What $250K–$500K Buys In & Around Northeast Minneapolis: Loft, City Home or St. Anthony?

When someone tells me they want to live in Northeast Minneapolis, one of my first questions is what they actually want that to mean.

Are they looking for a loft with exposed brick and a more urban feel? Do they want an older single-family home with a yard and garage? Or would they consider moving just across the Minneapolis line into a first-ring suburb while staying

close to everything they like about Northeast?

Three properties we're currently representing provide a pretty good example of just how different those choices can be. They're all within a relatively small part of the Twin Cities, but at roughly $250,000, $370,000 and $500,000, they offer three very different versions of living in and around Northeast Minneapolis.

Rather than simply looking at bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage, here's how I would think about each one as a buyer.

$249,900: Loft Living at Madison Lofts

1701 Madison Street NE #310 is the most urban of these three options, but I wouldn't compare its location directly with living in the North Loop or Downtown Minneapolis.

That's part of its appeal.

Madison Lofts is a converted warehouse building in Northeast Minneapolis near Logan Park and the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. The building was converted to condominiums around 2007 and has roughly 50 residences, combining converted warehouse lofts with newer penthouse and townhome-style spaces.

Unit #310 is a 755-square-foot, one-bedroom corner unit listed at $249,900. The corner location is important because windows on two sides bring natural light into a relatively compact floor plan. Inside, you get many of the features people are usually looking for when they tell me they want a loft: exposed brick, tall ceilings, concrete floors and remnants of the building's industrial history.

The unit also comes with heated, secure garage parking—something I always consider when comparing Minneapolis condos rather than simply comparing price and square footage.

A Different Kind of Northeast Location

One of the things I like about Madison Lofts is that you get the character of an old warehouse without being surrounded entirely by larger condo and apartment buildings.

The building sits in a more residential section of Northeast, directly by the Casket Arts campus and close to Logan Park. Casket Arts is one of the anchors of the Northeast Minneapolis arts community, with working artist studios occupying the former industrial buildings across from Madison Lofts.

From here you're also close to the restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, galleries and neighborhood businesses scattered throughout Northeast.

I've worked with downtown and Minneapolis condo buyers for more than 20 years, and I think this is an important distinction. Someone who likes the architecture and convenience of a loft doesn't necessarily want the pace of the North Loop. Madison Lofts can provide the loft aesthetic in a neighborhood that feels more residential once you walk outside.

For someone looking for one-level living, a first condo, or simply a smaller footprint without giving up character, it's an interesting Northeast option.

You can also see the building and current inventory in our Madison Lofts real estate guide.

$369,900: A Single-Family Home Just Across the Minneapolis Line

The second property illustrates something completely different.

3239 Stinson Boulevard is listed at $369,900 and sits in the Village of St. Anthony, immediately adjacent to Northeast Minneapolis.

It's a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with approximately 1,570 finished square feet, a detached two-car garage and a deeper backyard. The house was built in 1945 and has the story-and-a-half layout that's familiar throughout this part of the metro.

What stood out to me walking through it wasn't that the house was trying to be something it isn't. It's simply a cute, clean and well-cared-for house.

The front living room has hardwood floors and good natural light. Two bedrooms and a full bathroom are on the main floor along with an eat-in galley-style kitchen. The upper level provides the third bedroom, while the finished lower level gives the house additional living space, another bathroom, laundry and storage.

Major improvements including the roof, windows and HVAC were completed roughly a decade ago.

The Backyard Is a Big Part of the Story

The backyard may actually be one of my favorite parts of this property.

The lot is approximately 50 feet wide by 150 feet deep, and the current owners have created a comfortable little outdoor retreat with mature landscaping and a patio. You have room to actually use the yard without the property feeling overwhelming to maintain.

There's also a detached two-car garage and a long driveway, giving the house considerably more parking and storage than the Madison Lofts option.

St. Anthony vs. Northeast Minneapolis

This is also where a buyer's location criteria become more specific.

Although you're immediately adjacent to Northeast Minneapolis, this property is in St. Anthony rather than the City of Minneapolis. It is served by the St. Anthony-New Brighton School District (ISD 282), rather than Minneapolis Public Schools.

That's a factual distinction that's important for buyers to understand when comparing properties on either side of the municipal boundary. School assignments and enrollment eligibility should always be independently verified with the district.

Outside of that distinction, St. Anthony keeps you close to Northeast Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and Downtown Minneapolis, while also offering its own parks, recreation and everyday shopping and services.

It's a good example of why I encourage buyers not to stop their home search exactly at a city boundary. Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, looking a few blocks outside your original search can produce a very different housing option.

$499,900: More Space in Northeast Minneapolis

Move up to just under $500,000 and 2748 Ulysses Street NE shows another version of Northeast Minneapolis housing.

