Local Living
Living in Alexandria and Working in St. Cloud: Test the Commute
Test an Alexandria-to-St. Cloud commute with actual addresses, work schedules, winter plans and a weekly cost worksheet before choosing your next home.
The Home Match Realty library
Real estate questions, answered, page 8
Practical reading for your next move in West Central Minnesota. Find help with a purchase, prepare for a sale, compare places or look more closely at a lake property.
Posts 85-96 of 188
More articles
Buying (3)Closing and Moving (8)Disclosures (9)Due Diligence (10)Financing (6)Guides (1)Housing History (12)Lake Property (6)Lake, Cabin and Land (42)Lakes (4)Land (1)Local Living (30)Market (4)Marketing and Prep (2)Neighborhoods (1)Offers and Negotiation (9)Property Types (14)Relocation (1)Rural Homes (7)Selling (5)Title and Taxes (7)Transactions (6)
Local Living
Living in Osakis Year-Round: Services Beyond the Lake Season
Plan year-round life in Osakis with checks for city utilities, clinic access, school schedules, winter roads and the daily needs of a lake-area household.
Local Living
Long Prairie or Staples? Choosing a Todd County Base
Compare Long Prairie and Staples by county services, rail and highway connections, school districts and older-home questions before choosing a place to live.
Lake, Cabin and Land
Mineral Rights on Minnesota Land: Records to Review
Buying Minnesota land does not always include the mineral rights. Check deed reservations, title exceptions and surface-use terms before assuming you own them.
Lake, Cabin and Land
Minnesota Cabin Loans: What to Ask a Lender About a Seasonal Cabin
A Minnesota cabin loan depends on the cabin as much as on you. Ask the lender about occupancy, year-round suitability, water, heat and access before you offer.
Housing History
Minnesota Homebuying in 2018: Rates and Monthly Payments
See how documented 2018 mortgage rates changed a hypothetical Minnesota purchase payment, with the loan amount, taxes, insurance and limits stated clearly.
Housing History
Minnesota Housing in 2014: A Baseline for Today's Buyer
Look back at Minnesota housing in 2014 using statewide sale prices, closed transactions, mortgage rates and a clear method for comparing historical data.
Housing History
Minnesota Housing in 2015: Rural and Metro Markets Side by Side
A 2026 retrospective on Minnesota housing in 2015 compares Douglas, Todd and Hennepin county price indexes and explains what rural and metro labels leave out.
Housing History
Minnesota Housing in 2016: What the Permit Record Shows
Explore Minnesota’s 2016 housing permit totals, building types, and the difference between permits and completed homes before using history to assess supply.
Housing History
Minnesota Housing in 2017: Property Taxes and Home Values
Revisit Minnesota property taxes payable in 2017, separating assessment values, certified levies, refunds and the actual costs shown on a homeowner bill.
Housing History
Minnesota Housing in 2019: The Pre-Pandemic Baseline
Minnesota's 2019 housing market already had rising prices and tight inventory before the pandemic. A dated look at sales, median prices, listings and rates.
Housing History
Minnesota Housing in 2020: Tracking Sales Through the Pandemic
Track Minnesota home sales through 2020 with monthly figures, pandemic dates and careful comparisons that separate seasonal patterns from disruption.
What you will find here
Start with the question in front of you. Buying a house, reviewing a parcel of land and selling a seasonal cabin involve different records and decisions. This library organizes those questions into topics, with links to the buying guides, community pages and lake directory when you need more local context.
Home Match Realty is based in Alexandria, where Janet Matchinsky has her office at 302 Kenwood St Ste 116. She has been a full-time real estate broker since 2014. Articles connect general real estate questions to the towns, lakes and rural properties in West Central Minnesota without assuming every property follows the same rules.
Next step
Use the reading to prepare your questions, then talk through your own situation with Janet. You can ask about buying, prepare to sell, or request a home-value conversation. Call or text (320) 219-2488.
Ready when you are
Read something useful?
The natural next step is a conversation about your own situation. Call or text Janet any day.