Cabin Life

Are you considering purchasing a cabin Up North in Minnesota that has a private well? Or maybe you own a cabin with a well that you’ve never had inspected. Although Minnesota state law does not require a well inspection or water testing for a property transfer, it might be a good idea to get one anyway. Three things to look for include the condition of the well, the quality of the drinking water, and if there are any unused wells on the property.

Three Reasons You Should Consider a Well Inspection

• A licensed well professional can visually inspect certain aspects of the well construction and pump installation to evaluate whether they comply with state code.
• Drinking water testing can find common groundwater contaminants to provide information about the quality of the water and any potential health risks.
• The inspector can search the property for unused wells that could threaten groundwater or drinking water if not correctly filled and sealed.

If you’re not sure about well inspections or how to go about getting one, contact our team and we can help point you in the right direction!

The Pandemic changed a lot of the ways that we operate our lives day-to-day. For many people that means working from home full-time. This can give you the opportunity to travel and you might have spent some extra time at the cabin this summer. Maybe it has even got you thinking that you’d like to move to your cabin full-time. Here are some things to consider if you want to make your vacation home your permanent home. 

Sort Out Your Mortgage

Typically, the mortgages are categorized as either a primary residence, secondary residence, or investment property. Be sure to contact your bank or your mortgage broker to figure out what you need to do to switch your vacation home to your primary residence. 

Change Over Your Insurance

The cost to insure vacation homes is often more pricey than a primary residence. Once you have your mortgage sorted out, be sure to call your insurance company to make the cabin your primary residence and save you money. 

Schedule an Appointment with your Tax Professional

Taxes are tricky enough without having to deal with two mortgages. There are several benefits to changing your vacation property to your primary residence. One is that if you do decide to sell it in the future, you could avoid having to pay a capital gains tax unless you’ve listed your vacation home as an investment property and have rented it out. Your tax professional will be able to answer any questions you might have and guide you on the best path for you.

Consider Your Lifestyle

Cabin living doesn’t always offer as many amenities as our urban or suburban homes. Figure out what appliances, electronics, and creature comforts you can’t live without, and be sure that you can translate that into the cabin. You don’t want to regret your choice to move to the cabin full-time. 

The team at Bill Hansen Realty is always here to help you every step of the way. We can help you find a vacation home to live in full-time or get you connected with the right people to help you transition to Up North living! Get in touch today! 

One of the most financially savvy ways to achieve your dreams of buying a Northern Minnesota vacation home is to go in with friends or family. But there is a lot to think about when it comes to joint ownership of your Up North Cabin. These are the best pieces of advice we have to set you up for success when you buy your shared vacation property.

Choose Your Partners Wisely

Buying a second home together is not something to go into lightly. There are a lot of details to work out, problems that could arise, or conflicts that might happen. Go into this process with friends or family members you have good relationships with and who can deal with conflict maturely.

Hire a Lawyer

It might seem extreme, but hiring a lawyer to ensure that you and everyone else are protected is vital to successful joint ownership of your vacation cabin. They will be able to ensure that each party is treated fairly and have knowledge of necessary legal details that you might not have otherwise considered. 

Create a Plan to Cover All Expenses

The monthly mortgage isn’t the only expense you will incur. Decide ahead of time who will be responsible for property taxes, insurance, utilities, necessary household goods, furnishings, etc. You can split up the expenses between parties, put one person in charge of the expenses, or have everyone contribute to one account where expenses come out. Whatever you decide, be sure that everyone is in agreement to pay fairly and equally.

Decide Who Will Take Care of Maintenance Issues

Maintenance issues will inevitably arise with any property. Will you hire professionals to fix it? Is there someone in the group who can do the work? Will you decide based on each issue or incident? Ensuring that there is a plan for maintenance issues can prevent conflict and headaches for the whole party.

Make a Schedule for Cabin Usage

If you’re planning on splitting up your time between parties, decide ahead of time what dates each family or individual will have access to the property. You might decide to do some weekends together, or even make your vacation home available for rentals such as VRBO or Airbnb. Decide if you’re willing to be flexible on the schedule and if you’re okay with different parties utilizing the cabin when the various co-owners can’t make it. 

Whenever you’re ready to search for your co-owned cabin property, the Bill Hansen team is here to find the perfect vacation home for you and your friends or family! Check out our current properties to get a taste of what your Northern Minnesota cabin could look like! 

If you love rustic style design, your cabin is a great place to run wild with your rustic design dreams. Because this style focuses on bringing the outdoors in with natural materials and rugged elements, you can give your cabin the makeover you’ve been waiting for Up North in Minnesota! Here are some ways you can create that rustic feed in your cabin. 

Rough-Hewn Beams

Rough-hewn beams add instant charm and can be used as ceiling beams,  door or window frames, and as a mantle for your fireplace, creating a classic cabin feel. 

Earth Tones

Think colors you would commonly see in nature, like the woodsy tones from tree bark, rocks, and soil, or subtle green tones from plants, trees, and grass. Keep it simple and mix in creams and whites if you don’t want the color or design to feel too “heavy.”

Weathered Materials

Aged wood, reclaimed wood, hammered metal, and seeded glass are all options that provide visual interest and texture and are perfect for decorating your cabin. You could find furniture or art made with these materials or have them custom-made.

Organic Materials

Organic materials like wood, rock, and leather help you feel connected to nature and provide the warmth people love from rustic design. These items can be easily incorporated into flooring, tiles, or furniture to help bring your design together. 

You can take many directions with the rustic design feel from traditional rustic, farmhouse, simple, or modern! The best part is you get to choose! Creating a rustic design in your Northern Minnesota cabin is a fun project and is made all the more meaningful when incorporating elements from our beautiful Minnesota nature! If you’re looking to remodel soon, check out these 6 Priorities for Remodeling Your Cabin.