Charming, gay-friendly Minneapolis neighborhood, plus real estate agent referral? (St. Paul: foreclosures, houses)

[stubarr]

Hello - My partner and I are considering moving to Minneapolis next spring and would appreciate some advice on which neighborhoods to consider in terms of looking for a house. We generally prefer older, Craftsman/Victorian/Shingle style architecture, in neighborhoods with leafy, tree-lined streets, decent-sized yards, and friendly neighbors. Ideally, we would be able to walk to some local cafes, restaurants, shops, etc. rather than having to drive everywhere. So, does anyone have a suggestion about what neighborhood(s) to consider, AND, would you have a referral for a talented and personable gay real estate agent?

Many thanks -
Stu & Eric

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by stubarr

Hello - My partner and I are considering moving to Minneapolis next spring and would appreciate some advice on which neighborhoods to consider in terms of looking for a house. We generally prefer older, Craftsman/Victorian/Shingle style architecture, in neighborhoods with leafy, tree-lined streets, decent-sized yards, and friendly neighbors. Ideally, we would be able to walk to some local cafes, restaurants, shops, etc. rather than having to drive everywhere. So, does anyone have a suggestion about what neighborhood(s) to consider, AND, would you have a referral for a talented and personable gay real estate agent?

Many thanks -
Stu & Eric

Don't know of any offhand, but in the past I've seen RE agents advertise themselves as being helpful to gay clients in the Twin Cities. Check into Lavender, a gay newspapaer, or City Pages, and alternative weekly. Both have lots of RE advertisements. The kind of housing you are looking for can be found in many South Mpls neighborhoods like Uptown, Seward and Prospect Park (but most have city size yards (40-40ft)--not what people from the burbs would consider "decent-sized". Also, "Nordeast" is gentrifying from white working class to young bohemian in many areas. Lots of old architecture there.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by stubarr

Hello - My partner and I are considering moving to Minneapolis next spring and would appreciate some advice on which neighborhoods to consider in terms of looking for a house. We generally prefer older, Craftsman/Victorian/Shingle style architecture, in neighborhoods with leafy, tree-lined streets, decent-sized yards, and friendly neighbors. Ideally, we would be able to walk to some local cafes, restaurants, shops, etc. rather than having to drive everywhere. So, does anyone have a suggestion about what neighborhood(s) to consider, AND, would you have a referral for a talented and personable gay real estate agent?

Many thanks -
Stu & Eric

Maybe the attached picture is something of what you had in mind? (the sign is made by MN's main GLBT lobby). This is a typical site in the Camden area of Minneapolis and was taken not far from my house in the Victory neighborhood - home to lots of progressive liberals living in well-kept older homes on leafy tree-lined streets. The neighborhood does have a lot of gay couples and has even been noted in a few publications (those 'welcome to minneapolis guide to neighborhoods' type of things, lavender, etc.) as gay-friendly, or the latest term I've heard - a "gayborhood". It's very quiet and safer than other similar-in-housing-stock counterparts in Minneapolis like Seward and Longfellow (and other South and NE Mpls neighborhoods). There is also a little business community here that includes a coffee shop, cafe, italian-american restaurant, and neighborhoody-upscale dining all in one neighborhood business node (as well as tailors/ dry cleaners, neighborhod office, masseuses, barbers, arts-oriented business, community theatre (http://www.workhousetheatre.org/site/index.php - broken link), etc.).

It's a friendly area (see this thread which talks more at length about this neighborhood in relation to some of your questions) and, in general, is more affordable than its South Mpls counterparts for a couple of reasons: (1) it's less-prestigious "north" address; and (2) by virtue of the fact that some of the surrounding neighborhoods have been hit by the foreclosure crisis - this has caused housing market values in the area at large to take a big tumble, and although Victory has held its own fairly well during the 'foreclosure crisis' (the foreclosures we've had seem to be selling pretty steadily), it has also been impacted by a decrease in housing values as well.

