Four Winter Festivals You’ll Want to Check Out this Year

We’ve got several more months of winter on the way Up North, and sometimes it can be hard to get out and do something fun with all of the cold and snow. That’s why we’ve pulled together some great Winter festivals and events happening this year that will make this winter season even more enjoyable. 

The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza, January 29, 2022

This self-proclaimed largest charitable ice fishing event in the world is the perfect excuse to get out of the house, get on the ice, and do your best to nab the biggest fish of them all. This event brings in $150,000 for local charitable donations and helps support local businesses every year!

Crosslake Winterfest, February 3-5

If someone in your group isn’t necessarily open to the idea of outdoor activities, Crosslake’s Winterfest might be the place for you! From a citywide scavenger hunt to live music and something called “Soupfest,” there is sure to bring joy to everyone in the family!

Northwoods Pond Hockey Classic, February 4-6, 2022

Nothing says Northern Minnesota quite like some pond hockey. This local hockey tournament has six different divisions, so there’s a spot for everyone. So start forming your team, grab your gear, and head to Pelican Lake to show off your slap shot. 

Gull Lake Frozen Fore Winter Weekend, February 25-27, 2022

The Frozen Fore Winter Weekend is hosted by Moonlite Bay Family Restaurant and Bar, a three-day celebration of winter fun for all ages. With pancakes on the ice, snow golf, and a cook-off competition, this event is sure to have something for everyone. Not to mention all of the proceeds go to support nonprofits that work to feed and educate children! 

However you decide to spend your time this winter, we hope you’ll refer your friends and family to Bill Hansen Realty for their Up North Property needs! 

Make the Most of Your Money by Moving Up North

Even if you’re not entirely up to date on the current Minnesota Housing market, you’ve probably heard about recent rising prices and bidding wars. While it’s true that property values have risen, taking advantage of the benefits of the housing market Up North can help you make the most of your money.

By looking at properties Up North, you’ll see an increase in square footage, acreage, and home quality. 

Square Footage

More space and bedrooms to share with your family, and for hosting guests for holidays and vacations.

Acreage

Enjoy more space for recreation, hunting, or adding new structures to your property! 

Home Quality

Your budget in Northern Minnesota can mean you’ll be looking at newer updates to your home, premium quality materials. By buying properties at lower prices you could also use the money you saved to renovate your new home to your standards. 

Now is the time to start looking and preparing to shop for your dream property. By taking advantage of getting on board with us now, we can be sure to get the newest properties in front of you before the summer rush. Contact us today to start your search! 

5 Tips for Having the Best Cabin Christmas Yet

The snow is gathering in Northern Minnesota and causing everyone to really begin embracing the Christmas spirit. You might be getting together with people you weren’t able to last year, so as you’re gearing up to enjoy the holiday up North, we have some tips to help you have the best Christmas at the cabin yet! 

Read a Christmas Story around the Fireplace

Grab a hot chocolate and snuggle in as a family to enjoy some quality time while listening to a traditional Christmas story or children’s book. Even if you’re a household full of adults, a little Christmas nostalgia goes a long way. 

Bake some Christmas Goodies

Baking is one of the best ways to gather everyone in the cabin for some quality time while baking cookies, bread, or your favorite holiday treat. Not to mention you’ll get to enjoy some delicious treats once you’re done! 

Get some time in on the Ice

Whether you’re an ice skater, hockey player, or ice fisher, get outside and enjoy the crisp Northern Minnesota air and the beauty of Christmas on the lake. Playing together is a great way to build memories and Christmas Traditions.

Have a Gingerbread House Competition

Gather your supplies and give everyone the task of building a Gingerbread House. Whether in teams or individually, this is a great way to create some healthy competition. When you’re done, have everyone vote on their favorite and make sure to have a prize for the winner! 

Take a Family Photo or Video

Call everyone together and capture the Christmas holiday in a family photo or video! This is a great way to make the memories last. You can even display all your photos of Christmases past on the wall or sit down and watch your video together next year! 

