Our state is blessed with lots of lakes. They are well-liked for their recreational qualities as well as their aesthetics. For most people, the competition for a lake home in the metro makes this prospect unattainable. But there are many lakes at a few hours drive from the core MSA. And a collection of lakes attracts enough patrons of restaurants, retail and golf courses to produce lake districts.
Since many prefer to look out over a lake than a row of rooftops, it is not surprising that a surge of interest occurred following Covid. The work-from-home option gave people, at least for the moment, the option to live the rural life. As downtown real estate suffers the largest vacancy rates in years, pricing in Alexandria, Brainerd, and DL areas has surged above metro rates of increase.
This reversal of migration of more well-to-do people from the metro to the rural areas should also have implications in activating other types of community interests.
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