Protecting Wright County’s Natural Resources

Wright County is preparing a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the Northwest Quadrant of the County, an area comprised of the Townships of Clearwater, Corinna, Albion, French Lake, Chatham, Maple Lake, Silver Creek and Southside (and the cities of South Haven, Annandale, Clearwater & Maple Lake). As you know, this area contains some of the most beautiful lakes and important natural resources in the County. It is also an area that has been felt the pressures of growth and development.

The County is welcoming your participation in planning for the future use of land and protecting natural systems in this area. A public meeting, specifically for landowners in the potential “Resource Lands” District, will be held on Wednesday, October 1st, from 6:30-8:30 pm, at the Annandale High School Commons Area.

The Natural Resource Committee (of which our own Mike McNellis and Gordy Peterson are members) has completed an inventory and analysis of the area, and will present at this and upcoming meetings the information they have collected, including draft maps of areas designated to become “Resource Lands” in the new Plan.

For more information on the Land Use Plan Update, please click here.

2nd Quarter Market Report for the Area

The RMLS releases Economic and Market Watch Reports quarterly, and it tells us a number of things about the real estate market by county. For Wright County, we look specifically at a couple of zip codes where the majority of our business is being done.

In the second quarter of 2008, 20 homes sold in Annandale (homes with zip codes 55302). The average number of days on the market for those homes was 106. The percent of asking price (sold/list price) was 94.4%. Of the homes that sold in Maple Lake and South Haven in the 2nd quarter, the average number of days on the market was much less at 62 and 45. Average prices of homes that sold were also up in those two communities, and dropped slightly in Annandale.

We had a slow 1st quarter. The market was flooded with bank-owned homes, driving the market down. Now the majority of these homes (specifically in this area) have been sold.  (Southbrook is a great example, where there was over a dozen foreclosed home for sale in the first part of the year, there isn’t one right now.) We had strong sales in our 3rd quarter, and with interest rates dropping again, I see a strong finish to 2008.

To download the full 2nd quarter report, you’ll find a link here.

Thanks for reading!

Get an Education in Home Buying!

Wright County Community Action will hold a 2-day workshop to help educate residents thinking about buying a home about the process. Participants will analyze their needs, learn about loans, ways to budget, overcome credit problems, even some home maintenance. They will also learn how to choose and work with professionals in the field.

Offered Wednesday and Thursday, Sept 17th and 18th, from 4 to 8:15 pm at Annandale City Hall – to register, call WCCA at 963-6500. There is a fee.

Is the Countryside Calling?

Nine of our finest country home listings will be open this Sunday, September 14th, from 12-3 pm. Visit our homepage to download and print your own flyer, see more property photos and find specific directions to each home. Our lakeshore tour a few weeks ago was a huge success, and we’re looking forward to meeting a new group of buyers out to find their peaceful place in the country. This is an ideal time of year to tour properties like these! Some have a number of acres, others the acreage plus deeded access to a lake. So put your comfortable shoes on… there will be lots to see on this tour!