This is a 4-bedroom, 2-bath home with approximately 2,528 finished square feet, sitting on a corner lot. It was built in 1950, but it doesn't feel like you're walking into a house that has simply been frozen in that era.

A big reason for that is the work the owner has done over time.

One improvement I particularly appreciate is the Andersen replacement windows throughout the house. Windows aren't necessarily the feature that gets the biggest reaction in listing photos, but in an older Minneapolis house they can make a meaningful difference in efficiency, comfort, maintenance and how the house feels inside.

A Layout That's Easy to Understand

The main living room is a large, fairly square space, which makes furniture placement easy to visualize. That's something buyers don't always get in older Minneapolis houses, where additions, doorways and smaller rooms can sometimes dictate how a space has to be used.

The kitchen is also unusually generous, with extensive cabinetry and plenty of room for a casual eating area. It's also been recently refreshed with a brand-new countertop and all-new appliances that have never been used. Those improvements matter at this price point because you're getting an updated space without immediately inheriting another kitchen project after moving in.

The main level provides flexible bedroom and den possibilities, while the upper level has the character of a traditional half-story but with good usable ceiling height and additional bedroom space.

The finished lower level adds another substantial living area, including a second fireplace and a wet-bar hookup.

An Attached Garage Is Worth Noticing Here

Another feature I wouldn't take for granted in this part of Northeast is the two-car attached garage.

Technically, the garage connects to the house through a breezeway, but from a day-to-day standpoint you can move between the house and garage without going outside.

Detached garages are extremely common in older Minneapolis neighborhoods, so an attached two-car setup like this is something I notice when I'm walking through a house.

Another Outdoor Space You Might Not Expect

One of the more unusual features of the house is an elevated rooftop seating area. In addition to the backyard patio and corner lot, it creates another place to spend time outside with a little more separation and privacy. It's actually one of the features that originally attracted the current owner to the house.

Between the rooftop seating area, backyard and corner-lot setting, there are several ways to use the outdoor space. You're also conveniently positioned for the restaurants, breweries, parks, shops and arts destinations that make up the broader Northeast Minneapolis area, while Downtown Minneapolis remains close by.

So What Does $250K–$500K Buy Around Northeast Minneapolis?

These three listings aren't perfect apples-to-apples comparisons—and that's exactly why I think they're interesting.

At around $250,000, Madison Lofts gets you into a true warehouse-style condo with exposed brick, heated parking and one-level living. You're trading private yard space and overall square footage for a lower-maintenance home and a loft environment.

At around $370,000, moving just outside Minneapolis into St. Anthony gets you a detached single-family house with three bedrooms, finished basement space, a deep yard and two-car garage. It also puts the property in a different municipality and school district, which may or may not matter depending on the buyer.

At around $500,000, Ulysses keeps you in Northeast Minneapolis while moving you into substantially more finished living space: four bedrooms, multiple living areas, a recently refreshed kitchen with brand-new appliances and countertop, a finished basement, rooftop seating area and the less-common convenience of an attached two-car garage.

There isn't one correct choice among the three.

The better question is what you're trying to buy with your budget.

Square Footage Isn't the Whole Comparison

This is also a good example of why price per square foot doesn't tell the entire story when comparing real estate.

A 755-square-foot warehouse loft and a 2,500-square-foot single-family house are completely different products. One gives you exposed brick, elevator access, shared amenities and heated underground parking. The other gives you private land, multiple floors, additional bedrooms and your own garage.

Even the two single-family houses aren't directly interchangeable. You're comparing different municipalities, different school districts, different lot configurations, different amounts of finished space and different future possibilities.

Those are the kinds of tradeoffs I spend much more time discussing with buyers than simply asking which property has the lowest price per square foot.

There Are a Lot of Ways to Live in Northeast Minneapolis

Northeast is also one of those parts of Minneapolis where the housing changes fairly quickly as you move around.

You can find traditional early- and mid-century single-family homes, duplexes, converted industrial lofts, newer condos and apartments, and then cross a municipal boundary into communities such as St. Anthony and find another set of options.

That's why I wouldn't approach a Northeast Minneapolis home search with only one property type in mind unless you already know exactly what you want.

Sometimes seeing the alternatives is what makes the decision easier.

Explore These Three Homes

If you'd like to compare them yourself, you can view the complete property details here:

• 1701 Madison Street NE #310 — Madison Lofts
• 3239 Stinson Boulevard — St. Anthony
• 2748 Ulysses Street NE — Northeast Minneapolis

You can also explore our Northeast Minneapolis real estate guide and current homes for sale or browse the Minneapolis Condo & Loft Guide if you're comparing condo options.

If you're trying to decide which type of property makes the most sense for your budget, contact me here. I can help you compare the options on both sides of the Minneapolis boundary and figure out where the tradeoffs make the most sense for you.