However you decide to celebrate this Christmas, we hope you have a wonderful time with the people you love! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 


Looking for a property Up North to celebrate the Holidays? With offices in Longville, Hackensack, and Walker, we can assist you in finding the best properties in Northern Minnesota. Contact us today to get started!

Three Easy Ways to Prepare Your Cabin to Sell

If you are preparing to sell your cabin, you can do some easy things to help get top dollar and sell it quickly. 

Declutter

Walk through your cabin with a critical eye and put away any seldom-used recreational equipment, as well as any piles of books, magazines, or odds and ends that have accumulated. If an item doesn’t have a home, pitch it or pack it! Clean all clutter from countertops, including small appliances. You might be amazed at how much bigger your cabin will look when all of the extra “stuff” is put away!

Clean up the outside

The more work a buyer thinks is needed, the lower the price they will want to pay. Taking a bit of time to power wash the deck, dock, or any other parts of your property that have moss, mildew, or are grungy can help make things look spic and span. Trim dead limbs or anything blocking the lake view if you have one. Showcase the beauty of your property!

Make the inside smell good

Sometimes cabins, especially the older ones, may smell musty or have that “not so fresh” smell. Doing a deep clean can help. Mop, dust, clean the baseboards and polish any wood. Painting takes a bit of time, but a fresh coat of paint can make things look and smell newer. 


Ready to buy or perhaps sell your Up North property? With offices in Longville, Hackensack, and Walker, we can assist you in finding the best properties in Northern Minnesota. Contact us today to get started!

4 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Bare or Hunting Land Purchase

Have you ever thought about buying a vacant plot of land? While most people are looking for a lot that already has a home built, there are actually several benefits to buying bare land or hunting land. 

1. Land can be an easy investment. 
Because you aren’t dealing with the upkeep of a building, land can be a wonderful investment opportunity that requires very little work. 

2. There is little risk.
For the most part, nothing can really be destroyed, broken, or stolen from bare land. Therefore, there is less risk of something being damaged and having to deal with extra expenses. 

3. It is inexpensive. 
Investing in bare or hunting land can be relatively inexpensive. Apart from taxes, you will not be paying for electricity, water, or other utilities. Additionally, there is typically little competition when it comes to purchasing land, meaning that you can often get it at a lower price.

4. You have plenty of options.
Whether you want to build a vacation home you can enjoy with your family, a cabin you can rent out, or keep your land bare for hunting or investing, your options are endless!


Whether you’re looking for land or a vacation home, we can help! Contact us today so that we can assist you in finding your favorite spot Up North in Minnesota!

How to Prepare Your Cabin for the Winter Up North in Minnesota

Ready or not, winter will be here before we know it! Whether or not you are planning on closing up your cabin during the snowy months, you’ll need to do a bit of preparation to make sure that it withstands the harsher temperatures and conditions. Here are a few things you will want to make sure you do:

Outdoor Maintenance 

  • Store any patio furniture and outside decor.
  • Mow the lawn one last time and rake up any leaves.
  • Clean out the gutters.
  • Check for any leaks or cracks in the windows and doors and seal them up so that the cold (and creatures) stay out.
  • Winterize your boat dock.

Indoor Maintenance

  • Check your furnace (if you have one) to make sure it is running properly. 
  • Winterize your plumbing if you haven’t done this before.
  • Turn off your water if you are leaving for the winter. 
  • Make sure all of your appliances are running properly and unplug anything that will not be used if you are closing up.
  • Clean out your pantry and fridge.
  • Close all curtains and shades. 

Contact us at Bill Hansen Realty today if you’re ready to start your search for the Up North lake home you’ve been dreaming about!

Winterize Your Boat Dock in 5 Easy Steps

Summer is drawing to a close, which means it’s time to prepare for the cold weather and snow. Winterizing your boat dock is an important task for this time of year, and doing it properly will help everything stay in top shape. If you’re not sure where to start, here are 5 easy steps to winterizing your dock: 

1. First, remove all accessories you have attached to your dock. This includes things like kayaks and paddleboards that you may have tethered as well as anything else that may be attached.

