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The Lilly Farm Neighborhood in Rochester Minnesota

Developed by Mark Hanson & Gene Peters, the Lilly Farm neighborhood expands over 200 acres of beautiful southwest Rochester countryside.  Lots range from 2.04 to over 6 acres allowing many options for your family home.

What you should know before building in the Lilly Farm neighborhood

There is an architectural control committee in place to ensure your home values are protected.  Things like buildings, fences, drives, sidewalks, pools, play equipment and other structures must be approved.

Lean-to’s, carports, vehicle storage buildings, and detached structures are not permitted.

Utility storage buildings, gazebos, and pool houses not exceeding 144 square feet in size are however permitted, should they be constructed with the same materials and architectural style as the house.

Fences are not allowed, aside from swimming pool fences as required per code, and dog fences, which do have some other requirements.

Siding will need to be fibered cement, composite materials and permanent siding or a combination of these.  When it comes to the color of your home, there are a short list of pre-approved earth tone paint colors that you may choose from.

Trailers, campers, boats, mobile homes, motor homes, and recreational vehicles cannot be stored outside.

The Lilly Farm lots offer a clever combination of expansive views and wooded privacy.

There are well and water line easements to pay attention to when choosing a lot.  Those are outlined in great detail in the Restrictive Covenants.

Lilly Farm Lots

Schools Near Lilly Farm

Mayo High School

1420 11th Ave SE Rochester, MN 55904 | 507-328-5500

Willow Creek Middle School

2425 11th Ave SE Rochester, MN 55904 | 507-328-5900

Bamber Valley Elementary School

2001  Bamber Valley Road SW Rochester, MN 55902 | 507-328-3030

Parks Near Lilly Farm

Parks Near Lilly Farm

Bamber Valley Estates Park – 1233 Autumn Ridge Rd SW Rochester, MN 55902

Meadow Lakes Park – 4263 Berkshire Rd SW Rochester, MN 55902

Lilly Farm Lots

Coffee Shops Near Lilly Farm

Dunn Brothers Coffee

  • 1340 Salem Rd SW Rochester, MN 55902
  • 507-424-3086

Starbucks

  • 2276 S Broadway Rochester, MN 55902
  • 507-424-9188

Moka

  • 306 12th St SE Rochester, MN 55904
  • 507-280-6652

Restaurants Near Lilly Farm

Pasquale’s Neighborhood Pizzeria

  • 130 5th St SW Rochester, MN 55902
  • 507-424-7800
  • 4.6 star Google rating

Canadian Honker Restaurant

  • 1203 2nd St SW Rochester, MN 55902
  • 507-282-6572
  • 4.4 star Google rating

Chester’s Kitchen & Bar

  • Shops At University Square, 111 S Broadway #108 Rochester, MN 55902
  • 507-424-1211
  • 4.4 star Google rating

Pescara

  • 150 S Broadway Rochester, MN 55904
  • 507-280-6900
  • 4.4 star Google rating

Terza

  • 30 3rd Se SE Rochester, MN 55904
  • 507-216-9590
  • 4.3 star Google rating

Lilly Farm Lots

R. Fleming Construction does not own Lilly Farm nor do we represent Lilly Farm land owners.  

How To Find Lots For Sale in Rochester Minnesota

lots for sale in rochester minnesota

Finding lots for sale in Rochester can be a daunting task.  Mostly due to the fact that a majority of build-able lots for sale in the Rochester Minnesota area aren’t easily visible to the general public.

Much of the lots for sale are in fact restricted to certain builders and not even listed on the MLS.  This makes finding lots for sale very difficult for you, the consumer.

Our best advice to you is to ask your Realtor for help first and foremost.  Secondly, there are some things to consider before buying any land.

Location

This seems like an obvious point to make but it’s important to dive a bit deeper into it than just specific areas of town or types of neighborhoods.  Ask yourself how close you are to schools, work, and shopping. Are there major highways near you that may cause unwanted noise and traffic?

Take into consideration the short and long-term future condition of the lots for sale that you’re considering. Think about the views now as well as 10 years from now.

The trees around you might be young now, but when they grow and block your city view you won’t be amused. Most likely, the vacant lots for sale around you will fill in and give the property an entirely different level of privacy or lack thereof.

Who Can Build on Lots For Sale

Depending on who the developer is, a particular lot may be exclusive to only one builder.  That means you don’t have a choice as to who builds your home on this lot. Your agent will be able to find out for you if a lot is exclusive or open to all builders.

Zoning Restrictions

Zoning information is available to the general public but can sometimes be hard to interpret. Ask your Realtor to research public planning and zoning restrictions for the piece of land you have interest in.

