Fall is one of the most perfect times of year. Cool crisp breezes. Bright blue skies. Warm afternoon sunshine. It is a wonderful time for a drive to see the show of colors mother nature offers just once every year before a blanket of winter white hits us full blast. The changing leaves remind us summer is over but there is still time to move this year before the snow flies. 09/22/2010

There are so many great businesses in the Ham Lake area but I want to share a few of my favorites again: 1. Countryside Milk Delivery...Yes there is a milkman in Ham Lake MN! Besides milk, there are hundreds of choices of other products like bread, eggs and popcicles! And it is wonderful to have ice cream treats delivered FROZEN in 90+ degree weather in the summer...avoiding the melty mess in my car from the store! 2. The Parlour Salon...Privately owned and expertly run, The Parlour Salon in Andover is a great place to go to be styled and pampered! 3 East Bethel Movie Theater...Stadium seating, Dolby 3-d glasses that don't give me a headache and affordable concessions. What more could you ask for? 4. Mansetti's...Whether you visit the restaurant on Hwy 65 and Constance in Ham Lake or on... 08/03/2010

Several years ago, just as we were about to step off the curb into the busy parking lot of the local Target, I attempted to take the hand of my almost three-year-old son when he announced to my husband and I, "I can hold my own hand!" And being obstinate and two, he did. He put one chubby little fist inside the other behind his back and attempted to step off the curb and into traffic. Realizing his need for independence, we explained the dangers of his actions to him. (Hey Buddy...Drivers have no way of seeing a tiny person below their windows as they back up their cars.) We compromised. He was allowed to hold his own hand everywhere except busy parking lots and when crossing the street. Then he would be required to hold mommy or daddy's hand or hang on to the stroller for his own safet... 07/20/2010

The City of Ham Lake has a rich history. Incorporated in 1974, Ham Lake became a city after over a hundred years of humble but steady growth. The area was first settled in 1855 by a group of Scottish men on the southwest side of Ham Lake. Though, I can only assume that the lake itself got its name due to its unusual “ham hock” shape, the community started out with a different name. The original name of the community was Glen Carey, which is the Scottish translation of “beautiful valley”. Following a prairie fire in 1857, the first settlers moved but the community was resettled again. The new Scandinavian settlers had a hard time with the pronunciation of Glen Carey and soon the fledging community was known as Ham Lake. Anoka County officially was recognized it as a township in 1871. In... 07/16/2010

This morning there was a warm steady spring rain with drops glistening off the budding trees in Ham Lake, Minnesota. As a REALTOR in Anoka County, I loved seeing this as we have had a very dry March and April. Hopefully this will ease the fire restrictions in the area soon. This rain will bring even more beauty as yards, prairies and fields turn that bright green of spring! 04/15/2010

The City of Ham Lake has a rich history. Incorporated in 1974, Ham Lake became a city after over a hundred years of humble but steady growth. The area was first settled in 1855 by a group of Scottish men on the southwest side of Ham Lake. Though, I can only assume that the lake itself got its name due to its unusual “ham hock” shape, the community started out with a different name. The original name of the community was Glen Carey, which is the Scottish translation of “beautiful valley”. Following a prairie fire in 1857, the first settlers moved but the community was resettled again. The new Scandinavian settlers had a hard time with the pronunciation of Glen Carey and soon the fledging community was known as Ham Lake. Anoka County officially was recognized it as a township in 1871. In... 04/15/2010

Sometimes living in “the sticks” can be frustrating. The area of Ham Lake where we live (near Carlos Avery and Coon Lake is a virtual dead zone for most cell phone service. When we moved here years ago, few people had cell phones or needed to be so “connected”. But as a REALTOR®, it is very difficult to keep in contact with buyers and sellers when you have poor cell phone service. And I have noticed that I am not the only one that finds a good connection on the MUST HAVE list for a home either. I have noticed over the years of selling acreage throughout that things have changed. These days it is a common occurrence to see buyer flip out their phone in during a showing in communities like Ham Lake, Linwood, Wyoming or Columbus to see how many bars of service they will receive at a partic... 03/31/2010

Living on acreage in Anoka County, we are often unexpectedly treated to the beauty nature has to offer. Whether it is a doe and fawn chasing across a sod field, a red fox sneaking through the brush or an eagle soaring near the clouds, if we keep our eyes open, we see many wonderful sights. Today was no exception. As the fog dissipate with the warmth of the sun this morning, I notice the tips of the trees stretching into a brilliant blue sky with the rime or hoar frost on the upper most branches as I drove through Carlos Avery. I hurried home to get my camera to capture a few shots of this quickly disappearing masterpiece to share. Enjoy! 02/12/2010

Check out the latest breaking news for Ham Lake Minnesota!Your local source for all kinds of current news about Ham Lake,including: general news, real estate news, homes for sale,jobs/help wanted, recent houses placed on the market,and even events! 02/02/2010

  Home sales are up in Columbus, Minnesota which is well known for its acreage properties but like most neighboring communities, prices are not. In this Anoka County community, just west of Forest Lake, home sales rose over 37% from 2008 to 2009. The average price of a home dropped nearly 11% and fewer homes were listed on the market. Decreased inventory helped sellers to keep more dollars in their pockets during negotiations than in some neighboring communities although the ratio of percentage of list to sale price did go down. With average days on the market also down considerably for the first time in two years, it appears that buyers are making decisions quickly on acreage homes in Columbus, Minnesota.  01/25/2010

