What Neighborhood is Right For You?
The Twin Cities Metro Area is FILLED with tons of great neighborhoods, each with unique qualities and features that you won’t find anywhere else across the United States. From our awesome dual cities to the incredible 10,000+ lakes, there are a boatload of options that can be exactly what you’re looking for, or exactly what you want to avoid depending on your lifestyle. Whenever I meet with buyers, both moving from in the state or coming from out of state or even out of the country, I ask the same 4 questions to help pinpoint what city or neighborhood will be the best fit for how they want to live their life:
Urban or Suburban?
Minnesota’s Twin Cities provides fantastic urban neighborhoods, while our fabulous lakes and forests help blend in a more remote feel to our suburban areas. Urban neighborhoods are plentiful between both Minneapolis and St. Paul here in Minnesota, as well as in some of the bigger cities in the surrounding areas. With incredible, high end, luxury condos and apartments, ranging from high rises down town to loft style or town homes all throughout, there are plenty of options if you love the hustle and bustle of the cities. On the suburban side, you’ll find plenty of low population density areas and gradually running into more rural spaces that are still within 30-45 minutes of the Twin Cities. With tons of suburban neighborhoods in the surrounding ring of both Minneapolis and St. Paul, there are plenty of options within just a few miles with great access to dining, shopping, and schools. The further you venture out, the more rural cities you’ll find among the lakes and forests, all with unique characteristics and sizes that will fit perfectly for someone looking for more space.
Proximity to Major Locations
While the question is usually answered with “as close as possible” this is where some work with tradeoffs might need to happen. Consider how close you need to be to schools, work, the airport, or other major places that you frequently visit in your life. Does your job require you to be in a specific office? How often do you need to be in? Do you have kids who you want in a specific school? What are the best school fits for your children? Do you travel for work or to another home? Then maybe closer to the airport is a better fit. Consider what your day to day, week to week, and month to month, routines look like and factor in how much driving you’re willing to compromise to get to each of these things.
Sense of Community
Are you looking to get involved in the neighborhood and city you move into? There are plenty of neighborhoods with communal areas like parks, pools, or other amenities where you’ll be engrossed in the culture of your neighborhood and community. On the flip side, if you like your privacy, moving to a more rural setting or a private community might be more your speed. Another feature to note, is how prideful your city is as a community. Does the city council often host events? Is there school spirit among the high schools or colleges in the area with events to attend? There are tons of ways to get involved and meet people in your area that may be into the same interests as you or have kids the same ages as yours!
Recreational Activities or other Events
Are there certain activities that you want to do that you’d like to have access to near your home? From things as small as local parks or trails for walking to big lakes to put your boat on, Minnesota has tons to offer. There are tons of fabulous lake communities near the cities as well as further out in the rural settings that are great places for water sports like boating, water skiing, swimming and tons more. As well as in the winter, lakes for ice skating or just local skating rinks at parks. If you’re into golfing, Minnesota is one of the highest golfer per capita states in the US, and there are plenty of great public and private courses throughout the state. If you’re looking for a specific activity, odds are there’s a community built near or around it!
If you have any questions about where you should be looking to find your dream home in Minnesota, give me a call!