Lake Minnetonka Walk-Out Rambler

Downtown Wayzata Stunner

Sprawling walk-out rambler overlooking Lake Minnetonka. Stunning
lakefront views, all-brick, over 100,000 square feet, opulent finishes.

Missed the property described above on MLS?

That's because it's not on MLS (and no, the 100,000 square feet isn't a typo).

Actually, it's not even a residential building, although it's built to resemble one.

Give up?

It's TCF's headquarters building, just west of downtown Wayzata (I was across the street for a closing on Friday).

The only blemish I could come up with is a too-close resemblance to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's headquarters, also built in the "faux residential" style.

"Must Be One Helluva Place!!"

Rental Double-Takes

I assume that I'm not the only Twin Cities Realtor still adjusting to the addition of rental data on MLS (since Sept. 1).

So, in addition to finding "for sale" properties on searches I've saved for various clients (what Realtors call "hot sheets"), there's now the stray rental included.

If you're skimming quickly (like I am), the tip-off is price: $1,500 or some such, vs. $200,000, $450,000, etc.

So, when I saw $20,000 the other day, I did a double-take: what Twin Cities home rents for $20,000 a month??

Manhattan Prices in Mpls.?

It turns out that it wasn't a rental, it was a home for sale -- and that's the asking price!

Presumably, there's a quick solution to the above, which I've yet to do: tweak all my saved searches to exclude "rentals."

However, with only 300-odd rentals total on MLS, the problem doesn't come up that often. Yet.

P.S.: So what is the most expensive rental on MLS now?

For $9,950 a month, you can rent 1006 Wildhurst Trail in Orono, a 6,400 square foot home in Orono with 5 BR's, 7(!) Baths -- and 140 feet of shoreline on Lake Minnetonka.

"Calhoun Lake??" Is that by Isles Lake?

Neighborhood Expertise -- and Lack Thereof

Want a sure sign that a Realtor doesn't sell much by the City Lakes?

They refer to "Lake Calhoun" as "Calhoun Lake" in their marketing materials.

Fish (er, Realtor) Out of Water

It may be forgivable to confuse Forest Lake (the city 40 miles north of the Twin Cities) with Lake Forest (the St. Louis Park neighborhood just west of Cedar Lake and north of Fern Hill).

But getting "Lake Calhoun" (pictured above) wrong is pretty glaring -- just imagine someone calling it "Minnetonka Lake," or "Superior Lake."

In turn, a Realtor who doesn't know the local landmarks is often a sign that the home owner hired a family friend or relative, opting for a personal connection over local expertise.

P.S.: If instead it's just a typo -- it's a big one.

A Rose By Any Other Name??

Real Estate Names With -- and Without -- Cachet

Where would you rather pop for a $2 million home: a town named "Seabreeze" -- or one named "Lump?"

Or ponder this one:

Which list of city names, "A" or "B," is more suggestive of affluence and status?

List A: Sag Harbor; Huntington Beach; Boca Raton

List B: Sack; Pile; Mound

A Boy Named "Sue"

OK, so I'm exaggerating (a little).

But if you're a non-Minnesotan reading this blog, "Mound" happens to be a real Twin Cities suburb.

One that happens to have miles of shoreline on the west side of the Twin Cities' biggest and swankiest lake, Lake Minnetonka, and is home to dozens of upper bracket (as well as more modest) homes.

So here's a marketing freebie for the next Mound City Council meeting: how about "Tonka Shores?"

P.S.: my native New Yorker wife reminds me that not everyone's association with "Mound" is negative; hers is with "Mounds" candy bars.