2. Next, check and tighten all bolts and screws. Some of these may have come loose from wear over the summer, so it’s a good idea to make sure everything is secure before you use your dock again in the spring. 

3. It’s always a good idea to clean and seal the decking portion of your dock before the season is over. This way, it can avoid damage that might be caused by algae or other bacteria. 

4. If you have a fixed dock, you may want to use a bubbler or de-icer to reduce the amount of ice that is formed around your dock in the winter. 

5. Depending on what kind of dock you have, the last step is to either remove it from the water or attach a safety line to it and secure it on a fixed structure on shore, such as a tree. You will also want to detach it from shore the best you can by removing any ramps or steps. This can help avoid shoreline erosion. 

Are you ready to find the Up North lake home you’ve always wanted? Contact us today so that we can help you with your search! 

Top Real Estate Market Tips When Shopping for Your Dream Cabin

It’s a competitive market right now when it comes to purchasing a home of any kind. If you’re starting to shop around for a cabin or vacation home, keep some of these tips in mind as you navigate the real estate world:

Make a list of deal breakers. 

Before you even begin your search, make a list of some deal breakers you have when it comes to your future cabin. Identify a few things that you consider to be true “deal breakers” as well as things you may not like but can still live with. This will help narrow down your options.

Have a financial plan in place. 

From being preapproved on a mortgage to brainstorming ways to finance your cabin, it always helps to put together a plan early on so you don’t run into issues down the road during your search. 

Be flexible. 

Know going into your search that you will likely have to make some compromises. Your first choice may fall through. You may not find something that checks off every box on your wishlist while still falling within your price range. Have patience and set realistic expectations as you go into the searching process. 

Let’s work together to make your dream a reality!

If you’re looking for someone to help you with your vacation home search, contact us today so that we can help!

5 Best Tips for Financing Your Cabin

If you’ve recently decided that you’re going to finance your cabin, there are several things to keep in mind. Here are 5 tips that will hopefully help you out in the long run no matter how you’re going about financing your cabin.

1. Check your credit score early on. Your credit score will determine how high of an interest rate you may get charged from a mortgage lender, so check this early on to get an idea of how much you can expect to pay.

2. Do your research on loans. There are many options available. It may take a bit of time and research to find what will work best for you. Don’t be afraid to go slow and ask questions!

3. Don’t put too little money down. Do a little math and figure out how much money you can realistically put down up front. While you may feel a little hesitant to put too large of a chunk down, keep in mind that it will end up saving you money in the long run. 

4. Consider renting out your cabin. This can be a great way to earn a bit of extra cash which can help you out with your financing. 

5. Keep insurance in mind. You don’t want to be caught off guard by any expenses, especially insurance. This is another thing you’ll want to research as you’re going through the financing process.


Are you ready to find your Northern Minnesota getaway? Contact us today and let us help you out with your search!

6 Top Priorities for Remodeling Your Cabin

Are you thinking about remodeling your cabin? If this is something you’ve put thought into but are stuck on where to start, consider making some of these your top priorities as you begin your project.

1. Assess your current conditions.
Start by taking a critical look around your cabin and figure out which space is in most need of a little extra care and tackle that first.

2. Get specific.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Once you figure out which space in your cabin needs an update, start to narrow down exactly what needs to be fixed, upgraded, and what you want to change.

3. Find some inspiration.
Maybe you know you want to change something, but you’re unsure what you want the end result to be. Browse online and see how other people have remodeled their cabins to get some ideas.

4. Make a list of what you need.
Once you know what exactly needs to be fixed and remodeled, start making a list of the specific tools and items that you’ll be needing.

5. Settle on a budget.
This is an important one! Having a budget put in place before you start a project is important so that you know what you’re getting yourself into.

6. Find some help.
Don’t try to do this all by yourself! Whether you’re hiring professionals or having friends or family members help, it’s a good idea to work together with someone rather than do it alone. This will save you a lot of time and trouble.


Are you looking for a vacation property in beautiful northern Minnesota? View our latest listings here!