Why Forest Lake, MN Is One of Minnesota's Best Places to Build a Custom Home

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 like to actually live here. They drive through town on a Saturday morning, stop for coffee, watch the boats head out, and think — yeah, this is it.

We've been building custom homes in Forest Lake for over a decade, and we hear some version of that story from buyers all the time. There's something about this community that's hard to articulate but easy to feel. So let's break down exactly what makes Forest Lake such a compelling place to build, and why so many North Metro families are choosing to put down roots here rather than somewhere else.

What Forest Lake Actually Looks Like to Live In

Forest Lake sits in the northeast corner of the Twin Cities metro, straddling the Washington and Chisago County border. It's a community that manages to feel genuinely small-town while still being close enough to the city that you don't feel like you've given anything up.

The city takes its name from the lake at its heart. Forest Lake covers roughly 2,400 acres and is one of the most popular recreational lakes in the entire North Metro, offering fishing, boating, swimming, and the kind of summer activity that defines Minnesota lake living at its best. Come winter, ice fishing shacks go up before Thanksgiving and snowmobile trails run for miles in every direction.

Beyond the lake, Forest Lake has the everyday infrastructure that makes life genuinely convenient. Downtown has a solid mix of local restaurants, shops, and services. You'll find grocery stores, medical clinics, fitness centers, and the kind of small-business culture that thrives in communities with a real local identity. It doesn't feel like a bedroom suburb that forgot to grow its own personality. It feels like a place people actually chose.

The Commute Question

One of the first things buyers ask us is how far Forest Lake is from the cities. It's a fair question, and the honest answer is closer than most people expect.

From Forest Lake, you're looking at roughly 35 minutes to downtown St. Paul and about 40 minutes to Minneapolis under normal traffic conditions. Interstate 35 runs right through town and connects directly to the metro, making the drive predictable and consistent. A lot of our buyers work in the east metro corridor, places like White Bear Lake, Maplewood, and Woodbury, and for them Forest Lake is a genuinely short commute.

For buyers who work downtown or in the southwest metro, the drive is longer. We won't pretend otherwise. But for many families, that extra time buys something real: a larger lot, a custom home they designed themselves, access to lakes and trails right outside the door, and a school district they're proud of. Most of our buyers decide quickly that the tradeoff is worth it.

Forest Lake Area Schools

School district quality is one of the top three factors for families deciding where to build, and Forest Lake delivers. Forest Lake Area Schools (ISD 831) serves the community with a full K-12 program that includes Forest Lake High School, which has a strong reputation for both academics and extracurricular programming.

What we consistently hear from families who've relocated here from other suburbs is that the district feels engaged and community-oriented. Athletic programs are well-supported, arts programs are active, and class sizes feel manageable. For buyers coming from larger suburban districts, the community feel of Forest Lake schools is often a welcome change.

Worth noting: the district also serves portions of nearby communities including Columbus and Wyoming, depending on where your lot sits. Confirming which district covers a specific property is something our team always addresses early in the process.

Why the North Metro Is Growing and Forest Lake Leads It

The Twin Cities metro has been expanding outward for decades, and the North Metro has become one of the fastest-growing corridors in the state. A few things are driving that pattern.

Housing costs in the established inner-ring suburbs have climbed considerably over the past several years. Buyers who want more space, newer construction, and the ability to customize their home are looking further out. The North Metro offers all of that at a more accessible price point than the southwest or west suburbs, without requiring buyers to sacrifice quality schools or community character.

Forest Lake specifically has benefited from its location on I-35, its established identity as a real town, and its lake access. It isn't a new development carved out of a cornfield. It's a community with history, personality, and amenities already in place. That combination is genuinely hard to find, and it's a big part of why Forest Lake keeps showing up at the top of buyers' lists.

Lot availability in desirable North Metro communities has also tightened across the board. Forest Lake still has opportunities, but strong lots don't sit around. Buyers who find land they love in a community they love are wise to move on it.

Building Custom vs. Buying Existing in Forest Lake

The existing home inventory in Forest Lake is real but limited. Like most desirable North Metro communities, well-located homes move quickly when they hit the market. When one comes along that you like, you often have to make a fast decision and accept whatever compromises come with it.

Building custom changes that equation entirely. You pick the lot, the floor plan, the finishes, and the orientation. You get the mudroom you actually want, the garage that fits your life, and the kitchen designed around how your family really cooks. You don't inherit someone else's decisions about the layout or spend the first two years fixing things that should have been done right the first time.

Ready to explore building a custom home in Forest Lake? Take a look at our process at guidancehomes.com/building-custom-homes-mn or reach out to schedule a consultation with our team.

There's also the energy efficiency factor to consider. A new custom home built to current Minnesota standards will perform significantly better than most existing homes in the area, which means lower utility bills and a more comfortable house through the winters. That matters when you're living in a Climate Zone 6 state with heating seasons that run six months of the year.

The timeline for a custom build is longer than buying existing, typically around 6-10 months from lot selection to move-in (depending on home size and selections). But for buyers who go in with that expectation, the process is genuinely rewarding. You know exactly what you're getting because you helped design it.

If you're weighing custom versus existing in the Forest Lake market, our team is in a unique position to help you think through both options honestly. Jaren Johnson is both a custom home builder and a licensed realtor, which means he can evaluate existing listings with a builder's eye and give you a straight read on what you'd actually be getting into.

Lot Availability and Neighborhood Character

Forest Lake has a range of neighborhoods, from established lakeside streets to newer development areas on the edges of the city. Good lots in desirable locations still come available, but they move. If you're serious about building in Forest Lake, it's worth starting the conversation sooner rather than later so our team can help you identify what's out there.

We also build in communities close to Forest Lake that many buyers consider alongside it. Our Forest Hills Preserve Community is an association-maintained custom home development designed for buyers who want a custom home without weekend yard work. It's a popular choice for empty nesters who want the Forest Lake lifestyle with less maintenance responsibility.

For buyers interested in nearby options with a similar North Metro character, we're also building at Tii Gavo in Scandia, a luxury development with access to Big Marine Lake, and at Hunter Hill in Wyoming, which offers two-acre lots for buyers who want more breathing room. Both communities are close enough to Forest Lake that many buyers look at all three before making a final decision. You can explore everything we're currently building at guidancehomes.com/neighborhoods.

Why Guidance Homes

We're not a large regional builder with projects spread across the entire metro. Guidance Homes is a locally owned company based in Forest Lake, and Jaren Johnson is personally involved in every build we take on.

Jaren grew up in Minnesota, coaches Forest Lake Hockey, and has been building in this community long enough to know the local contractors, the county permit process, the lots worth pursuing, and the ones to walk away from. When you sit down with him, you're not getting a sales pitch. You're getting a real conversation with someone who knows this market well and is invested in what gets built in it.

Our team also offers something most builders can't. Because Jaren holds both a builder's license and a real estate license, we can help you navigate the entire process, from finding land to designing your home to selling your current one if that's part of the picture. That's the Guidance Steps approach, and it's what consistently sets us apart for buyers who are serious about building in Forest Lake.

Let's Talk About Building in Forest Lake

Forest Lake isn't the right fit for every buyer. If a 20-minute commute to downtown Minneapolis is a hard requirement, there are communities that make more sense for you. But if you want a real lake community with strong schools, genuine small-town character, and the space to build a home designed exactly the way you want it, Forest Lake is hard to beat.

We'd love to have that first conversation. Reach out to the Guidance Homes team to schedule a consultation and talk through what building in Forest Lake could look like for your family.

Schedule a consultation to build in Forest Lake — contact Guidance Homes today.

By Jaren Johnson & The Guidance Homes Team