May Be Moving To Roosevelt (Duluth, Brainerd: real estate, to rent, credit)

[Esther4371]

I'm looking at buying a place in Roosevelt and wondering if anyone can tell me a little about the area? I'm coming from Central Oregon. I know it's remote, and I don't care about the cold. Just would like to know about the people, general atmosphere, stores, and stuff like that. Mostly wondering about a job, I was a CNA for years and now do home health care, I see a nursing home in the area, but no home care agencies...anyone know if there are any? Do they maintain the roads fairly well during the winter? I also don't see any pet stores or feed stores? I have a horse and 3 dogs, so, kinda need to be able to feed them lol Which reminds me, any insights on horse and dog keeping in the winter would be welcome! We had a few -10 days with about 4'-5' of snow here last winter and although they all did fine (actually LOVED it), that's not really the norm here. Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice or thoughts about the area :-)

[Izzie1213]

That is pretty remote. Probably one of the most remote and sparsely populated areas of Minnesota. How did you pick that area? I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone from there or living there on this site. Maybe someone from there is on Facebook or something. There maybe some people in Duluth that would be more familiar with the area, also Duluth might e a better jumping off point for you in the northern Minnesota areas. Try posting to the Duluth /Minnesota forum.

http://www.lakesnwoods.com/Roosevelt.htm

This is it on Google maps street view.

MN-11

https://goo.gl/maps/5hxbErmvDyF2

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Esther4371

I'm looking at buying a place in Roosevelt and wondering if anyone can tell me a little about the area? I'm coming from Central Oregon. I know it's remote, and I don't care about the cold. Just would like to know about the people, general atmosphere, stores, and stuff like that. Mostly wondering about a job, I was a CNA for years and now do home health care, I see a nursing home in the area, but no home care agencies...anyone know if there are any? Do they maintain the roads fairly well during the winter? I also don't see any pet stores or feed stores? I have a horse and 3 dogs, so, kinda need to be able to feed them lol Which reminds me, any insights on horse and dog keeping in the winter would be welcome! We had a few -10 days with about 4'-5' of snow here last winter and although they all did fine (actually LOVED it), that's not really the norm here. Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice or thoughts about the area :-)

I’m going to have to disagree with the previous poster. Roosevelt is just a bump in the road but it’s only 30 minutes from Brainerd, which is where your shopping and employment opportunities are going to be. The roads are generally well maintained through the whole state in the winter. The area between Mille Lacs and Brainerd is prime lake country vacation territory and tourism drives the economy in that part of the state.

[Esther4371]

Thanks. Yeah, I've looked all the Lake in the Woods websites, and some stuff on Warroad and Roseau County in general, just was hoping to get real people's impressions :-) It sort of chose me, the house I'm renting now has been sold and I have to move by May 1st. Real estate in most of Oregon is ridiculous and finding a place to rent with 3 dogs and a horse is out of the question (place I'm at now was a special thing). The property I'm considering in Roosevelt is well within my means and agent owned, so they're offering unconventional financing, which I need as I have no credit. Just waiting for snow to subside so they can check the well/septic/plumbing. If there's no frozen pipes etc, I'm about 99.9% sure I'll do it. I've been thinking of and researching MN for a couple of years now and know I'll be happy there, just think it's time for some local input I guess, as it's likely I won't be able to come visit until it's time to actually sign papers.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

I’m going to have to disagree with the previous poster. Roosevelt is just a bump in the road but it’s only 30 minutes from Brainerd, which is where your shopping and employment opportunities are going to be. The roads are generally well maintained through the whole state in the winter. The area between Mille Lacs and Brainerd is prime lake country vacation territory and tourism drives the economy in that part of the state.

My error. There is a small area called Roosevelt near Mille Lacs.

The Roosevelt you are going to is in the middle of no where up by the Northwest Angle. The poster I referred to was right. It would be hard to find a more isolated area of the state.

[Izzie1213]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

I’m going to have to disagree with the previous poster. Roosevelt is just a bump in the road but it’s only 30 minutes from Brainerd, which is where your shopping and employment opportunities are going to be. The roads are generally well maintained through the whole state in the winter. The area between Mille Lacs and Brainerd is prime lake country vacation territory and tourism drives the economy in that part of the state.

Roosevelt is by Lake of the Woods, a out 220 miles from Brainerd.

