Last year around this time, Nina got on an airplane, and for first time in her life, flew to Minnesota. It wasn’t a business or a pleasure trip, it was actually to look at houses and buy one! We were planning on buying a house near Cincinnati, OH, but we scratched those plans as her dad and stepmother decided to move overseas.
A lot of people ask us why we chose Minnesota, and our answers are: tired of the hot, tired of the construction, and tired of the traffic. Another reason was both of our jobs are remote so we were able to do it. Plus, by the time we would move, Niko would be done with school. That was why after we sold our house in December of 2024, we rented a smaller place in the same neighborhood so Niko could finish the 3rd grade.
Minnesota (despite the very cold and snowy winters) thrives on education (which we wanted for Niko), and we could afford a nice house (not in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis or St. Paul, but just outside). We didn’t have any family or friends to rely on for where to look in Minnesota, but I do have a couple hundred work colleagues in Minnesota. A few of those colleagues and I chatted prior to her arrival for realtors as well as cities to check out. Nina also did a lot of research. One of those colleagues sold me some bookcases after we moved, because she was moving to The Netherlands. She even inquired if I was interested in renting her house in Lino Lakes (it was very nice, but out of my range).
Yeah, Nina and I had the realtor app as well as more provided by the realtor where we could like homes. We hooked up with an awesome realtor who drove Nina around for three days checking out lots of houses. Nina took photos and videos for me to review, and even did some live FaceTime calls. We had it narrowed down to five.
One was a new build in Hanover, MN. It was perfect, but we didn’t like that it was one of the first houses built, and there would be new construction going on for an indefinite amount of time.
Two were in Rochester, MN. They had two bedrooms and 1 bathroom up and two bedrooms and 1 bathroom down. We took these off as when Nina and I discussed the sleeping arrangements, both of us didn’t like the fact that one of us would have to sleep down and away from Niko. Yes, we all have separate bedrooms and sleep so much better because of it. It started several years ago when Nina and I were sick, so we took turns sleeping on a sofa (so, we wouldn’t bother each other other), and it just continued after that for me. Rochester was also far from everything else. She did tell me it was a nice area and I would like it.
I know there was one, and I don’t remember the city or the bedrooms and bathrooms, but I remember it had a huge kitchen and a very nice furnished basement with a great room for an office. But, it also had the potential of something being built behind it, and thus, it was flushed off the list.
One was in Big Lake, MN. It had three bedrooms and one bathroom up, one bedroom and one bathroom on the main floor, and a furnished basement with another bedroom and bathroom. It was the largest, and the area behind the house is a park with a walking trail (so, nothing can be built). It’s about 10 to 30 minutes to some larger cities (Monticello, St. Cloud, Maple Grove, and Coon Rapids). That is the one we decided on and ultimately got. Monticello and Maple Grove are our favorites places.
If I was handy and able to do contracting work on my own accord, I would be put to work to gut the upstairs bathroom and make it into two bathrooms (it’s a huge room with a lot of wasted space). I would also build either a fence or plant some trees as privacy in the backyard. Replacing most of the light fixtures, making the back deck nicer, and building a 4 season covered porch would also be on my list.
Monticello (10 minutes from us) is just past the Mississippi River, and is home to our CVS, our Target, our Cub (grocery store), the Community Center (pool for Niko and fitness area for me), a great Chinese and Sushi restaurant, and our doctors. Maple Grove (30 minutes from us) is home to Costco and Trader Joes as well as a really fancy area of shops and dining. A new Costco is being built about 15 minutes from us in between two smaller towns of Albertville and Ostego. Albertville is home to quite a few outlet stores.
When I arrived in Minnesota, I had to meet Blake the realtor at an open house in a neighborhood near Wayzata and Minnetonka (one of the more affluent areas) to get the keys and garage door opener.
Almost nine months later, I am most of the time able to drive without the GPS. But, when I see weather maps for snow, I have no clue where we live (I often have to locate St. Cloud!).
Niko’s school is about 3 miles away, and the elementary and middle school are next to each other while the high school is behind them. The police and fire station are across the street along with the public library. The elementary school is one of the top schools for STEM in the country. Dropping him off in the morning is very easy as they don’t allow parents to walk their kids in the school, so I just drop him off and leave. In the afternoons, to pick him up, a QR code is scanned and that alerts him to come out and get in the car while. No after school chaos like in San Antonio where most of the kids are outside waiting! I guess they do it that way to avoid having them be outside in cold weather. When Nina or I get him in the afternoons, we are usually in the first batch of cars waiting (one time, I was first).
So, now, I know what you’re going to ask me and I will tell you.
Winter was very cold, but not as snowy as I thought it would be. My first drive on snow was the Monday after Thanksgiving, and I was so nervous! I couldn’t even back the car out of the garage the night before so it would be easier for me to just go forward, so Nina did that for me.
Even for bad weather, the school took precautions and either was delayed or canceled. A few times, I did have to drive on snow, but it was just an inch or two on the ground. And, a few times, I had to drive while it flurried (nothing heavy, though).
Today, we are supposed to get between an inch and a foot of snow. I am hoping and thinking that will be the last big snow of the winter and we can start preparing for Spring (all while we are cleaning and putting the winter clothes away). The city of Big Lake does a great job of plowing the roads and walking trails and that helps the driving in it much easier.