This step should come very early on in the process.  If there’s a new airport or commercial building site in your backyard in 3 years it’s going to affect your use and enjoyment of the property as well as your re-sale value.

 

Walk Lots For Sale With Your Builder

Chances are you’ve met with your Builder about floor plans and elevation.  Now it’s time to walk the lot with them to give you a definitive answer to whether your dream home’s size, dimensions and layout will fit onto the lot you have your eyes on.

The size, shape, and slope all come into play when figuring out if your dream home and this lot will be a good match. There’s no one better to give you an educated and accurate opinion than the professional builder themselves.

Ordinances, Covenants, and Architectural Committees

Ordinances and covenants will dictate how you use and enjoy your property. The documents themselves are usually extensive, detailed, and highly regulated.

Examples of ways ordinances and covenants can affect you would include the following.

  • The ability to put up fencing
  • Where you can park your vehicles
  • What types of pets you can have on the property

.Architectural committees have the job of approving things like exterior elevations, color choices, and square footage minimums. This seems a bit intrusive at first but they truly are put in place to help protect the integrity of the neighborhood as well as your investment.

When your new neighbors want to put up a 20-foot hot pink fence and the architectural committee rejects it, you’ll be grateful for such a thing.

lots for sale in rochester minnesota

Easements on Lots for Sale

Another important aspect of researching your perfect piece of land is the ability to access it. Usually in urban areas this isn’t a sticking point; however, quite a few rural areas have pieces of land that require easements.

It’s best to consult a real estate attorney for these matters.  It’s extremely complicated and could gravely affect your use, enjoyment, and actual access to the piece of land you want.

Costs

A piece of land, just like an existing home, has title attached to it; which you’ll need to have insurance for. Land surveying and utility costs are another aspect of cost-of-ownership most buyers don’t think about when purchasing land that’s not yet built on.

Some lenders will require certain utilities like water and electricity to be installed and running even before you’ve built the home.

If the property isn’t hooked up to city water and sewer and you need to install a well and septic system, it’s going to cost you. Don’t leave this to surprise; instead, outline the potential monthly costs associated with this particular lot and factor that in with your timeline to build.

Surveying

So you’ve already done a lot of research and you’re getting closer to committing to this lot.  But you have to jump through one more very important hoop.  You need to hire and purchase your own survey. There may be evidence of a survey but you should spend the time and money to make sure yours is recent and accurate.

A survey will tell you exactly where you land starts and ends. This comes into play when your builder decides if the land is suitable for the plan you’ve chosen as well as when permits are to be pulled before construction can begin.

Permits

Permits are a necessary evil during the construction process. It can be overwhelming to realize just how many permits need to be pulled.  And the costs associated with such permits, and time it takes to schedule, complete, and pass each one of them is not for the faint of heart.

It may seem over the top and excessive at times but they are a necessary part of the building process to help protect you, your investment, and the safety of the general public.

lots for sale in rochester minnesota

No Trespassing on Land for Sale

Lastly, just because you see a ‘for sale’ sign on a piece of land does not mean you can assume you are allowed to enter the property. Call the number on the sign first and do not under any circumstance trespass onto the property, day or night.

There you have it! Lots of research needs to go into a vacant land purchase.  And things can get very complicated.   But if you hire experienced professionals along the way you’ll put yourself in the best position to make an informed decision. How’s that for a good foundation?

The Century Valley Neighborhood in Rochester Minnesota


The Century Valley neighborhood in Rochester Minnesota was purchased by The Bella Terra Group in early 2017.  There are 6 phases to be completed over the next 10 years.

Phase one of Century Valley will include 30 lots ranging from $95,900-$125,900.

The Century Valley neighborhood offers wooded walkout, daylight, and flat lots to suit everyone’s building needs.

Expansive views of the city of Rochester can be enjoyed from the lush, hill top neighborhood.

Proximity to dining, shopping, and entertainment, combined with privacy make this popular neighborhood a must see.

What You Should Know Before Building in the Century Valley Neighborhood in Rochester Minnesota

We encourage each home to be designed with front elevation that is more prominent than the garage.

The minimum roof pitch of the structures’ primary roof shall be 8/12.

All decks and patios/terraces must be designed as part of the home and be completed at the time the home is constructed.

The front elevation requires James Hardie siding or LP Smartside products for siding materials.  Side and rear elevations may utilize vinyl siding materials.

There is no required minimum amount of stone to be required on a home.  When used, brick and stone must wrap around the house corners at least 24 inches.

