate, here are some good tips to think about: How many showings are you getting? You’d love to get a showing a day, stressful though they can be, but 2-3 showings per week is a good number. If no one seems interested in viewing your home, you should take a hard look at the price, as well as your listing (see yesterday’s b... 06/14/2011

Anyone who’s considering selling their Forest Lake, MN home has likely thought through the basic essentials – time to clean the place up, spruce up the paint job, depersonalize the rooms for showings, complete all major repairs. But some of the things that lower the value of your home might surprise you. A recent article lists 8 factors that devalue your home. Some fall into the category of the obvious – everyone show be aware that #1 is Location. Few people want to buy a home a block from an airport or right next to railroad tracks. Others, however, are less obvious and bear repeating. I especially resonated with #3 – “Overly Creative Customization”. The bright orange paint job that makes your living room unique to you might easily turn off a potential buyer. Make your house look as ne... 05/13/2011

The sold signs went up faster on homes in the community of Forest Lake Minnesota in 2010 compared to 2009 as the days on the market before a sale yet again dropped this year. And now the average price is just a bit more than last year too! The average sales price of a home was down nearly 28% in 2009 so even a small increase in average price is a step in the right direction for this north Washington County/east Anoka County community. Closed sales are down almost 12% but sellers received a bit closer to list price so overall Forest Lake has see some improvement in 2010 but many opportunities remain for buyers into 2011. Looking for a breakdown of Forest Lake 2010 home sales by price point? CLICK HERE for Detailed Forest Lake Statistics 02/05/2011

According to the calendar, winter just started but we all know from the chiropractic visits to tend to our aching, shoveling-afflicted spines that Minnesota’s winter weather blew into town several weeks ago. Unfortunately this means all that picturesque lakeshore that defines our beautiful state is frozen and covered with a thick white blanket of snow. If you’re considering buying a lakeshore home, that just about cuts off any opportunity of buying for the year; that is unless you assess the quality of the lake using an ice auger and depth finder when freezing your backside off fishing on the ice. Right? Well, not so fast. Buying a lakeshore home in the winter can make sense…And save lots of money too. If you know the specific lake well or are not concerned about the quality of shorelin... 12/22/2010

Looking for a foreclosure, bank-owned or short sale but need to be able to live in the home immediately after closing? Good news is that foreclosures are no longer always trashed, fixer-uppers. Today's foreclosures can be simply AWESOME! This economy has forced builders and responsible homeowners alike to let amazing properties go back to the bank. Many are still in pristine condition. Some still may require a bit of cleanup or a few cosmetic changes but there are many in move in condition too.AND, not all bargains are foreclosures either. Some traditional homeowners have sharpened up their pencils and priced their homes to compete with the banks! These homes are often in move in condition and with a traditional seller, buyers can expect a quick answer when they write up their purchase... 10/28/2010

Or maybe something a bit stronger! This was taken last year at Chris Costello's family fun Halloween house in Forest Lake. Chris tries to set up his elaborate display every year weather permitting. It is located on the north side of the lake just off North Shore Trail and it is FREE! For additional photos, video and information click the photo above...If you dare!   10/27/2010

As a REALTOR® I know a Minnesota does not have to disclose paranormal activity when selling their home but this is one haunted house I wanted to share with everyone in the north and east Twin Cities metro. Paranormal activity runs rampant at this house just north of the lake, but this haunting is only once a year and is all in good fun! Last Halloween, I had the chance to visit this fantastic (and FREE) haunted house in Washington County just off of North Shore Trail. Chris Costello has set up his home on Jason St., in Forest Lake, MN for the past few years with monsters and creatures that are more treat than trick on Halloween. I took several photos of the festivities that were part fundraiser for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign but mostly just fun! Everyone’s all time monster... 10/14/2010

Forest Lake, Minnesota is well known throughout the Twin Cities area. It was a favorite summer vacation spot, an annual ice fishing tournament tradition or as a destination when going for a Sunday a drive in the country in days gone by. Today, the lakeside cabins have been replaced with year round residences, the fishing tourney is but a memory and the farms are few and far between in this third ring St. Paul suburb. The fall off of home sales in the 3rd Quarter was evident in Forest Lake, MN in north Washington County which is consistent with most of the Twin Cities area due to the ending of the homebuyer tax credit. However the quarter was not a total washout. A total of 23 single family homes priced under $200K were sold in Forest Lake and Forest Lake Township during the summer mont... 10/06/2010

It is hard not to smile when driving up Interstate 94 from the Twin Cities to Fargo when you see this old time water tower smiling at you. Many cities have upgraded to larger more efficient water towers. Forest Lake, Minnesota just disassembled its "tin man" water tower a year or so ago. Hopefully this smiling icon will remain intact for several more years. 10/03/2010