[601halfdozen0theother]

Please be concerned about your dogs when thinking about moving to that area. Blastomycosis is at epidemic level in northern MN, and it's effect on dogs is ugly, horrible, and usually fatal. Please read the MN Dept of Health website information on this awful fungal infection. Here's a link: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/i...blastomycosis/ , and here's a map http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/i...lblastores.pdf

My golden retriever contracted blasto up in that area. She was one of the lucky ones who survived, but it took a year and a half of very expensive medication to cure her. I wouldn't put another dog through that experience for anything. While I lived up there I knew many people who had lost dogs to blasto, or were fighting it with meds. It seems that retrievers and hounds are particularly susceptible to the spores.

Even though Roseau County looks as though it has had relatively few cases, I'm sure that's just because of the low population in the area.

Oh, and humans can contract it, too.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Izzie1213

Roosevelt is by Lake of the Woods, a out 220 miles from Brainerd.

There is a Roosevelt Township in Crow Wing County but I acknowledged that the OP was referring to the one by Lake of the Woods in the previous post #5.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roos...nty,_Minnesota
I guess you didn’t have time to read that before you posted, what with figuring the distance between Brainerd and Lake of the Woods and all. There was no indication as to which of the three Roosevelts the OP was referring to but you guessed right.

[Esther4371]

I didn't think there would be more than one Roosevelt in a State, sorry.

Thanks for the info about Blasto! We have something similar here, but generally only associated with standing water/ponds/ditches etc., so I just keep my girls away from the water. I'll definitely talk to my vet about it. I have Irish Setters, and since they're wanderers, and I'm an overprotective mom, they're basically never out of my sight lol

[TheGrandViking]

Originally Posted by Esther4371

I didn't think there would be more than one Roosevelt in a State, sorry.

Thanks for the info about Blasto! We have something similar here, but generally only associated with standing water/ponds/ditches etc., so I just keep my girls away from the water. I'll definitely talk to my vet about it. I have Irish Setters, and since they're wanderers, and I'm an overprotective mom, they're basically never out of my sight lol

I like your possible move (Beautiful area and great fishing option in all directions- Just not as great as the BWCA's inner lakes), but you will face some challenges. You are asking the right questions IMOP, but it is a shot in the dark to hope to find a poster from that area here because of the population (but you never know).

As far as employment goes for an RN, Warroad (20 miles away) has Senior assisted living and Roseau (40 miles away) has a hospital. Click on the links to see their website. If you dig a bit deeper, I'm sure you might find more. I would also suggest exploring the Roseau city link to seek out information about potential employment in other fields. The reason I gave Roseau is those areas are more viable to fill your need for a job, groceries, and potentially food for your horses. You might strike gold and get someone on the line who can answer all your questions. I would suggest focusing on employment opportunities while on the phone to Roseau and not reveal you are looking for a place in Jefferson City (these places can sometimes be desperate for year around people vs. lake people).

https://warroadseniorlivingcenter.com/
https://lifecaremedicalcenter.org/
Roseau, Minnesota *

My Sister had horses on 10 acre hobby farm close to that latitude and they had outside dogs and cats. However, they had shelter and I believe some form of heat source (If there are more specific questions you have I can ask her).

That area probably does have a strong 4 month winter and possibly a 5-month winter with much harsher conditions than we get in the metro. I will make a list of some things to consider on the move.

-Own a pickup (loaded with sandbags) with a plow in the front. You will need to clear your driveway out.
-Always have winter gear in your vehicle or wearing it. Check out winter camping gear and pay good money for gloves, boots, snow pants, and jacket (high cold rating). Just imagine stuck in -25 degrees with car trouble and you have to wait 45 minutes for help. Walmart gloves won't cut it but Sorel boots and Marmot expedition mitt will.
-Throw in some chemical warmers in the glove compartment.
-Make sure your house's walls have a r-value of 20. Some of the houses are either manufactured homes or mobile homes that are not truly winter homes and are used for a vacation home.
-Well water is clean. If not, you will have to buy a good water purifier and the one I would buy costs 5k.
-Septic tank in compliant.
-Propane is expensive and usually the form of heating for this type of living.
-You are in the range of wolves (2500 pop in Minnesota) and every year dogs are eaten by them (not a lot though).

There are more but these are just some things to consider off the top of my head. If you go through with this move, I hope you continue to post and let us see how it went and the challenges you overcame. Good luck.