The Perfect Up North Property

[lofsfire]

I think everyone on here has either wanted, thought about, or is lucky enough to have a place up North.

So what makes it that perfect place?

How long of a drive from home is it for you?

What would you do differently if you could change something about your place?

What's on your must have list?

The reason I ask, I always like look to see what is available and one thing I have seen more of is Land that is just a campsite. Some very basic just a rock drive. others with a pole barn holding a camper with full utilities.

Something along the campsite route I thought was really interesting. It's a lower investment of course. But one of the biggest complaints I have always hear about any second place is that there is always tons of work when you get there... A "campsite" seams fairly low maintenance...

 

[Go Fast or Go Home]

We had a property UP NORTH out in the woods. Small cabin with a two car storage building. Every time we went up the place was trashed from local party goers. So, unless you have a neighbor(s) close by that are willing to keep an eye on your place, I would go the basic campsite, and not leave anything of value when you leave.

Don~

 

[m8man]

I’m thankful I didn’t leave after college. I wanted to leave to chase the $$.
I have a great piece of property and a nice summer rental on the lake!
Kid can ride dirt bike, snowmobile, and we can hunt!

 

[m8man]

And am fortunate enough to get to hang out w good friends.

Bootjacker is a good friend

 

[toddspolaris]

Bought our place in the Huron National Forest back in 96. Barely could afford it then but made it happen. Snowmobile and ATV trails right out the back door. Have since built a large mancave-shop on one side and next year plan on tearing down the small cabin we have to build a house-cabin. Best thing we ever did as my wife loves all the same outdoor sports I do. Got expensive when we got our two buys involved in but now they're 28 and 25 and can afford their own equipment to ride. Its about 4hr 15min drive for us , but been doing it so long its not bad. Yikes thats an old pic from 7yrs ago, we don't even have 3 of those sleds anymore.

 

[elf]

We built our place 18 yrs ago. We were always going up the north shore to camp in the summer and to sled in the winter. Luckily we could do most of the work ourselves but it was a lot of driving. Heading out every friday night with the camper hooked up and two kids under 5. My wifes job was to keep the kid entertained while I worked. When we built it we lived about 4 hrs away, after the first yr we moved to the Duluth area and are now only 1.5 hrs away.
What would we do differently?? I would've made it bigger and built a garage right away.
What makes it special?? JUst being on the north shore during the winter and nobody is up there. During the summer its a different story, to many tourists.
Our must have list?? Funny thing is but as we were looking for land its the amount of roads/areas up there that don't have power down them. We had to be on the grid and have bathrooms/etc...
Don't regret it for a minute but it is a lot of work and money. We'd still be money ahead spending 20 weekends a year in hotels vs having our cabin.

 

[pclark]

After vacationing and renting cabins for 30 years we bought our property in Manitowish Waters, WI in 2015. I was 58 years old at the time and had always wanted to buy on the chain of lakes that we live on but raising a family, job, etc. always seemed to get in the way. When we bought our place which was a 1,100 sf cabin with a walkout basement that was finished doubled the size thank God. It was an acre with 110 ft of frontage on some of the cleanest water for swimming, great fishing, and a real nice small community with local bank, hardware store, restaraunts (5 of which you can take the boat to, can actually take the boat up to town and shop if I wanted to), marina, etc. We live about 12 minutes from town so it's all there pretty close. Back in 2015 I knew that if we didn't make the offer we did on the place that we probably would never do it, so our offer was accepted at $300K which my wife thought was nuts. Fast forward to 2023 and property here now has become so expensive that unless you have a couple of million sitting around you won't be able to buy on this chain, the other issue is that property doesn't become available on the water as often anymore. Our property is now valued at $850K without doing any improvements to date (As you some of you know we are in the process phase #1, building a garage this summer. I love waking up every day and seeing the lake, we have made many new friends here, winters are long but I snowmobile right from property and it's just a very peaceful place to spend our retirement (We sold our house in Oconomowoc and made the permanent move up here in 2020). As far as perfect, yes, it is for us, but all people are different so put some thought into to what you want and where you want it and make your dream come true!

