Rochester, MN Real Estate News

While the holiday season is usually jam-packed with fun traditions and things to do, one of our favorite ways to spend the holiday season is to take in all the fabulous Christmas lights and displays that light up the Rochester, MN area. 

As local Rochester real estate agents and professionals, nobody knows the community better than us, and it seems like each and every year, the decorations and Christmas light displays only seem to get better and better. So, if you’re looking for a fun way to spend an evening this holiday season, load up the car and start driving around some of Rochester’s various neighborhoods and communities to see which houses are taking holiday spirit to a whole new level. But before you head out, here are a few places around town

When looking for a new home in the beautiful city of Rochester, many different factors will play a part in which home ultimately feels right. Atop the wish list of many home buyers is proximity to local schools, which of course can be especially convenient for anybody who has kids. 

One of Rochester’s primary high schools is Century Senior High School, which is located up on the city’s far north side. Living near Century Senior High School often means getting to school functions, after school programs, and sports games and matches in only a matter of a few minutes, while the short commute to and from school everyday for students also comes in handy during the cold and snowy Minnesota winters we’re so frequently dealt. 

Much of Rochester's north side

With October nearly in the books and November right around the corner, we thought now might be a good time to highlight a few upcoming events in Rochester now that the holiday season is near and people’s schedules get more and more busy. So before you get in “holiday mode,” remember to check out these great events and community happenings going on in town over the next couple weeks: 

Flea/Vintage Market | November 6th 

Taking place at the Mayo Civic Center at 30 Civic Center Drive SE, the annual vintage/flea market will be happening on November 6th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you’re somebody who loves rumbaing through old collectibles, antiques, vintage toys, clothes, small furniture and other great treasures, this might just be the best way to

Two major mixed-use projects are under review for downtown Rochester—the first being a 156-unit apartment building to be developed on First Avenue in the heart of the city; and the second being an even larger project that would include a 200-room hotel and a 120-unit apartment building that would be located at near the intersection of West Center and First Avenue NW. If approved, the hotel-apartment project would also include 14,000 square feet of retail space and an additional parking facility to accommodate residents, hotel guests, and shoppers. 

Each of the preliminary plans would no doubt complement the May Clinic’s spectacular new Destination Medical Center development, which is a 20-year, $6 billion project that aims to redefine Rochester as

While it feels like the national transportation network company Uber has made it to just about every city or town in the U.S., it’s a service that has still been lacking here in Rochester. But according to a report from earlier today, that could finally be changing, as the City Council has unanimously voted to begin drafting an ordinance that would at least allow the city to give the popular ride sharing service a chance. 

Nationwide, hundreds of millions of people already have access to Uber and other similar ride sharing services, and until now, it’s a transportation option that people living in Rochester simply haven’t been able to utilize. 

For local Rochester home owners who still aren’t familiar with Uber, the company essentially allows people

Consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the entire U.S., it’s no wonder why luxury homes occupy a fairly sizable portion of Rochester’s very active real estate market. 

Unlike in larger cities like nearby Minneapolis or St. Paul, however, you won’t find many luxury condos and townhouses in Rochester, but rather a stunning assortment of upscale single-family homes with more living space than you'll know what to do with. 

Recent population statistics have well over 112,000 people currently calling the city of Rochester home, so despite only being considered a medium-sized town, there’s still plenty of community amenities and attractions to enjoy once calling the Rochester area home; and if you’re fortunate enough to also be in the

A prime piece of real estate in downtown Rochester sold earlier this week, which is raising the eyebrows of many around the local real estate industry. According to reports, the former Michael’s restaurant site at the corner of South Broadway and Center Street was acquired by Harbor Bay Real Estate Advisors of Illinois for $5.5 million—a price that Olmsted County is estimating to be nearly five times that market value for the property, which includes 11, 13, 15, and 17 Broadway Avenue. 

Harbor Bay purchased the property from 15 South Broadway LLC, which is a group that only purchased the property themselves back in January 2015. Initially, 15 South Broadway LLC, which is being called a joint venture between the Chafoulias and Pappas families, was

The city of Rochester, MN is a thriving Minneapolis-St. Paul suburb that’s home to over 100,000 residents. As the acting county seat of beautiful Olmsted County, there’s a lot to love about living in Rochester, starting with its affordability. 

According to recent housing statistics, the median home value throughout the state of Minnesota was listed as $193,500. Over the past year, home prices statewide have increased by over 7%, and some industry pros expect prices to continue to rise over the next 8 to 12 months.  

Here in Rochester, however, the median home cost is actually quite a bit lower than the state’s median home value. And although home values in the Rochester area also continue to rise, the median home cost of $160,500 certainly makes it

In case you haven’t noticed, home buyers today seem much more open to buying an attached living space. Characteristics like affordability, sustainability, and functionality are all more carefully considered, especially among young home buyers, and townhouses are a product type that in most instances check off all three of those boxes on a wish list. 

Along with that lower price tag, townhomes are specifically designed to live like a single-family home while also including features like attached garages, plenty of open living space, and at least some private outdoor space for home owners to enjoy in most cases as well. Many townhouse communities also feature a wide-range of resident-only amenities, which often include a community swimming pool, fitness

In case you haven't noticed, vacant land and undeveloped lots are plentiful right now on the Rochester real estate market. For some local home buyers, building a new home is the ultimate goal when shopping for a new place to live, but before you begin your quest to find the perfect location to start digging, there are a few things you might want to consider before pulling the trigger one an available piece of property. Here’s a look at only some of them…

Builder Restrictions

If you’re considering a lot in a subdivision or neighborhood that’s already being developed, there may be restrictions on who can build on the lot. There may be an agreement between the land developer and a few select builders, or the home builder may own all of the remaining