This past year homes sold in higher numbers but at lower prices in Ham Lake, Minnesota a community synonymous with acreage properties. In this eastern Anoka County city home sales were up a whopping 36.8% in 2009. No doubt the first time home buyer credit got things moving after 2 years of lackluster sales activity. New listings were down pretty significantly at 12.7% less than in the previous year showing progressive movement toward a balanced market. The average days on the market dropped a few days to just below from 184 to 176, which is not significant. The average price of a home sold did drop quite a bit again this year. It is 15.8% lower than in 2008, combine that with an 11.7% drop in 2007, Ham Lake values have decreased over 25% in two years. Sellers need to be aware that buye... 01/14/2010

The City of Ham Lake has a rich history. Incorporated in 1974, Ham Lake became a city after over a hundred years of humble but steady growth. The area was first settled in 1855 by a group of Scottish men on the southwest side of Ham Lake. Though, I can only assume that the lake itself got its name due to its unusual "ham hock" shape, the community started out with a different name. The original name of the community was Glen Carey, which is the Scottish translation of "beautiful valley". Following a prairie fire in 1857, the first settlers moved but the community was resettled again. The new Scandinavian settlers had a hard time with the pronunciation of Glen Carey and soon the fledging community was known as Ham Lake. Anoka County officially was recognized it as a township in 1871. In ... 01/01/2010

The morning of Christmas eve, Muffin decided it would be a great time to sit on the new dining room table. It had been up for a couple of weeks and he never put a paw on it but there he was. So I removed him with a thump and swat...Moments later he returned with a very smug look. He was mocking me...So I bought him a gift...Merry Christmas! 12/25/2009

My grand daughter was very excited for her first birthday party ever, She will turn 3 on December 26th so you can see why they haven't planned one until now. My son and his wife chose to do a joint party with Nevaeh's cousin Brady and they picked "Pump It Up" to host the party. This place was great, they have several blow up pieces including a slide, a obstacle course, a boxing ring and a bouncing place. The kids had a great time and even my teenage daughters had a blast. You could race each other through the obstacle course and down the slide. They also were boxing each other with over sized gloves. By the end of the hour the adults who were playing along with the kids were worn out. Time for pizza, pop and cake. Nevaeh chose an Arial cake and Brady had a race car cake. After we sang H... 12/04/2009

Absolutely! There are still GREAT deals on many acreage and lakeshore home throughout Anoka County (and Washington County too)!The $8000 tax credit caused a flurry of activity at the end of the summer. With the original end of November deadline looming, people rushed to snatch up deals on acreage and lakeshore homes throughout Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties. But now with the extension and expansion of the tax credit, many first time homebuyers and previous owners alike are excited that they too can STILL get a credit but wonder if they missed out on all the good deals. Not a chance. There are still deals to be found throughout the Twin Cities north and east metro! Looking for a foreclosure, bank-owned or short sale but need to be able to live in the home immediately aft... 11/18/2009

I have never been a hunter but buying an acreage home in Anoka County does present the perfect hunting opportunity now and then. Sure we see a deer run through the yard (or in front of our car) now and then but sometimes the missed opportunities are just GOLDEN! Just a few days ago, I heard quite a commotion in my backyard. Just a few weeks prior to Thanksgiving and we have a rafter of TURKEYS make a visit. We counted at least 40 of them. Quite an opportunity to take a shot or two...with my camera! Enjoy! FYI--A rafter is the correct term for a group or flock of turkeys. 11/15/2009

It will probably not come as a surprise that the unique Ham Lake name wasn't the first choice by the settler's to the area. After all, not many towns would chose to be named after a cut of pork (but the lake really does look like a ham hock from an aerial view). Incorporated in 1974, Ham Lake became a city after over a hundred years of humble but steady growth. The area was first settled in 1855 by a group of Scottish men on the southwest side of Ham Lake. The original name of the community was Glen Carey, which is the Scottish translation of "beautiful valley". Following a prairie fire in 1857, the first settlers moved but the community was resettled again. The new Scandinavian settlers had a hard time with the pronunciation of Glen Carey and soon the fledging community was known as Ha... 10/02/2009

As the cool breezes of fall blow into Ham Lake and Anoka County my family finds it is an awesome time to sit by the fire and enjoy the dancing colors and warm glow of the embers. Sharing time with family and friends creates the memories that will keep us warm all winter long! 09/20/2009

Literally! Nuts...Acorns to be specific. It's a banner year for the oak trees in our yard! Unfortunately several of the branches that provide shade on our Ham Lake driveway in the summer, drop hundreds thousands of acorns onto our asphalt. We thought that collecting them and bringing bushels of our red and bir acorns to the DNR was a novel idea, but a 3 hour drive to Bemidji for a possible $40 a bushel is not going to happen. So we elected to shovel the nuts after they ping like hail stones onto our vehicles. We have blown them off the driveway in the past but it doesn't get all the acorn-butter bits that our tires have ground in during the week. Believe me, shoveling is easier than sweeping. After they are dumped onto the edge of our property, the squirrel and white-tailed deer get a o... 09/20/2009

This little pumpkin has escaped the garden and is growning up on the WRONG side of the fence with the ragweed that infests the nearby field this Ham Lake, MN backyard. 09/06/2009