February 2015

The City of North Oaks is found just to the north of St. Paul and provides plenty of lakes. With six total lakes and three large ponds, those enjoying time on the water and around the water will enjoy living within the city. Here's a look at the many lakes and ponds found in this area.

Pleasant Lake

This lake covers more than 580 acres of space with a maximum depth of 58 feet. You can see the bottom in areas five feet deep and shallower. The lake includes a private beach in the 7-acre park for North Oaks residents and their guests. The beach is equipped with a lifeguard on duty from early June through August.

The swimming beach features a dock and a raft, along with picnic tables, grills, a shuffle board course, a boat landing, canoe storage

The North Oaks Community Foundation will hold an event called The North Oaks Home Improvement Fair on March 22nd. This event will last from 2pm to 5pm and will be held at the North Oaks Golf Club. It's free to all residents and will include plenty of representatives from local businesses.

Some of the questions you may have about home improvement topics will be answered with builders, lenders, landscapers, remodelers and other professionals on hand. Expect to see the following businesses represented at the fair:

• American Home Fashions
• Bartlett Tree Experts
• Certapro Painters
• The Blind Guys
• Goetz Landscaping
• J&J Remodelers
• Langers Tree Service
• Lelch Audio Visual
• Michels Homes
• Outdoor Innovations
• Robey Construction

If you’re looking at homes for sale in North Oaks and you’re getting the feeling you need to have a Warren-Buffet-size bank account, worry no more. We’ve got a deal for you this week that may just be within your current budget.  In fact, we found two deals and we couldn’t decide which to feature so we decided to tell you about both of them.

With a median home price of almost $700,000, yes, North Oaks is a pricey area in which to shop for homes. Our Deal of the Month, however, is priced at a point that makes it almost foolish to continue renting. Would you believe $399,900? How about $424,900? Believe it!

Wren Lane

This gorgeous home features 2,057 square feet of living space containing 3 bedrooms and 2 ¾ bathrooms. The floorplan is open and

North Oaks is surrounded by many great places for holding an event. Whether you need to throw a birthday party or a wedding reception, there are plenty of nearby facilities to choose from. Here's a look at some of the facilities to consider.

Events Spaces at Golf Courses

Many of the local golf courses provide beautiful event spaces for weddings and other events. The top area golf course event spaces include:

• The Ponds at Battle Creek - 601 South Century Avenue, Maplewood
• Island Lake - 1000 Red Fox Road, Shoreview
• Goodrich - 1820 North Van Dyke Street, Maplewood
• Keller - 2166 Maplewood Drive, Maplewood
• Manitou Ridge - 3200 North McKnight Road, White Bear Lake

All of these facilities provide something unique with plenty of

North Oaks is found in Ramsey County, which is known for being very active. There are many attractions throughout the county that provide the ability to live a healthy lifestyle. Whether you prefer to walk, bike or another activity, you will find it throughout the communities in Ramsey County.

Active Living Ramsey Communities is an initiative in the area that helps people stay healthy. It was created in December of 2004 to ensure residents have a variety of healthy and physical activities available.

Getting Involved

There are many ways to get involved with the initiative. From partnering with Active Living Ramsey Counties to becoming a part of a biking or walking team, residents and businesses can become involved. Another way to get involved

Last week we took a look at what the median sales price of a home in North Oaks would purchase and, as promised, this week we’ll look at the two extremes of the North Oaks real estate market price range.

Cheapest Homes in North Oaks

Suffice it to say, North Oaks isn’t the city for someone looking to buy an entry-level priced home. The three least expensive homes in the city are all priced at more than $400,000.

$424,900

For almost a half million dollars you can purchase the lowest priced home in North Oaks. Built in 1976, this home sits on almost two acres of land and features four bedrooms, two full and one partial bathroom and 3,408 square feet of living space.

The 2-story colonial home sits on a hill overlooking green space and

North Oaks is found near many top restaurants ranging from American cuisine to Japanese cuisine and much more. No matter what type of restaurant you're looking for, you can find it near the North Oaks area. Here are some of the top choices.

Panino's - 857 Village Center Drive, North Oaks

This is a restaurant with something everybody will love. The great good brings people back and the menu is packed with sandwiches you can eat in or take with you. Many come here for the fries, however. They are served with a homemade ranch, which is quite delicious.

Tria - 5959 Centerville Road, North Oaks

Another great restaurant is Tria. This restaurant is one of the finest for comfort food and classic dishes in the area. They provide indoor dining and a

Last week we took a look at the latest North Oaks real estate market statistics and I thought it might be interesting to take a look at just how much house that money will buy in today’s market.

 Remember, “median” denotes the price in the middle of the range, with half the homes priced lower and half priced higher. In December 2014, the median sales price of a North Oaks home was $655,856.

While there are currently no homes priced right at that number, let’s look at the three that come closest. Since all three homes happen to be in Charley Lake Preserve, a new home community, we’ve decided to lump them together.

New Home Community in North Oaks

Charley Lake Preserve is offering 11 floor plans that range in size from 4 to 5 bedrooms, 2.5 to