The story
The goal
The buyers wanted to return to the Twin Cities after living in Chicago. Family was already nearby, and their next home needed room to work remotely, a yard for their dog, and direct access to the water.
The challenge
They were searching from another state and initially expected to move the following spring. The right home appeared much earlier, drew competing offers, and required them to decide whether the additional carrying costs were worth an earlier purchase.
The approach
CJ Norman used detailed live video walkthroughs so the buyers could direct each tour, revisit rooms, and narrow the search before traveling to Minnesota for serious contenders.
Rather than limiting the search to Lake Minnetonka, they compared the lifestyle each property offered. Parker’s Lake provided a dock, beach, large yard, quieter setting, and more interior space while keeping family within roughly a 20-minute drive.
When the Plymouth home emerged as the right fit, CJ helped coordinate the out-of-state purchase, inspection, and a mid-July closing while the buyers were still living in Chicago.
The result
The couple bought a five-bedroom, five-bath lakefront home with 4,101 finished square feet, three garage stalls, and more than half an acre. Closing early allowed them to move gradually and begin making the home their own before the full relocation.
“A relocation search gets clearer when buyers focus on the life they want rather than one city or lake name.”Read the original case study on Norman Homes