It’s hard to believe that -- what with the polar vortex pressing down on us and news of weather-related school closures still ringing in our ears -- spring arrives in less than a month. Well, at least our temperatures are out of the negative range and, as I write this, it’s a positively balmy 0 degrees outside.

Maybe the area’s developers and builders decided we needed something cheery to take our mind off all this weather stuff – something to get us outdoors that doesn’t require snowshoes or skis. Whatever the reason, the Spring 2014 Parade of Homes kicks off this weekend in Blaine.

If you’ve been mulling the purchase of a newly constructed home don’t miss this chance to see the amazing new homes in Blaine. Prices for new homes in Blaine are

If you’ve read the news over the past couple of weeks you know that “The Lego Movie” has been at the top of the box office for three weeks running. It even beat Kevin Costner’s new film and has brought in $31 million so far. 

Two people who were probably right there, front and center on opening day, were my clients Dave and Traci. I recently sold their house in Roseville and helped them find their new home. They chose a 3,748 square-foot custom-built stunner on over a quarter of an acre.

It was love at first sight for the couple. I’ll bet you think it was the oversized deck that overlooks a pond that caught their eye. Well, maybe a little.

The new house does have a gourmet kitchen and a massive master suite. That might have factored into the

Registration is now open for the annual Blaine Triathlon. Yes, I’m aware that it doesn’t happen until May 17th 2014, but if you plan to participate, you’ll save some money by registering early. I'll also be sponsoring this event, so if you love a challenge, I encourage you to take part in this wonderful Blaine event.

The Blaine Triathlon takes place at 8:00 a.m. and begins at Lakeside Commons Park.

Swim Portion -- 0.3 miles

Arguably the easiest part of this even is the swim portion, especially for strong swimmers. The swim event begins on the east side of the beach at Lakeside Commons Park and the course will be clearly marked by bouys and staffed, both in and out of the water. You’ll make two turns and leave the water on the west side of the

Blaine 2013 Real Estate Market Statistics

What happened last year in the Blaine real estate market? It’s all right here, hot off the presses! First take a look at the following infographic and then I’ll break it all down for you.

Blaine New Construction

No surprises here -- all you have to do is drive around town and you'll know how quickly our town is growing. Blaine new construction was up 18 percent last year over the previous year. From the incredible new Paulson-built executive homes popping up at The Sanctuary to the Hanson Builders' beauties in Northwest Shores, we have to be setting some sort of record for the number of hammer pounds per day.

Home Prices in Blaine

We ended 2013 with a total of 1,121 homes sold for the year.

Moving to Blaine, Minnesota puts you smack dab in the middle of a community of folks that take their sports and recreation very seriously. Perhaps this is why Blaine is home to the world’s largest amateur sports facility, the National Sports Center.

Under the facility’s roof you’ll find two indoor sport facilities, the Sports Hall and the Sport Expo Center.

The Sports Hall at Blaine National Sports Center features:

• 58,350 square foot artificial turf surface.
• Three indoor soccer fields.
• One large, 55-yard by 100-yard surface.
• Small-league suited areas for softball, baseball, football, lacrosse and rugby.

In the National Sports Center Sport Expo Center you’ll find:

• Artificial turf surface
• An indoor soccer field
• 18,000 square feet

Although Blaine, MN has a lot to offer its residents, the star of the show is most definitely the Tournament Players Club golf course, known as TPC by locals. With remarkable golf, outstanding amenities and an array of membership plans, TPC is the pride of Blaine.

The Golf

The TPC, home of the Champion Tour’s 3M Championship, was designed by Arnold Palmer under consultation with Tom Lehman, and encompasses 235 acres of gorgeous Minnesota countryside. 

Although the TPC is on the PGA Tour and is challenging for even the world’s best golfers, the par-72, 7,164-yard course doesn’t leave the rest of us in the dust. TPC offers six sets of tees at each hole so that golfers at various skill levels can still enjoy the course.

It’s not all About Golf