C
ook County, a rural outpost along the Canadian border, is defying expectations by becoming one of Minnesota's most expensive counties this summer. Despite being sparsely populated, Cook County's median sale price in June was $410,000, rivaling that of more affluent metros. This trend is not unique to Cook County, as virtually every county popular with second-home buyers has seen prices rise to match those in Twin Cities suburbs.

    The pandemic has accelerated this shift, enabling remote workers to buy homes farther from their jobs and boosting prices in areas once dominated by weekenders. According to Patti Jo Fitzpatrick, president of Minnesota Realtors, the trend is more than temporary. "There's kind of a frenzy out there, so prices are going up," she said.

    The median sale price for the rest of the state rose to a record $370,000 in midyear home sales data. Crow Wing County, home to the Brainerd Lakes area, saw its median price rise to $350,000 in June. Fitzpatrick notes that areas outside major metros are no longer significantly less expensive and houses take longer to sell than in bigger metros.

    The narrowing urban-rural gap is evident in other parts of the state as well. In some areas, remote work has enabled buyers to live farther from their jobs, boosting prices in areas once dominated by weekenders. Linda Garrity, broker and owner at Songbird Realty in Grand Marais, said that while buyers are not as aggressive as they were during the pandemic, it remains a competitive market due to limited property availability.

    In Cook County, buyers have a range of options, from remote off-the-grid "shacks" to in-town properties. While most buyers are still shopping for second homes, some want to buy properties that can be used as short-term vacation rentals. As Garrity notes, "If a property is priced fairly, it won't stay on the market for long."