Photograph by Caitlin Abrams
Black lab on a wooden deck at sunset
So you’re ready to achieve the Minnesotan dream: purchasing a cabin to call your own. You’re ready to pile your sunscreen-slathered family into the van on a Friday afternoon, fight the apocalyptic construction on I-35, and escape for 48 peaceful hours in the Northwoods. Congratulations! But buyer beware: Buying (and maintaining) the perfect lakefront home takes a few more steps than you may imagine. “Buying a cabin can be a long process,” says Edina Realty realtor Matt Wadsten, who sells homes in the Brainerd area. “Most people search from one to three years. It’s a journey.” Here’s a road map.
Location
Where do you want to be?
Most Minnesotans have a region in mind before they even start searching for a cabin, according to Brainerd realtor Brad Wadsten (AKA Matt’s dad). If you don’t already have a favorite lake or town, consider spending weekends at rentals in different areas.
Smart phone
Tour the area on your phone.
Cruise real-estate websites, create a wish list of cabins you love, and look for commonalities. Maybe you’re drawn to screened-in porches or realize you’d prefer extra bedrooms for kids’ sleepovers.
Sherriff badge
Deputize someone to look for you.
Overwhelmed by the 1,688 listings on Zillow? A local realtor can help determine clients’ budgets and priorities. Do you want a sandy, swimmable lake for a young family? Would you prefer a peaceful, quiet area with few neighbors? Summer only or snowshoe season?
Stop watch
Be prepared to move quickly.
“The market for starter cabins in the $150,000–$300,000 range is currently lacking, inventory-wise,” Brad Wadsten says. You know what it’s like to buy a single-family starter home in south Minneapolis? Well, the gopher race has moved north.
Welcome mat
Visit homes in person.
Here comes the fun! Brad Wadsten recommends touring homes during spring or summer months, when you can stick your feet in the water and feel the bottom of the lake. “In the end, it all might come down to an emotional connection with a cabin or property,” he says.
Check list
. . . but don’t ignore the facts.
Before you make an offer, educate yourself on zoning laws if you plan to remodel or add on. Learn exactly where the property lines lie, go through a home inspection, and review rental laws in your area.
Check
Buy it!
How many zeroes go on the check?
Lawn mower
Make a caretaking plan.
“Most people don’t think about the amount of maintenance and upkeep a cabin takes,” says Mike Shermoen, co-owner of property management company TruNorth Properties. Buy a good lawnmower. Learn how to put in a dock. Find a boat. A service like TruNorth can do almost all this stuff for you—plus, stock your fridge and fill your bait containers.
Boat
About that boat . . .
Chances are, your cabin dreams include a neat little speedboat or a lazy pontoon. Depending on how often you use your cabin, it can be more economical to rent a boat for a week (or a weekend, or a day) than purchase one outright.
Log cabin
Wanna Airbnb it?
Renting out your cabin on VRBO or Airbnb can be a great way to offset property tax or mortgage payments—if your county or town allows it. Read up on regulations before listing your property, and don’t forget to devise a check-in/check-out/cleaning/maintenance plan. Cabin concierge and vacation rental management services can take over the process—or maybe you live nearby and love doing laundry!
Umbrella and sun
Please, we beg of you, use your cabin.
We dream of spending every weekend up north. And then, suddenly, August hits, and we traveled north only for the Fourth. Be proud of your little slice of lake life. And please, don’t spend your whole weekend mowing the lawn.
