We buy houses in Carver, MN

What is different about selling in Carver?

Carver sits on the Minnesota River, a short drive from Chaska. A Norwegian settler named Axel Jorgenson claimed the land in the early 1850s, and in 1854 it passed to a group of investors that included Alexander Ramsey. The town was platted in 1857. For years Carver was a steamboat landing, where cargo moved between the river and the creeks. When the railroad came through in 1871, traffic left the river and the town went quiet for a long time. That slow stretch left a lot of old buildings standing, and the Carver Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

A town this old has houses that have seen a lot of owners and a lot of weather. That is why selling as is can make sense, and why we do not ask you to fix anything first.

How does the legal side work here?

Carver is in Carver County. Probate cases go through the Carver County District Court at the Justice Center in Chaska, and deeds are recorded by the Carver County Recorder, also in Chaska. For houses on septic, Carver County has a point of sale rule that the seller has to follow. The city also has a Heritage Preservation Commission, so a house inside the historic district may come with extra review for outside changes. Ask the city what applies to yours.

Neighborhoods and areas in Carver

The Carver Historic District. A National Register district, listed in 1980, with buildings from the 1850s through the 1920s.

Spring Creek. The creek that the original town grid was laid out beside, parallel to the river.

The Minnesota River bluffs. High ground northwest of the old townsite with a view over a wide horseshoe bend in the river.

Timber Creek and The Preserve. Newer neighborhoods on the edge of town where recent homes have been built.

The Bluffs. Another newer area that the city refers to when it talks about growth to the south.

A river landing the railroad passed by

Carver was built as a place where steamboats and barges moved goods in and out of the river valley. A steamboat called the Antelope made trips to Saint Paul. Then the railroad pulled the business away, and for the better part of a century the town barely changed.

That is why Carver feels different from most Twin Cities suburbs. The streets near the old townsite are lined with houses that are far older than the subdivisions around them. Some are lovely. Some have been waiting a long time for a new roof, new plumbing or a foundation fix.

Owning a house in the historic district

The Carver Historic District is a point of pride, and it also means the city pays attention to what happens to old buildings there. The city set up a Heritage Preservation Commission in 1989. If you own a house in the district, ask the city what review applies to changes outside the house. A buyer will ask the same question.

We buy these houses as they are. You do not have to meet any design rule, replace anything or dress the place up for a showing.

River towns, creeks and low ground

Carver has lived with high water. A flood in 1965 is part of the story of why the town stayed small for so long. If your house sits on low ground near the river or a creek, a buyer or a lender may ask about flood maps and water in the basement.

Basements that take on water are common in towns like this. We have bought houses with damp basements and old sump pumps, and it does not scare us off. Tell us what you know.

Septic and wells outside the old town

Minnesota requires a seller to give written well and septic information to a buyer. Carver County adds its own point of sale rule for septic systems. The county code says the seller provides a county certificate and the state compliance form at or before closing, with a few exceptions. If a compliant system is not in place, it points to an escrow.

If you are not sure whether your property uses a septic system or a well, the county can tell you. We buy either kind.

Newer streets, and what comes with them

The newer parts of Carver, like Timber Creek and The Preserve, are very different from the historic streets. Houses there are newer, and many neighborhoods like these have a homeowners association. If yours does, you will want its rules and dues paperwork handy. Tell us what you have, and we will work from there.

When listing may be the better move

If you own a well kept house in Carver and you have the patience to wait for the right buyer, an agent may bring you a better result. Historic character can draw buyers who care about it, and a good listing can reach them.

A direct sale is for the owner who wants it done on their own timetable. That could be a family that inherited a house they cannot keep up, a landlord, or someone moving away. We will tell you honestly which way we think you should go.

Related reading: Selling an inherited house in the Twin Cities and Selling a house that needs repairs. Also see What is a TISH inspection and do I need it to sell?