CRAIG’S BLOG
BIG OLE AND THE US OPEN

Last night, I arrived at MSP on a Delta flight from JFK. I had been Manhattan last week to enjoy my favorite of the five New York City boroughs and one of ...
NEW IDA-ANS

After a walk-through before closing at a Lake Ida home on Oakridge Lane, I am four of the five buyers (the husband and dad wasn't able to attend) had some fun outside ...
SEPTEMBER MORN

Around 7:30 this morning I took some photos from above Lake Darling, Lake Carlos, and Lake L'homme Dieu. A beautiful morning in the Alexandria Lakes Area. It is hard to believe it ...
GOLDEN AND CHERRY. LOBSTER LAKE.

Showing activity at my Lobster Lake listing has been vibrant and this afternoon I was called out by two different parties for a look. Afterwards presented a time for an aerial video ...
A SUP BREAK AT LAKE DARLING

Lake Darling information from a board on Lake Darling. **Ignore the fingers of my left hand. They were recently caught in the back hatch of a car on an airport pickup. Ouch!** ...
NEW AT LOBSTER LAKE

This Friday, a listing of mine at 1520 Golden Drive SW is active (current status is "Coming Soon", watch my video for an explanation). The temperatures were brutal today so even though ...
LITTLE LATOKA

Take a bird's eye trip around the south bay of Lake Latoka, commonly referred to as Little Latoka. The video was recorded today late in the morning beginning at the NW corner ...
DOCK HAMMOCK

Recently I learned of a company named Muskoka Hammocks, named after the city they are based at in Ontario. They will design and build a custom hammock for your dock space at ...
REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY COURTESY OF AI

Realtor members of NorthstarMLS have lots of data available. AI has been added to the mix. The market reports below are for Douglas County residential properties (lakefront, off the lake, single family, ...
A LOT GOING ON

It is a beautiful day in the Alexandria Lakes Area and I was able to hop onto my bike for a ride this morning. First, I passed by Knute Nelson Field where ...
YEAR-ROUND AT THE CHAIN

Book a showing for Blake's walk-out condo this weekend! This condo at the west end of building four boasts a fantastic view and is available for viewing on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday ...
NEW VISITOR CENTER AT BROPHY PARK

This afternoon a bike ride took me past Lake Brophy and Brophy Park. It was my first visit to the completed Brophy Park Visitor Center and I grabbed a few photos to ...
A VIEW OF CARLOS & LE HOMME DIEU. DARLING TOO.

I have a new listing at Blakes that has the "coming soon" status and will be "active" and available for showings on May 12th. Wind and warmer temperatures helped bid the ice ...
“THINK” PSA FOR LAKESHORE OWNERS

If you own a lake home or lake lot and are consider selling, my advice is don't sell before exposing your property to the Multiple Listing Service. A scenario is possible where ...
HOME INSPECTIONS AND RADON TESTS BY ChatGPT

OpenAI is an AI (artificial intelligence) "research and deployment company". Their mission is "to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity." For free, you can use their ChatGPT model which ...
USPS AND YOUR HOME

The USPS has had challenges lately but they deserve two thumbs up for a service called Informed Delivery that was made available to most of the United States in 2017 after a ...
LAKE MILTONA GOLF

Since 1964 the fairways and greens of the Lake Miltona Golf Club have been pleasing, unless your golf game is similar to mine, golfers that visit or live in Douglas County. Located ...
VIVA MAGENTA FTW

Pantone has announced that Viva Magenta is their color of the year for 2023. To some, this annual announcement may elicit an eye roll. But if you are a homeowner in Alexandria, ...
FALL COLORS IN ALEXANDRIA

The colors of the leaves in Douglas County are at their Fall peak right now. So pretty. I am frequently out on the Central Lakes Trail and the portion of the trail ...
LEGACY OF THE LAKES GARDENS

Have you noticed the proliferation of walking videos on YouTube. If there is anywhere you haven't been and are thinking of a visit, search the location with "walking" on YouTube and you ...
LAKE HOMES FOR SALE AT MILL, OSAKIS, MINNEWASKA, & IRENE

Today there is a new MLS listing of an HOA property for sale at Lake Minnewaska and three "coming soon" lake home listings. The three listings that are "coming soon" are at ...
NO MOSQUITOES

They aren't inexpensive but the string lights I bought at the beginning of summer have already paid for themself. No mosquitoes on my patio when the Tiki Brand BiteFighter is turned on ...
EXPLORER STREETS

South of Voyager Elementary School and north of City Park in Alexandria on the east side of Lake Henry there are the 'Explorer Streets'. I don't think that is an official label ...
Alexandria, Brophy, Burgen, Carlos, Cowdry, Darling, Geneva, Ida, Jessie, Latoka, Le Homme Dieu, Louise, Maple, Miltona, North Union, Stony, Taylor, Victoria
17 TEMP NO-WAKE ZONES

Until July 15th or until the lake levels have decreased there is a no-wake zone 300 feet from the shoreline. The new rule is for the following lakes; Brophy, Burgen, Carlos, Cowdry, ...
Aerial Agnes Alexandria Amelia Andrew Brophy Burgen Carlos Central Lakes Trail Chippewa Cowdry Darling Geneva Glenwood Henry History Ida Irene Jessie Latoka Le Homme Dieu Lobster Louise Maple Mary Mill Miltona Minnewaska North Union Osakis Pocket Red Rock Reno Smith Statistics Stony Taylor Tips Vermont Victoria Video