Andersen Windows are the required window product in Century Valley.  All windows are required to be trimmed with a minimum of 6″ LP Smartside trim or James Hardie trim board.

Driveway width at the street shall be no more than 24 feet wide.  Driveway grade shall not be more than 10%.

Two Story structures in Century Valley are required to be a minimum of 2,200 square feet, (combined finished on main and 2nd level).

Rambler structures in Century Valley are required to be a minimum of 1,450 square feet, (combined finished on main level).

The minimum required budget for landscape planting plan will be $3,000.  This does not include the required sodding or retaining walls.  Landscaping shall be completed by the Builder or Owner within 180 days after closing on the home.

All fencing to be approved by ARC Committee.  Any fencing shall not exceed 6 feet in height.

Schools Near Century Valley

Century High School

2525 Viola Road NE, Rochester, MN 55906

Jefferson Elementary

1201 10th Ave NE, Rochester, MN 55906

Kellogg Middle School

503 17th Street NE, Rochester, MN 55906

St. Francis

318 11th Avenue SE, Rochester, MN 55904

Parks Near Century Valley

Quarry Hill Park

701 Silver Creek Rd NE, Rochester, MN 55906

Century Hills Park

3135 21st St NE, Rochester, MN 55906

Northgate Park

2107 24th St NW Rochester, MN 55901

Schmidt Park

6222 24th Ave NW, Rochester, MN 55901

There is an additional neighborhood park planned for the Century Valley neighborhood in future phases.

The Hundred Acre Woods Neighborhood in Rochester Minnesota

The Story Behind Hundred Acre Woods

Hundred Acre Woods was developed in the early 2000’s. The first phase of the Hundred Acre Woods neighborhood included lots that sold for between $55,000 and $75,000.

The remaining lots were then split off into the 2nd phase now called “The Highlands at Hundred Acre Woods” and sold to a twin cities developer.  Unfortunately, the developer soon went bankrupt.

Due to the number of parcels, the foreclosure process for neighborhoods like this is typically quite lengthy.  In this case, the second phase of Hundred Acre Woods sat for 2 and a half years under a transaction freeze of sorts.

When the recession hit, the bank went bankrupt as well.  This started the 2 and a half year long foreclosure process all over again from the beginning.

After five years off the market, the bankrupt bank’s portfolio was purchased along with land in The Carolina’s, the Dakota’s, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Bob Fleming then purchased the second phase of Hundred Acre Woods, (The Highlands) from the investment group.  This second phase included 72 beautiful lots.

hundred acre woods

Instead of raising lot prices to current market values of $65,000-75,000, Bob Fleming priced the lots at $30,000-35,000.  This helped create a niche for homes in the price range of $300,000-750,000.

Buyers who build in The Highlands at Hundred Acre Woods are now able to put more money into their home instead of sticking that money into the cost of the land.  In other words, you get more house for the money in The Highlands at Hundred Acre Woods.

We’ve now sold over 50 homes in The Highlands at Hundred Acre Woods in two short years.  It’s no surprise, as the lots are larger than most city lots, ranging from 90 x 200 all the way up to 100 x 130.

Buyers who want to build in The Highlands at Hundred Acre Woods have walk out, day light, and flat lots to choose from; so there’s something for everyone.

What You Should Know Before Building in Hundred Acre Woods

  • Each home should be designed with front elevation that is more prominent than the garage.
  • The minimum roof pitch of the structures primary roof shall be 8/12.
  • All decks and patios/terraces must be designed as part of the home and be completed at the time the home is constructed.
  • The front elevation requires James Hardie Siding or LP Smartside Products for siding materials.
  • Side and rear elevations may utilize vinyl siding materials.
  • There is no required minimum amount of stone to be on the home.
  • When used, brick and stone must wrap around the house corners at least 24 inches.
  • Andersen Windows are the required window product.
  • All windows are required to be trimmed with a minimum of 6″ LP SmartSide Trim or James Hardie Trim Board.
  • Driveway width at the street shall be no more than 18 feet wide.
  • Driveway grade shall be not more than 10%.
  • Two Story homes must be at least 2,000 square feet – combined finished on main and second level.
  • Rambler homes must be at least 1,300 square feet – combined finished on main level.
  • Minimum required budget for landscaping will be $5,000.  This may not include the required sodding or retaining walls.
  • Landscaping to be completed by the Builder or Owner within 180 days after closing on the home.
  • All fencing to be approved by ARC Committee.
  • Any fencing shall not exceed 6 feet in height.
  • Galvanized Chain Link fencing is prohibited for all purposes.

hundred acre woods