Guidance Homes, Inc.

04/24/2026

Some places you drive through once and never forget. 🌲

Scandia is like that.

Quiet. Wooded. Unhurried. And closer to the Twin Cities than most people realize.

We just published a new blog post about building a custom luxury home in Scandia, MN — including an inside look at Tii Gavo, our active development with Big Marine Lake access and lot and home packages starting from $900K.

If you've been dreaming of space, privacy, and the kind of natural beauty that actually makes you slow down — this one's worth a read.

👉 https://www.guidancehomes.com/post/custom-homes-in-scandia-mn-luxury-living-near-big-marine-lake

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There's a version of the North Metro that most people drive past without stopping. Scandia, Minnesota sits far enough off the beaten path that buyers who don't know it tend to miss it entirely. The ones who do find it, though, tend to come back. And a good number of them eventually decide to build h...

04/24/2026

Our Model Home in Forest Hills Preserve will be OPEN Friday-Sunday from 12-5PM with an opportunity to view our brand new model home on Keibler Ct. If you haven't visited this neighborhood during your home search, you're missing out. Take a look at everything this gorgeous 55+ Association-Maintained community has to offer!

Forest Hills Preserve is Forest Lake's premier 55+ association-maintained custom home community. Snow removal, lawn care, and nature trail access included. By Guidance Homes.

04/20/2026

Join us for a Broker's Open at the Guidance Homes Parade Model on Thursday April 23rd 3:00-5:00PM.

04/20/2026

Most builders present well in a first meeting. The portfolio looks impressive, the conversation feels easy, and everything sounds great on paper.

But how do you know what they're really like when your project gets complicated?

We wrote this blog for anyone who's starting to research custom home builders in Minnesota. These are the 10 questions you should ask before you sign anything — and what a strong answer actually sounds like (versus a vague one that should give you pause).
We cover things like:
✅ Whether the builder has local knowledge of your specific area and community
✅ Whether the builder will clearly explain your warranty — and actually walk you through what it covers before you close
✅ How they communicate during a 6–10 month build
✅ What happens when costs change mid-project
✅ Whether they can help you sell your current home

We're confident in our answers to all 10. Come find out why.

👇 Read the full post here:
https://www.guidancehomes.com/post/what-makes-a-great-custom-home-builder-10-questions-to-ask-before-you-sign
Ready to ask us directly? Schedule a consultation and we'll talk through anything you want to know. 📞 612-221-1596

Choosing a custom home builder in Minnesota is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make in the entire process. Get it right and the experience is genuinely rewarding. Get it wrong and you're locked into a contract with someone who communicates poorly, delivers inconsistently, and leaves y...

04/18/2026

Quick question for anyone in their late 50s or early 60s:
Are you still in the house that made sense when the kids were home?

A lot of buyers tell us the same thing. The house is too big, the maintenance is too much, and they're not sure what the right next step looks like. They know they don't want a condo. They're not ready for a "retirement community." They just want something that fits better.

We built our 55+ communities in Forest Lake and Wyoming specifically for that buyer.

Custom home. One level. HOA handles the lawn and snow. Your design choices, your finishes, your next chapter.

We wrote a guide to help you figure out if this kind of community is the right fit — and what to look for if it is.

There's a moment a lot of buyers in their late 50s and early 60s describe the same way. They're rattling around in a four-bedroom house that made perfect sense fifteen years ago, spending weekends on maintenance they don't enjoy anymore, and thinking: there has to be a better way to do this next cha...

04/17/2026

If you have visited a Guidance Homes model in the past, you may have met or even worked with our friend Dave Regel.
Dave has served people his entire life, from being a member of the United States Navy, to making daily life more accessible for handicapped people through his work in designing products and building homes. Serving his clients is his passion.

Recently, Dave experienced a sudden and life-threatening medical emergency. We are asking for your support to help ease the financial burden so Dave can focus fully on his recovery. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference. If you are unable to give, sharing this page and keeping Dave in your thoughts and prayers is deeply appreciated.

For nearly 20 years, Dave Regel has been a dedicated real estate professional and a… Mike Bernier needs your support for Support Dave Regel’s Road to Recovery

04/10/2026

🏡 Last chance to tour two of our most stunning builds this Parade of Homes season!

This is the FINAL WEEKEND — don't miss your opportunity to walk through two exceptional Guidance Homes properties before the Parade wraps up.

🌲 Forest Hills Preserve | #103
9998 211th Ct N, Forest Lake, MN 55025
4 Bed | 3 Bath | 3-Car Garage | 3,387 Sq. Ft.
55+ Association-Maintained Community — luxury living with the lawn work handled for you.

✨ Legacy at Peterson Farms | #80
4572 166th Ave NW, Andover, MN 55304
3 Bed | 3 Bath | 3-Car Garage | 3,033 Sq. Ft.
Luxury Accessible Smart Home — thoughtfully designed for now and the future.

📅 Open Friday – Sunday | 12:00 – 6:00 PM
Come see the craftsmanship, the details, and the difference that custom-built makes. See you there!

📞 612-221-1596
🌐 www.GuidanceHomes.com
📧 [email protected]

04/08/2026

Thinking about building a lake home in Minnesota? Here's what most buyers don't know before they start looking.

Not every lake lot is actually buildable. DNR setback rules, county permits, soil conditions, and impervious surface limits can significantly shrink what's usable on a lot that looks great on a map. And shoreland permitting takes longer than standard residential permitting, which matters if you're working against a construction loan timeline.

Our new blog breaks down everything you need to know, from lot evaluation to engineering considerations.

Check it out 👀👇

For a lot of Minnesotans, a lake home isn't just a real estate goal. It's a life goal. The idea of waking up to water, keeping a boat fifty feet from your back door, and spending summers the way summers in this state are supposed to be spent is something people carry around for years before they act...

04/04/2026

Thinking about building a custom home in Minnesota's North Metro? 🏡

We put together a complete guide covering everything you'd want to know before your first conversation with a builder — from lot selection and design to selections, permitting, and move-in day.

Plus the specifics of building in Minnesota: frost lines, insulation requirements for Climate Zone 6, weather delays, and how county requirements can vary from Hugo to Scandia to Forest Lake.

Here's what's inside:
✅ Why the North Metro is still one of the best places to build (and why that window won't last)
✅ The full build process, explained
✅ Realistic timeline expectations — what 6 to 10 months actually looks like
✅ Minnesota-specific building requirements every buyer should understand
✅ Questions to ask any builder before you commit

This is what we'd want you to know before we ever sat down together.

👇 Read the full guide at the link below.

If you're thinking seriously about working with a custom home builder in Minnesota's North Metro, you've probably already discovered that the process is more involved than buying an existing home. There's more to decide, more to coordinate, and more to understand before you even break ground. That's...

03/30/2026

There's a reason Forest Lake keeps rising to the top of the list for North Metro families who want to build. Great schools. Lake life. A real community with its own personality. And custom homes designed exactly the way you want them.

We just published a deep-dive blog breaking down everything that makes Forest Lake one of the best places to build in Minnesota: commute times, school district, lot availability, and why building custom beats buying existing in this market.

If you've been thinking about it, this one's worth a read.

Read the full post here: https://www.guidancehomes.com/post/why-forest-lake-mn-best-place-build-custom-home?referral=business-feed

Ready to talk? Reach out to the Guidance Homes team and let's start the conversation.

If you're looking for a custom home builder in Forest Lake, MN, you've probably already figured out something that a lot of North Metro buyers eventually discover: Forest Lake has a way of rising to the top of the list. People come here for a weekend on the water and start wondering what it would be...