 

[lofsfire]

Just what I was looking for... At few things I had not thought about either...

Go Fast or Go Home - Random partiers is not something I had thought of. Spending a whole weekend cleaning up for other reason was a worry...

m8man - Good points!

toddspolaris - How do you like being right on the trail. I have seen a few place where the trail was right down the center of the property. So it would have to be relocated to the edge of the property but it would work. My boys are 13 & 16 now so they can help. I have have been through sleds with them and felt the pinch of all the extra equipment cost as well. I'm happy with the sleds that we have and feel we should get a number of years out of them to come.

elf - As I said above my boys are at least at and age to help but I'm sure teenagers will not have the same time goals a me. Also one of my buddies said the same thing about expense and time investment vs renting...

pclark - Water front or not that is another big question. I saw a few that are on smaller lakes but like you said nothing like having right in your back yard.

If I look at going towards Michigan Cadillac in the closest for me at 3.5 hours good weather and traffic. If I look at Wisconsin Mercer, MW, Eagle River, St Germain all are in about that 6.5 hour drive time. Heck even Munising Mi. falls at 7hrs, but they all require I go through Chicago traffic...

 

[rph130]

We started vacationing with friends at their cabin on a 100-acre private lake in Presque Isle Wisconsin in 1989. My kids were born in 90 and 93 and we continued to make winter and summer trips to our friend's cabin until 97. Their place is a 3-season cabin and there was one almost identical to theirs next door. I was working with a real estate agent looking at property from Minocqua north. Problem was, everything we looked at, we compared to my buddy's cabin and lake which we loved. I asked my agent to appraise the cabin next door and approached the owner about selling it. Just under 6 acres with 250 feet of frontage and 2-bedroom seasonal cabin. He declined but when I offered him 20K more than it was worth, I found out that everything is for sale for the right price. We vacationed seasonally in the cabin for 3 years and in 2000, bulldozed, and built a year-round place. 2 bedrooms up, 2 bedrooms down with a walkout, 2 baths. Just under 2500 sf. total. No regrets at all. Added a 4-car garage in 2006 for the toys. The drive from Park Ridge, Il. is 5 1/2 hours on a good day and 6 hours on a bad one. Now retired, we spend about 6 months on/off at both homes. Always found my peace up there and the 20K bribe I paid the guy 26 years ago was the best money I ever spent.

 

[toddspolaris]

lotsfire, I should say the trail is within 200 yards of my place, love it, don't have to ride any blacktop to jump on. And with being surrounded by all tress everywhere, seldom her much

 

[xcr440]

If you have a home and are going to build/buy a second home, it is just that, another home. MOST of the same maintenance applies to both locations. And I'm done camping - give me all the comforts of "Home".

I had a cabin 15 miles north of Winter, WI for about 8-9 years, and though it was really cool to have our own place, and all our own stuff when you get there, you have to want to be there, and rescind to the idea of going anywhere else. For the snowmobilers in the crowd (LOL) that tends to tie your hands as far as the trails/off trails you can and will ride. I myself do not regret moving on from the 2nd home, and just going where I want, when I want, renting and leaving it behind when we go home.

With that said, if I were to do it again, and I am contemplating that right now, it won't be a second home, it will be my primary residence.

 

[Sweep800]

Bought my piece of property in St Germain 19 years ago, built it 14 years ago(I’m a framing carpenter/builder). Was a definite big step for me but so glad I did it. My grandparents had a place in MW then I found SG cause a buddy of mine had a place on pickerel lake where we based out of for snowmobiling. I’m up here now(Big St Germain Lake) with the family and so glad I pulled the trigger on it.

Shots from tonights sunset cruise!

