Another "Best-places-to-live-near-Duluth" thread... (townhomes, transfer, gated)

[Beenaroundabit]

Sooo...I've been browsing the City-data forums for quite some time, looking at the multitude of potential places that I might be transferred - FL, VA, MD, GA and even some I forget - and am ecstatic that I can now narrow my focus and annoy ONE forum in particular . I just found out last week that my wife and I are being relocated to Duluth, which was our first choice (yay!).

We lived in the Twin cities from 1997-2000 and since then, have lived in DC, VA, AK, and now WA. Everywhere we've lived, we've compared every aspect of the place to MN and always came up short, so we knew we'd eventually try to come back.

We have usually focused on townhomes, but since there don't seem to be that many townhomes to choose from in the area (nor that much of a "townhome market" for resale purposes), we'll probably be looking at a smallish home, 3BR, 2 BA, energy-efficient, a 2-car garage minimum, 1800+ square feet, less than 15 miles from downtown. Looking for a home with a basement; unfinished is fine. If none, a heated shop or outbuilding would be good, too (these are the areas that, as a the male, I and all my junk/toys are relegated to, so I need one or the other!). Budget is flexible; we can go up to around 300K but wouldn't be too upset if it was lower than that. Any ideas from you veteran Duluthians?

My wife will also be looking for work - she has a lot of marketing experience in the travel industry, with convention & visitor's bureaus, doing meeting planning, etc., so any suggestion on where to look for her would be great.

One more question...I have always toyed with the idea of installing some kind of solar power system and it seems as though I now have a good opportunity. So I was surfing the net for the existence of solar power in the area and came up with this concept house:

Project History

Now, other than the possibility of a well-funded community project with a budget larger than any "normal" person selling me their house for some number within my price range(!), does anyone else out there employ solar power in Duluth or the surrounding areas? I am still very much a "solar newbie", but I understand that the panels should face south and that solar power is best utilized for heating water and heating the home, in general, (which would seem perfect in a cold climate) rather than for everyday electricity usege. Anyone have solar panels? Any tips on places to live in the area that may be more advantageous for this than others? Places to avoid? Installer recommendations?

Thanks everyone! Looking forward to getting up there...