Are you a homebuyer that pursues a natural, conservation-oriented lifestyle and appreciates a habitat overflowing with lush perennial food right outside your door? Are you (or do you want to be) an avid gardener? You’ve come to the right place. Our lovely South Minneapolis 3-bedroom home (circa 1949) and abundant perennial food gardens will be for sale later this summer. I have been building the s
oil naturally with rich, organic matter since 2008. The front yard hosts six permaculture-style fruit tree “guilds,” a thriving frontenac grape arbor, many berry canes and bushes, native flowers, and medicinal herbs. Six charming garden beds that could be used for cultivating annual vegetables or cut flowers dot the no-mow back yard. Contoured rain gardens in the boulevard and back yard manage runoff from the public walk and roof. Dutch white and red clovers cushion your feet beneath the extensive clothesline for solar drying and truly fresh-scented laundry. The house itself has been smoke-free at least as long as we’ve lived here (1998) and pet-free since 2008. I use gentle, all-natural (mostly homemade) cleansers throughout. The attics and rim joists have been completely air sealed for energy conservation and comfort, and the control panel of the newer high-efficiency two-stage variable-speed furnace was upgraded in 2013. Our reports from Centerpoint Energy show that this is one of the most efficient houses in the area! If you are house hunting specifically in South Minneapolis, you probably already know that this location in the Ericsson neighborhood is particularly attractive for anyone who enjoys parks, lakes, trails, and bikeable/walkable convenience to schools, libraries, groceries, banks, bakeries, hardware, award-winning restaurants and pubs, and festive entertainment. Our bustling online neighbor forum contributes to our community being one of the most civically engaged city-wide. (The Executive Director for E-Democracy.org would be your nearby neighbor just one block over!)
One thing our house boasts over many others in the nearby vicinity is a DRY BASEMENT. We have never experienced basement flooding or leakage. This is a rarity so close to Minnehaha Creek. We added gutters, long downspouts, rain barrels and rain gardens anyway, to continue reducing our impact on the precious Minnehaha/Mississippi watershed. It is my heart’s desire to connect with a homebuyer who is excited to take up where I leave off in creating a chemical-free, watershed-friendly, pollinator oasis that is safe for all living beings. I hope my Garden Musings will serve as a guide for the next Stewards of This Place to learn what’s what in the garden of HAL. I am also willing to do some follow-up consulting regarding plant identification and care. Potential BONUS: Since we are moving onto a boat and downsizing most of our material possessions, we are willing to include any furnishings, most of our garden tools, and other assorted maintenance supplies that are of interest to the buyer. This could be particularly useful to a first-time homeowner. We have not yet sought an appraisal, set an asking price, or hired a realtor. We will not officially list the property until our boat is in the water (we’re aiming for July). In the meantime, we are willing to consider bids or offers from enthusiastic homebuyers who can be flexible with the timing of purchase. At this time, our busy homeschooling family is currently living in the house very intensely (i.e., it is pretty messy), and we are in the process of completing restoration of the exterior. I will post photos of the restored exterior cedar shakes and original heartwood windows, tidy interior rooms, and available furnishings as well as detailed appliance and feature specifications as they become ready for you. To receive advance notice of showings and garden tours, please send an email to FAITHINHAL at gmail.com with subject line “HOMEBUYER.”