 

[Sweep800]

But the real reason is I wanted to a place for family! Keep things tight. My first grandson! I’m so greatful it’s not even funny! Unfortunately my grandparents couldn’t hold into theirs back then but I thought I’d give it a try!
I bought it with the intention of the retirement value but I’m most likely just gonna hand it down to keep the tradition going! Priceless!

 

[wiscrev]

But the real reason is I wanted to a place for family! Keep things tight. My first grandson! I’m so greatful it’s not even funny! Unfortunately my grandparents couldn’t hold into theirs back then but I thought I’d give it a try!
I bought it with the intention of the retirement value but I’m most likely just gonna hand it down to keep the tradition going! Priceless!

Hey Sweep, I live on the SE corner of Big Saint in the Forest Downs Division.

 

[Sweep800]

I’m right down the street from you. Almost at the end of the road

 

[wiscrev]

I’m right down the street from you. Almost at the end of the road

Going north?

 

[Sweep800]

Going north?

Yes, end of forest drive

 

[wiscrev]

Yes, end of forest drive

You drive right by my place when leaving the addition. I'm on the left after the docks. Red p/u and enclosed trailer in driveway.

 

[elf]

But the real reason is I wanted to a place for family! Keep things tight. My first grandson! I’m so greatful it’s not even funny! Unfortunately my grandparents couldn’t hold into theirs back then but I thought I’d give it a try!
I bought it with the intention of the retirement value but I’m most likely just gonna hand it down to keep the tradition going! Priceless!

I'm struggling right now with the last part of your statement. People originally said what a great investment it will be while I said it was a horrible investment as nobody ever sells cabins, they pass them along. As we are getting close to retirement the question is being raised again. I have one kid in NYC and one in Montana. Don't think either are ever coming back to northern MN. My wife and I are trying to decide where we want to live in retirement and I can guarantee you it isn't Cloquet MN. The dream has always been to move out to the mountains, northern Idaho or northwestern Montana. At which point we'd probably sell. But maybe we stay closer and keep it or add on to it and that's the retirement home. Good to have options I guess. I do know that selling it would be tough on me as I built it myself.

 

[ICT Sledder]

The point in time where folks within the "middle class" range of household income (including much of "upper middle class") possessed the purchasing power to afford a second home for vacation purposes has passed. (Unless of course you come into a windfall or have generational wealth in your family somewhere - lucky you.) The RE run-up the past 3-4 year has killed that. In some parts of the country that same demo of buyer is also now priced-out from buying a first home.

It may swing back around again as RE cycles are prone to do, but if that happens the time between now and then will be very painful both individually and nationwide, so be careful what you wish for. The best case scenario is RE prices hold more consistent with CPI (a thing in most of the country, historically) coupled with incomes slowly catching up, but you are talking years if not more than a decade in that scenario.

My wife and I found our own fix for this conundrum - we up and moved to the MN northwoods as permanent residents. House is surrounded on all sides by woods. Sled trail is literally across the street from our house as it runs in the ditch for a half mile or so before diving back into the woods in either direction. Massive sled trail system in my county - similar to most of northern WI I'd say (maybe not Vilas though). Lakes galore - county tourism says around 1K in total. Some of the best mountain bike riding areas in the midwest, complete with areas served by lifts. Plenty of UTV trails (although a lot less than sled trails). Basically, name your outdoor sport and it's within an hour or so at worst. Summers are tolerable to the point that I bet roughly half of the housing inventory lacks central AC.

It's not that hard. Areas of economic activity do exist, you just have to take the time to research and look for them. Maybe be willing to change career directions or take a workable pay cut in order to drastically change your quality of life. Besides, you'll find the compulsion to spend money and be a consumer far less up here. There's little to no rat race - no one is comparing their tract homes made of MDF and vinyl, or their leased SUVs, or where they ate last night that was charged to their CC.

Anyways... my take, worth what you paid for it.