Because of the above-mentioned "issues", some very civic-minded GLBT activists (Camden Gay Neighbors League/ GLBT Northsiders) have initiated and sponsored the Get to NOMI Homebuyers Tour (http://www.startribune.com/homes/28142374.html?elr=KArksLckDiUvckDiUiacyKUnciatkEP7 DhU - broken link). You can find direct contact information for them (and likely a good realtor referral of which there are quite a few that live in the area) at their blogspot: glbtnorthsiders.blogspot.com. Good luck with your search and relocation!

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Stubarr, check the PM I sent you.

[DannyBanany]

Look in Highland Park or somewhere around Grand Avenue and Summit Avenue. It fits your bill. Also, look in Uptown, it's Minneapolis' more bohemian area and it has great shops.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

Look in Highland Park or somewhere around Grand Avenue and Summit Avenue. It fits your bill. Also, look in Uptown, it's Minneapolis' more bohemian area and it has great shops.

I didn't recommend Highland because we don't have any "Craftsman/Victorian/Shingle style" architecture, which the OP says he is looking for. These is some in Mac-Groveland and Merriam Park, though.

[wil45]

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

Look in Highland Park or somewhere around Grand Avenue and Summit Avenue. It fits your bill. Also, look in Uptown, it's Minneapolis' more bohemian area and it has great shops.

But, I wouldn't put it in the "bohemian" category, unless you're referring to 20+ years ago. Nothing really special/unique as far as shops go but some great restaurants. I would say Northeast/North are the new bohemian areas in Mpls.

[Astron1000]

Welcome guys!

Someone mentioned Lavender Magazine and I'd second that. Here's a link to their website. Here's a link to their advertisers. (http://www.lavendermagazine.com/classifieds-yellow-pages/advertiser-index/ - broken link) Scroll down for Real Estate agents. The magazine itself is big, glossy and well-produced and there are lots of ads for real estate agents.

Regarding neighborhoods, Camden, NE and Uptown were mentioned. Good ideas, all.

I'd also add the Linden Hills Neighborhood. (Another website about it is here.)

Another area is 50th & France. The Wikipedia article is here. The neighborhood's association website is here (http://www.50thandfrance.com/home.html - broken link). It's a bit further from downtown Minneapolis - actually it is in the upscale suburb of Edina - but it's not too far out. And the houses there do date from the early/mid 20th-Century.

There is also Tangletown, with the prominent, gay-owned business Tangletown Gardens. The neighborhood has a real estate guide here.

Yet another interesting area is Bryn Mawr. Close to downtown and lots of craftsman-era homes. The Wikipedia entry is here.

St. Paul is a great place too. To those areas already mentioned I'd add the neighborhoods on either side of Grand Avenue. The street itself has tons of great shops and restaurants while the adjoining neighborhoods are really quite nice.

And actually, most streets in Minneapolis & St. Paul are leafy and tree-lined.

Good Luck! And let me know if you want more connections to the GLBT communities here!

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by wil45

But, I wouldn't put it in the "bohemian" category, unless you're referring to 20+ years ago. Nothing really special/unique as far as shops go but some great restaurants. I would say Northeast/North are the new bohemian areas in Mpls.

LOL, that's right. We aren't too Bohemian in Highland Park! Just a pleasant, low-key city neighborhood with lots of kids, Baby Boomers, 20-somethings and elderly folk. 50 years ago it would have been considered ordinary, but today it is almost unique.

[jjlava]

Welcome, Stu and Eric!

Minneapolis and St. Paul have many great neighborhoods, but I will stick with your requirement of older architecture with good retail areas within walking/biking distance.

Minneapolis: Seward is a nice older area, as is Prospect Park. The Seward neighborhood contains a hidden gem of a street, Milwaukee Avenue. The homes there are beautifully preserved, charming, and close to many local shops and to downtown Minneapolis.

Uptown is a great area, although it's more pricey than Seward or Camden. There are many homes that will meet your criteria, and you will be close to downtown, shopping, and some wonderful lakes.

I grew up in St. Paul, very close to Grand Avenue. The Summit-University neighborhood contains many homes of beautiful Craftsman/Shingle/Victorian architectural style. I would concentrate on the areas between Western Avenue to Lexington Avenue (east to west) and from Grand Avenue to Selby Avenue (north to south).

I would check Lavender magazine for gay-friendly real estate agents.

Again, welcome.