April 2014

If you’re considering relocating to Blaine, MN, you’re not alone -- the city has grown 27.24 percent since 2000. As Blaine residents we know why people want to live here. The commute to the Twin Cities is quick; we have strong schools and ample recreational opportunities.

Blaine Schools

Let’s start with our schools. Many newcomers to the state don’t realize that Minnesota offers parents lots of choices when it comes to which schools their children will attend. While the child will initially be assigned to a school based on your address, open enrollment policies allow you to choose another district or school if you prefer.

In Blaine, kids attend classes in one of three districts – depending on what part of town they live in -- Spring Lake Park,

What a great idea: the Blaine triathlon is so popular that the city is opening a similar event -- but for kids. The first Kids Triathlon will be held in July and they’ve already got more than 20 kids signed up for it. The Star Trib says that most of the kids that have signed up are children of adult triathletes and there is still lots more room. They’ll take up to 100 participants.

Because it’s a children’s event the rules aren’t quite as strict as the adult event. In fact, parents are encouraged to participate with their offspring. “Mom and Dad can swim or do the whole event with them,” Blaine Parks and Rec program supervisor Nate Monahan tells the newspaper.

The kids also won’t be timed as the adults are. The course includes a 165-yard swim at

Waking up to a fresh 6.5 inches of snow this morning makes me long for the days I can ditch the heavy outerwear and go to work in summer clothes. They’re saying the storm will be a memory by Thursday when we hit 60 degrees. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.

In the meantime, let’s get the blogging party started and talk about housing affordability in Blaine. February’s statistics (the latest release) show us that the mid-point in Blaine’s real estate market is a tad under $245,000 – that’s our average home price. That’s an increase of almost 18 percent from a year ago, but our median home price is up 27.3 percent over last year’s.

With inventory as tight as it is, first-time homebuyers or those on tight budgets are fighting for listings under