Forest Lake, Minnesota is well known throughout the Twin Cities area. Many people from the city remember the northeast St. Paul suburb fondly from years gone by as a summer vacation spot, an annual ice fishing tournament tradition or as a destination when going for a Sunday a drive in the country. Today, the lakeside cabins have been replaced with year round residences, the fishing tourney is but a memory and the farms are few and far between in this third ring St. Paul suburb. The northern Washington County and east Anoka County community of Forest Lake is now considered an integral part of the Twin Cities.Real estate in Forest Lake, MN sold a bit faster during the second quarter compared to the first. A total of 110 properties sold in the Forest Lake Area between January and June com... 07/06/2010

A lakeshore home is the ideal of many a Minnesotan! And why not? When you live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, one would be hard pressed not to drive by a lake, pond or river on a daily basis. Whether you are in Anoka, Ramsey, Chisago, Washington, Hennepin or any other county in our great state lakeshore is a plentiful and beautiful.On an almost daily basis there is a news report regarding one of our wonderfully wet natural resources. Unfortunately, some of the news is not always so great: Eurasian milfoil, mercury in the fish and polluted waters are just a few of the concerns. Even those who live in the city are being asked to prevent grass clippings from going into the street and sewer systems as the chemicals that make our lawns so beautifully green, go through the storm drains and into... 05/23/2010

http://attractiverealty.com/I will be holding a bankowned foreclosure open house this weekend in Forest Lake MN.The addresss is 20420 Everton Trail N , Forest Lake, MN 55025  from 2-5 Satuday and Sunday Total Bed/Bath:  4/ 3    Garage:  3    Year Built:  2006   Directions:  From I35, Hwy 97 E To Everton Ave N, R On Everton & Follow To Everton Trail           MLS Area:   709 - Forest Lake Area Style:   (SF) Two Stories Const Status:   Previously Owned Foundation Size:   4,719 AbvGrdFinSqFt:   3,100 BelGrdFinSqFt:     Total Fin SqFt:   3,100             Acres:   1.000  Listing provided by Tangletown Realty 05/07/2010

Living in the country in Anoka County Minnesota can be like a little slice of heaven especially in the springtime when everything is just starting to bloom again! This beautiful red polebarn photo is one of the pictures I took for my new listing in Columbus (just west of Forest Lake). 35 Acres to call your own near Carlos Avery Wildlife Management area. Want to see more photos? Take the tour by clicking HERE! 05/05/2010

Over a decade ago out family came across a home being renovated on just under 3 acres in the country. It was a bit of a drive from North St. Paul and Maplewood, the quiet little suburbs where we had spent most of our lives. But there was something intriguing about the beautiful landscape with dozens of towering oaks and pines. We loved the idea that our two boys who were just starting school at the time could play hide and seek and ride their bikes right in our own yard. We made the leap without considering all of the differences that faces us switching from a city to a rural life. Now as a REALTOR® in the north metro, I show homes to other families looking for the same escape from the city that we sought years ago. I notice that the same questions continue to come up whether considerin... 05/03/2010

Forest Lake, Minnesota is well known throughout the Twin Cities area. Many people from the city remember the northeast St. Paul suburb fondly from years gone by as a summer vacation spot, an annual ice fishing tournament tradition or as a destination when going for a Sunday a drive in the country. Today, the lakeside cabins have been replaced with year round residences, the fishing tourney is but a memory and the farms are few and far between in this third ring St. Paul suburb. The northern Washington County and east Anoka County community of Forest Lake is now considered an integral part of the Twin Cities. Real estate in Forest Lake, MN was still selling close to pace with 2009 in first quarter of 2010 especially in the lower price points. A total of 45 properties sold in the Forest L... 04/14/2010

  CONGRATULATIONS to the Boys Basketball team who have qualified for the Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament!  The Forest Lake Rangers are scheduled to play at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, March 24, 2010, at the Target Center in Minneapolis.   ARE YOU a RANGER Fan? Ride the Fan Bus! Forest Lake Area Schools Community Education will be selling adult tickets for the game and providing bus service to Target Center in Minneapolis for the 10AM game. No need to mess with downtown parking or a rush hour commute!    When:  Wednesday, March 24.  Board the bus starting at 8am. Busleaves at 8:15am.  Game starts at 10am. Bus will leave the Target Center and return to Century Jr. High immediately following the game.                                                             Where:  Board t... 03/22/2010

  The sold signs are going up faster on homes in the community of Forest Lake Minnesota in 2009 compared to 2008 but the amount they are getting for the homes is significantly less than previously. The average sales price of a home was down nearly 28% this past year for this north Washington County/east Anoka County community. One explanation; Frustrated sellers of high end lakeshore homes continue to wait for a sale as first time buyers scoop up deals on the lower end of the market in order to get the expiring tax credit. More closed sales means the inventory is down overall.Looking for a breakdown of Forest Lake 2009 home sales by price point? CLICK HERE for Detailed Forest Lake Statistics 01/14/2010