Bridget Telkamp Blog

When the snow flies, the outdoor fun is just beginning in Minnesota. The Twin Cities area becomes a winter wonderland this time of year, with ample opportunities to get out and explore. 

So strap on your snowshoes and dust off your trekking poles. It's time to explore these great winter hikes in Minnetonka and the Twin Cities area!

1. Lone Lake Park - 5624 Shady Oak Rd., Minnetonka, MN 55343
   A quiet park in the southwest corner of Minnetonka, Lone Lake Park offers 146 acres of woods and open spaces, with a 1.2-mile trail that provides beautiful views of the lake. The trail is always left un-plowed in winter to facilitate snowshoeing, and a separate 5-mile multi-use mountain bike trail is also open to winter hiking and fat-tire biking. Located a short drive from many Minnetonka homes for sale, Lone Lake Park's trails also connect to additional hiking routes in nearby parks, including Shady Oak Beach and Three Rivers Park.

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The coronavirus pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives, including the colors we should use to decorate our homes. Paint companies have already rolled out their top hues for 2021, and it's no surprise that the pandemic has had an enormous impact on what's expected to dominate home décor in the year. Many of the chosen colors are warm and comforting, with shades of aqua showing up more than once. If you're craving some color therapy or want your home to stand apart from other Minneapolis homes for sale or Saint Paul homes for sale, you're sure to find some inspiration from these colors of the year.

• Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year: Urbane Bronze
  Sherwin-Williams selected a warm, grounding shade of gray-brown as its 2021 color of the year. Urbane Bronze is intended to reflect the current need for serenity, stability, and renewal. The shade can make a sophisticated statement when used as an accent or primary color. Try it on all four walls in a den or bedroom to create a cozy atmosphere. You can also use Urbane Bronze on kitchen cabinetry or built-ins and then finish surrounding walls in a warm white for a sleek, contemporary look. The bold shade can work well on your front door or an accent wall in the living room.

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Home tours have stepped into a whole new world – the virtual world, that is. Our agents were among the first in our area to launch virtual showings for homes. That early commitment to keeping sellers and buyers alike moving forward has now been echoed by the rest of the industry. Virtual tours are common, and they might persist in 2021 and beyond.

Minneapolis homes for sale are some of the most desirable in North Carolina – that hasn't changed. But the right way to showcase a home's unique features has. Recent research shows that buyers taking a virtual tour have priorities a little bit different from those in a traditional walk-through.

Sellers – and their real estate agents, of course – need to adapt. Here are five big things buyers notice on virtual tours.

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Cold weather is upon us, and with the furnace running more often, our heating bills are climbing. On a budget this year? Here are a few tips for lowering your heating bill, based on what our real estate agents see in the most energy-efficient Minneapolis homes for sale.

1. Turn down the thermostat. One of the most simple ways to save money on your heating bill is to turn down the thermostat, especially when you don't need the house to stay warm. For instance, overnight and when you're at work are two times when you can turn the heat down and save some money. If you keep forgetting, you might invest in a programmable thermostat that will do it for you. Smart thermostats are also a popular feature we see in Saint Paul homes for sale.

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The fun is just beginning when the snow flies in Wayzata, Minnesota! This small community is just a short drive from the Twin Cities, making it a popular destination for outdoor adventure near these Minneapolis homes for sale and Saint Paul homes for sale. These are some of our favorite places for winter fun near Wayzata:

1. Gro Tonka Park - 17003 Prospect Pl, Wayzata, MN 55391
   Popular for family outings in all seasons, Gro Tonka Park is a cozy 15-acre park just outside Wayzata, MN. It also happens to be the city's oldest park, established in 1959, and offers picturesque walking paths and wide-open fields that provide prime sledding and snowman-building territory. But the grandest winter attraction at Gro Tonka Park is its seasonal ice skating ring, which gives families from all over the region an opportunity to don skates and take to the ice.

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