Orono MN Real Estate

Explore all available Orono MN real estate listings here.

This picturesque west metro Twin Cities suburb is conveniently located along MN Highway 12, just 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis. Orono’s moniker, “The Lake Shore City” could not be more appropriate. “Bay City” might be an even better nickname; the town enjoys north side lakeshore on Crystal Bay, Maxwell Bay, Stubbs Bay, Smith Bay, North Arm, and West Arm. City boundaries also encompass prime Minnesota lakefront on Lake Classen, Tanager Lake, and Forest Lake. The corporate city limits of Orono surround the older, smaller city of Long Lake, which of course, contains yet another lake.

The city is bisected by six miles of the Luce Line Trail, a popular recreational trail that is managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The Luce Line was originally a railroad route for affluent families that summered in elegant cottages or palatial Lake Minnetonka resorts, and mingled at the now-vanished dance pavilion at Stubbs Bay. Its crushed lime surface makes this an ideal route for jogging, bicycling, and dog-walkers. Snowmobiles are allowed west of Stubbs Bay, and excellent cross country and snowshoeing starts on the east side of Stubbs Bay. A home in Orono means you are in a great location for enjoying both motorized and non-motorized winter sports.

Orono was named for Orono Maine, the boyhood home of George Brackett, who immigrated to the Lake Minnetonka area in the mid 1850′s. The area was first logged for maple, basswood, and oak, then settled by orchard and dairy farmers. Today, Orono is still a low density area (two acre lot minimum,) with a population of over 7500 spread out over an area of 25 square miles, half of which is open water or wetland.

There can be little doubt that the natural beauty of this area inspired the City of Orono’s philosophy of preservation: The official philosophy is comprised of four tenets: (1) Protect and preserve Lake Minnetonka, its water quality, and its recreational assets. (2) Preserve and protect natural resources and open spaces. (3) Preserve and protect the unique rural and urban land use patterns and lifestyles (4) Preserve Orono’s local character and identity. For Orono, this philosophy is more than an abstraction. The city proudly claims four beaches, sixteen parks, and a Nature Conservancy Center called Ferndale Marsh. All of this means that the community demonstrates interest in protecting the value of Orono real estate. Clearly, the natural beauty and resources of the area are cherished by the community and its leaders are vigilant about protecting them.

Orono Homes for Sale

A cursory review of the Minnesota MLS reveals that there are 140-150 single homes for sale in the Orono real estate market. Although there is a wide assortment of housing options here, the average asking price is $1,194,480.00 at an average size of 4,488 finished square feet. These figures, however, are skewed by the well-publicized mansion on Bracketts Point offered at $53.5M at the time of this writing. Even without this unique property mixed into the data, the Orono real estate is mostly represented my upper-middle to upper bracket luxury homes and multi-million dollar estates. Distinctive neighborhoods include Bracketts Point, North Shore, Little Orchard, Old Crystal Bay, Cherry, Shoreline, Casco Point, Lyman, Oxford, Frederick, Old Long Lake, Ferndale, and Wyndmere. However, it is usually possible to find a dozen or so Orono homes priced under 500k.

Orono new home construction opportunities abound in the $2-4M range, and include sandy beach Lake Minnetonka lake front and lake view luxury estates, featuring options including cherry woodwork, Santos mahogany floors, wine cellars, state-of-the-art media rooms, geo-thermal, 48 inch wide stoves, granite in almost every room, built-ins galore, and in-floor heat. Prestigious builders include Hendel Homes of Wayzata and Rudy Wicklander Homes Inc.

Orono Townhomes and Condos for Sale

Townhome and condo opportunities are limited here, but provide a more affordable option for Orono home ownership. Twin homes and low rise condos are the most common styles of townhomes here. Sometimes units with Lake Minnetonka channel shore and lake views become available and can be yours for the taking if you can act decisively.

Lake Minnetonka Homes for Sale

Besides being located on the 10th largest lake in the state, Orono is situated on the majestic Crystal Bay, which holds the deepest spot in the lake. All of the channels, bays, and points found here provide the kind of structure that walleyes, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, and muskies adore. During mid-summer, walleyes will bite hard on crawlers just off the weedlines, or where the water drops down to about twenty eight feet. Buy some prime Minnesota lake shore real estate here, and you can fish for them every day. If you prefer sailing, jet skiing, or just about any other water sport, there is plenty of open water for it here. When winter comes, you will want to have your snowmobile and ice fishing gear ready for plenty of action.

Prime Minnesota lakeshore real estate can be found on Lake Minnetonka, and you could hardly go wrong buying any sort of lake front here. Right now, the Orono MLS indicates that there are about five dozen Minnetonka lake homes for sale, ranging from all-one-level channel front twin homes on Kelly Road, to high end multi-acre lake front estates on Little Orchard Way or Brackett’s Point Road. Most of these properties claim several hundred feet of prime Lake Minnetonka shoreline.

Orono Real Estate Agent

Whether you are looking to buy or sell real estate, you need a local agent who is knowledgeable about the local market, local market trends, and local community issues. More importantly, you need an experienced Orono< Minnesota REALTOR who has your best interest at heart. I have lived in this area and sold in this market for many years, so I know Orono real estate and the Orono community well. Finding the perfect home is made much easier when there is a local Lake Minnetonka REALTOR helping you. Please call me at 952-220-6488 for a free buyer consultation or a free market analysis of your home. I look forward to meeting with you, working with you, and bringing you results that will earn your future business and referrals.